No. 208
Editorial Note
At the June 3 meeting of the National Security Council, there was
discussion of United States policy in the event of overt unprovoked
military aggression by Communist China. In NSC Action No. 1148, the Council:
- “a. Noted the views of the Secretary of State, as
presented to and approved by the President on May 28,
1954, as to the nature of offensive action against
Communist China which the United States should take in
the event of overt unprovoked military aggression by
communist China.
- b. Agreed that:
- (1)
- U.S. policy should be that, if Communist China
should commit overt unprovoked military aggression
in the Western Pacific area or Southeast Asia:
- (a)
- The President would at once request approval
from Congress for use of the Armed Forces of the
United States against Communist China to defeat
the aggression; and
- (b)
- The United States would seek to persuade our
Pacific allies, Thailand, and other free nations
to join in the action, with such help as each can
give, and to support an appeal to the United
Nations by the parties attacked.
- (2)
- The Secretary of State should advise
Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines, as
parties to mutual security treaties with the
United States, of the foregoing U.S. policy, and
should seek to obtain the commitment that, if the
contingency should occur, each of those
governments would at once request authority, in
accordance with its constitutional processes, to
join in such action. If such commitments cannot be
obtained, the U.S. policy expressed in (1) above
will be subject to reexamination.” (S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous)
files, lot 66 D 95, “Record of Actions by the
National Security Council, 1954”)
[Page 445]
For an extract of the June 3 discussion, see volume XII, Part 1, page
532.
