286. NSC Report1
NSC 6027
Washington, December 30,
1960
[Facsimile Page 1]
NOTE BY THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
to the
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
on
CHANNELS FOR TRANSMISSION OF WARNING OF
ATTACK
REFERENCES
- A. NSC 116
- B. NSC Action No. 2215–c
The NSC Planning Board on December 6,
1960, reviewed NSC 116, pursuant to
NSC Action No. 2215–c, and agreed that revisions of an editorial
nature only were required to bring this policy up to date.
Accordingly, the enclosed statement of policy on the subject,
incorporating the editorial revisions agreed upon by the Planning Board,
is transmitted herewith as NSC 6027 in
accordance with NSC Action No. 2215–c, which provides that where NSC policy papers do not require “revision
except of a purely editorial nature, the NSC Planning Board should make a written report to that
effect to the Council as a matter of record.”
In approving paragraphs 4 and 5 of NSC
116 on September 19, 1951, the President directed their implementation
by all appropriate Executive departments and agencies of the U.S.
Government, as indicated therein. These instructions by the President
continue to be applicable to the enclosure.
NSC 6027 supersedes NSC 116.
James S. Lay,
Jr.
Executive Secretary
cc: The Secretary of the Treasury
The Director, Bureau of the Budget
The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Director of Central Intelligence
[Typeset Page 1213]
Enclosure
Statement of Policy
[Facsimile Page 2]
CHANNELS FOR TRANSMISSION OF WARNING
OF ATTACK2
1. The Standing Group, in considering the provision of warning of
imminent attack, has concluded that there is a clear requirement for
certain defined national responsibilities and established secure
channels for the transmission of warning of attack.
2. The Standing Group has suggested that the following
responsibilities should be recognized by the signatory Powers of the
North Atlantic Treaty, and should be included in orders to the Major
Commands of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
a. The discoverer of credible information
indicating definite preparations for, or movement in initiation of
attack against any element of NATO
is responsible that the substance of such information be transmitted
immediately through the duly established channels for the
information of the Major Commands of NATO and the Standing Group.
b. Each Power and each Major Command of NATO is responsible for preventing
the transmission in its name of unofficial and/or unevaluated
warning of attack. To this end, it should advise the Standing Group
and the Major Commands of NATO as
to the agencies who are authorized to transmit warning messages.
c. Only in extreme emergency, in which the
element of time would prohibit normal complete processing through
internal channels, should there be recourse to releasing the
information at some lower level.
[Facsimile Page 3]
3. The Standing Group suggested the following channels for
transmission of urgent intelligence as being currently appropriate
and adequate:
a. From the designated agency of the country
or command first receiving AND EVALUATING the information, to the
Standing Group via the duly established channels (see subparagraph
2–b above) with information copies to the
NATO Major Commands.
b. In cases of extreme urgency, when the
element of time is vital, any internationally identifiable agency
(for example, ambassadors and commanders in chief, as opposed to
those specifically designated) should inform the Standing Group by
the quickest means available, with copies to Major Commands of
NATO.
[Typeset Page 1214]
4. In implementation of subparagraph 3–a
above, it is considered that advantage should be taken of existing
agencies and action channels. At present, intelligence is furnished
to the Watch Committee of the United States Intelligence Board by
the Department of State, the Central Intelligence Agency, the
Military Services, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the
Atomic Energy Commission. This intelligence is quickly evaluated by
the Watch Committee and its conclusions immediately given to the
United States Intelligence Board which, in turn, through the
Director of Central Intelligence, advises the National Security
Council. The personnel and functions of these agencies (Watch
Committee, United States Intelligence Board and National Security
Council) are so inter-related and organized as to provide for the
most expeditious handling of and making recommendations to the
President on matters concerning information on the imminence of
attack. It may be noted that the Watch Committee is composed of
representatives from all agencies dealing with the evaluation of
intelligence, with their superiors constituting the United States
Intelligence Board, whose superiors in turn are either members of or
attend the meetings of the National Security Council. The Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who normally attends these meetings,
ensures that the U.S. Representative to the Standing Group is kept
informed. It is therefore considered that in order to provide both
political and military consideration, the President, on the advice
of the National Security Council, should authorize the transmittal
of warning of attack messages to the Standing Group and Major
Commands of NATO. It is further
considered that, in view of the communications channels available to
them, the Joint Chiefs of Staff should be the U.S. agency to
transmit warning of attack messages. In case actual hostilities have
commenced, or the Joint Chiefs of Staff consider hostilities too
imminent that time is of vital importance, the Joint Chiefs of Staff
should be authorized to transmit to NATO such warning of attack messages simultaneously
with transmission to the President, the members of the National
Security Council and the Director of Central Intelligence.
[Facsimile Page 4]
5. It is considered that, in cases of extreme urgency, when the
element of time is vital (reference subparagraph 3–b above), information available to the United States of
the imminence or actual commencement of hostilities will reach the
Standing Group and the Major Commands of NATO through already established intelligence
procedures and channels which are internationally identifiable.
