Despite george kennan urging for politicalideological containment in his long telegram, his ideals went unheeded as the us ploughed headlong into the arms race and a militarized cold war. The usas nuclear monopoly ended as the ussr tested its. The outbreak of war in korea, punctuated by the approval of the historic u. The truman administration, public opinion, and the politics of mobilization, 195019511 steven casey in the spring of 1950, as the joint study group charged with producing a reassessment of. It was a top secret national security council objective in 1950. Software previously available here is now available from the website of the notebook service center, or for employees, via the software center application on your computer.
Nsc68 is considered to be one of the most significant documents in the history of the u. A critical analysis is provided that also speculates on what could have been done differently. Nsc681, the first cut at providing cost estimates for the programs recommended by nsc68 nsc682, in which truman approves the basic approach of nsc68 but directs additional work on the costs nsc683, the revised,analysis of programs and costs called for in nsc682. United states objectives and programs for national security april 14, 1950 a report to the president pursuant to the presidents directive of january 31, 1950 top secret washington, april 7, 1950 contents terms of reference analysis i. United states objectives and programs for national security, better known as nsc 68, was a 66page top secret national security council nsc policy paper drafted by the department of state and department of defense and presented to president harry s. It was one of the most important american policy statements of the cold war. The cold war was about the dollar gap, argues curt cardwell in this provocative yet exaggerated account of the early postworld war ii years. Within the past thirtyfive years the world has experienced two global wars of tremendous violence. The report has since been declassified and become one of the classic historical documents of the cold war era. I fell asleep in high school honors us history today and i have a huge test tomorrow. Truman receives national security council paper number 68 nsc68. Truman in 1950 that laid out the basic strategy to oppose the soviet union in fighting the cold war. Cold war evolution and interpretations korea and nsc 68.
Department of states policy planning staff on april 7, 1950. Responding to the presidents charge, the state department. Project muse nsc 68 and the political economy of the. It was one of the most significant statements of american policy in the cold war. Security, april 14, 1950, history and public policy program. United states objectives and programs for national security, better known as nsc 68, was a 66page top secret national security council nsc policy paper.
National security council report 68,united states objectives and programs for national security nsc68s. The foregoing analysis indicates that the probable fission bomb capability and possible thermonuclear bomb capability of the soviet union have greatly intensified the soviet threat to the security of the united states. In summary, was it just used for more military spending for defense. Immediately download the nsc68 summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for studying or teaching nsc68. Written in 1950, nsc 68 laid out the rationale for american cold war strategy. In late january 1950, truman requested an indepth report on the continuing world crisis. Nsc 68 was a cold war policy paper that examines how to deter the ussrs world domination plans. Nato became a working alliance, the united states provided military assistance to europe, the soviet union detonated an atomic bomb, and the mao zedongs communist party took control of mainland china. Nsc68 united states objectives and programs for national. Nsc68 1950 was a top secret document prepared by the national security council and approved by president harry s. United states objectives and programs for national security, a top secret report outlining u. This document is a result of trumans request for a comprehensive analysis of soviet and american capabilities regarding military, economic, political, and psychological standpoints. Truman which provided the strategic outline for increased u.
As a politician, he hesitated to publicly support a program that would result in heavy. Odd arne westad bio in late 1949, as foreign policy planners in washington prepared the report which was to become nsc68, the chinese communist leadership was deliberating the future position of china in international affairs. Nsc 201 us objectives with respect to russia by national security council. Written by hardliner paul nitze, it took the worst case scenario in dealing with the soviet union. The report was a group effort, created with input from the defense department, the state department, the cia. Nsc 68s view of the soviet union was a dangerous nation that was driven by fanatic faith that had a clear goal to establish an absolute authority hegemony over the world, nsc 68 definition of a free society was a mixture of rights and obligations of an individual in that. Objectives and programs for national security, april. War also hastened implementation of nsc68, a document drafted by paul nitze that called for a vigorous program of atomic and conventional rearmament to meet americas global commitments. The software for ut employees is available within the microsoft software centre or via the notebook service centre make sure you check bmslab for software on audio transcription and software related to vr, eeg, eye. This volume includes the complete text of nsc 68, followed by commentaries from former officials, specialists on american foreign policy, and american and foreign scholars. The university of twente offers students and employees a range of different scientific and statistical software packages, like atlas ti, liwc, matlab, spss and stata, nvivo. President truman receives nsc68 report, calling for containing.
Drafted by paul nitze, who had replaced george kennan as the director of the state departments policy planning staff, and a team of state and defense department officials, nsc 68 was submitted to the president in april. It called for tripling the defense budget, and the globalization and militarization of containment policy whereby the u. To understand americas actions during the cold war, it is essential to understand nsc 68 the 1950 report, requested by president truman and prepared by the national security council nsc, that guided american foreign policy for nearly forty years. Barrett to acheson on public relations and nsc68, 1950. The report was a group effort, created with input from the. Newly installed in the old qing imperial capital of beijing, the chinese. Nsc 68 called for more aggressive efforts to counter soviet expansion. Memo for nsc from executive secretary, same subject, dated april 14, 1950 the enclosed letter by the president and the report by the. Section i nsc 68 is a document, or policy paper, written in april of 1950 to analyze the courses of action available to the president of the united states in defense to the u. United states objectives and programs for national security april 14, 1950 a report to the president pursuant to the presidents directive of january 31, 1950. Governments response to the challenges presented by the cold war, including the policy of containment that sought to limit soviet expansion by all means short of war.
Curt cardwell, nsc 68 and the political economy of the early cold war. Nsc68 was a virulent anticommunist document which profoundly shaped american foreign policy during the cold war. National security council report, nsc 68, united states objectives and programs for national. From the perspective of nsc 68, a more aggressive version of containment was necessary to overcome the perceived threat. Nsc68, 1950 national security council paper nsc68 entitled united states objectives and programs for national security and frequently referred to as nsc68 was a topsecret report completed by the u. Nitze, director of policy planning for the united states department of state, 19501953, nsc68 was a memorandum approved by president harry s. President harry trumans military advisers the recently formed national security council issued this report, titled nsc68, to the president in april 1950. This threat is of the same character as that described in nsc 204 approved by. The document was inspired by george frost kennan and his long telegram in 1946. Continuation of current policies, with current and currently projected programs for carrying out these policies. United states objectives and programs for national security nsc 68. National security council paper nsc68 entitled united states objectives and programs for national security and frequently referred to as. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The events of 1949 made foreign policy the nations top priority.
The following report was produced by the national security council study group headed by paul nitze in 1950. Four possible courses of action by the united states in the present situation can be distinguished. The result was nsc68, a report that took four months to compile and was. You can support us by purchasing something through our amazonurl, thanks. It has witnessed two revolutionsthe russian and the chineseof extreme scope and intensity.
Americas cold war blueprint a close reading guide from america in class 3 what is most important to understand about nsc 68 today are its four fundamental premises, which guided american foreign policy throughout the cold war and are evident in. This 5 page paper looks at this important document that had an impact on the cold war and the korean war. A report to the president pursuant to the presidents directive of january 31, 1950. A report to the president pursuant to the presidents directive of january. Nsc68 called for more aggressive efforts to counter soviet expansion. United states objectives and programs for national. Drafted by paul nitze, who had replaced george kennan as the director of the state departments policy planning staff, and a team of state and defense department officials, nsc68 was submitted to the president in april. President truman receives nsc68 report, calling for.
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