ID: NSC-68
WHEN: April 14, 1950
WHO:
- Authored by the State Department and Defense Department under President Harry S. Truman. Key figures involved include Paul Nitze.
WHAT:
A top-secret National Security Council policy paper (NSC-68) presented to President Truman. It outlined a comprehensive strategic approach to combating the perceived threat of Soviet expansionism and communism globally. It advocated for a massive buildup of the US military, a stronger containment policy, and a more assertive role for the United States in world affairs. The document framed the Cold War as a fundamental conflict between freedom and slavery. It called for a global commitment to containing Soviet influence.
IMPACT: Why Significant?:
- Militarization of Containment: NSC-68 significantly shifted US foreign policy towards a more militaristic approach to containment. It advocated for a dramatic increase in military spending and the development of new weapons, including the hydrogen bomb.
- Global Commitment: It led to a broadened and more global understanding of containment, committing the United States to intervening in various parts of the world to prevent the spread of communism.
- Increased Defense Spending: Directly resulted in a massive increase in the US defense budget, laying the foundation for the military-industrial complex Eisenhower would later warn against.
- Korean War Justification: The outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950 provided immediate justification for the policies outlined in NSC-68 and accelerated its implementation.
- Cold War Escalation: NSC-68 contributed to the escalation of the Cold War by solidifying the ideological divide and increasing the potential for military confrontation between the US and the Soviet Union.
- Long-Term Foreign Policy: NSC-68 shaped US foreign policy for decades to come, influencing interventions in Vietnam, Latin America, and other regions during the Cold War. It contributed to a globalized Cold War framework.