233. Text of Statement by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Twining)0
“Since the end of World War II, United States policy has firmly supported the concept of collective security as the basis for defense of the free world. The major collective security arrangement in which the United States is involved is, of course, NATO.
“While great strides have been made, through our past efforts, toward creating an effective NATO defense, there are, at the present time, several obstacles—or impediments—to further progress. These obstacles can and should be removed. Those countries responsible for the lack of progress in certain critical areas which I shall discuss are weakening the entire defense of NATO and are thereby increasing the possibility of war. The United States Joint Chiefs of Staff are deeply concerned with respect to several of these issues.
“First, we are concerned with the lack of progress, with respect to certain nations, in necessary arrangements for the accommodation of nuclear weapons and nuclear strike forces. Some NATO nations appear [Page 526] to feel that they are doing the United States a favor in making such arrangements. They desire the security which can be provided only through atomic capable forces, but they want none of the responsibility for accommodating weapons, and in some cases strike forces, on their own soil. From a military viewpoint, our collective defenses are obviously weakened by such governmental attitudes.
“The United States Joint Chiefs of Staff are also deeply concerned over the redeployment from France of certain strike forces. The United States investment in manpower, training, and dollars in these squadrons will not now produce the defense dividends which could have been achieved. The congestion of aircraft on a more limited number of air fields is tactically unsound, and the operational difficulties engendered by these moves must force the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff to re-examine the future deployment and use of these squadrons.
“The United States Joint Chiefs of Staff are also deeply concerned by the failure to make progress in the development of a unified air defense organization for NATO Europe. The resources and assistance granted by the United States government to help establish an effective air defense for NATO cannot be justified or long continued on the basis of the present unsatisfactory situation. It will be militarily unsound to make any United States investment, of any kind, in the air defense of Europe under present circumstances. The resources can be used better in other ways.
“As a last point, the unilateral action which was taken with respect to the French fleet is of great concern to United States military planners. The entire principle of collective security which we have followed—as opposed to a “fortress America” concept—seems jeopardized by this action. I would hope that an early solution satisfactory to SACEUR can be arrived at within the near future.
“I know that these are all difficult problems, and I feel that the military authorities of the governments concerned would change some of these circumstances if they were permitted. My only positive suggestion would be that you military representatives insure that your political superiors are aware of the seriousness with which the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff view these problems. Our resources are not unlimited, and, from a military viewpoint, we have a right to expect a maximum return on all defense efforts which we undertake. I recommend that you keep working on these problems vigorously and that you attempt to establish an understanding that, under certain circumstances, political judgements of governments should be modified or changed on the basis of military realities.”
“In conclusion, I wish to state that the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff are firm in their support of NATO. We believe strongly in the NATO concept of unified defense and we shall continue to recommend [Page 527] to our government that we carry our fair share of the burden in our common defense. We feel that many of the NATO nations are also carrying their fair share of responsibility—and we hope that those governments which have policies of no-cooperation, in certain areas, will adjust these policies in the near future.”
- Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 560, CF 1561. Top Secret. This statement was made at a Chiefs of Staff session of the NATO Military Committee in Paris.↩