Foreign Relations of the United States, 1945–1950, Emergence of the Intelligence Establishment

382. Memorandum for the President of Discussion at the 38th Meeting of the National Security Council⁰

Washington, April 20, 1949.

[Here follows discussion of agenda items 1 and 2, construction of airfields and stockpiling of aviation gasoline in Turkey and Japanese reparations.]

3. Value to the President of the National Security Council and the Central Intelligence Agency

The President said that the National Security Council was one of the best devices available to him in helping him to make decisions on the basis of coordinated papers. Before the establishment of the National Security Council and the Central Intelligence Agency, there was a great vacuum in obtaining coordinated advice and information on which to base decisions. Without the National Security Council the President would have to confer individually with everyone at the meeting on the questions which had just been discussed. He said he was anxious to see the National Security Council continue to operate as it had been operating. He added that when he assumed office during the war there had been no coordinated intelligence either; he received reports from various agencies and had to try to coordinate these reports himself. The coordination was now accomplished by the Central Intelligence Agency.

Secretary Johnson said he had noted a good illustration of such coordination this morning in connection with the problem of national organization for intelligence. General McNarney had told him that the differences of views on this matter would be reconciled before the question came before the Council again.

The National Security Council:¹

Noted the oral remarks by the President that the reports of the National Security Council and the Central Intelligence Agency have proved to be one of the best means available to the President for obtaining coordinated advice as a basis for reaching decisions.

[Here follows discussion of agenda items 4 and 5, review of the world situation and NSC status of projects.]

0. Source: Harry S. Truman Library, Papers of Harry S. Truman, President’s Secretary’s Files, Subject File. Top Secret. Prepared on April 21.
1. The following paragraph constitutes NSC Action No. 207. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 273, Records of the National Security Council, Record of Actions, Box 55)