Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, East Asia and the Pacific, Volume VI

Executive Secretariat Files: NSC 92 Series

The Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense (Marshall)¹

top secret

Washington, 13 December 1950.

Subject: The Position of the United States Regarding a Blockade of Trade with China

1. The Joint Chiefs of Staff, from the military point of view, do not concur in the recommendation by the Department of State in NSC 92 that

“The United States should not at this moment undertake full unilateral trade embargo and financial freezing measures against Communist China.”

2. The Joint Chiefs of Staff strongly object to this anomalous position which permits the giving of aid and comfort to Communist China at a time when that nation is militarily attacking United States armed forces. The policy proposed by the Department of State will not best serve United States security interests and is incompatible with the present United States military effort.

3. In view of the foregoing, the Joint Chiefs of Staff recommend that the United States Government undertake at once full unilateral trade embargo, together with financial freezing measures against Communist China. The agreement of the other free nations of the world for like action should be sought. The non-agreement of these nations, however, should not deter the United States from imposing these economic sanctions against Communist China.

For the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

Omar N. Bradley

Chairman
Joint Chiefs of Staff

1. At the request of Secretary Marshall, this memorandum was circulated by Mr. Lay for the information of the National Security Council on December 13.