Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, National Security Policy; Arms Control and Disarmament, Volume III

54. Memorandum of Discussion at the 399th Meeting of the National Security Council⁰

Washington, March 12, 1959.

[Here follows a paragraph listing the participants at the meeting.]

1. NSC 5904 (NSC 5410/1; NSC 5810/1; NSC 5904; NSC Actions Nos. 1077, 1102, 2039 and 2056; Memos for NSC from Executive Secretary dated January 7 and March 3, 9 and 10, 1959¹)

Mr. Gray explained that after discussion of the draft report on “U.S. Policy in the Event of War” (NSC 5904) at the Council meeting last week (March 5), the usual Draft Record of Action was circulated to the Planning Board for checking with each of their principals. In commenting upon the Draft Record the State and Defense Departments proposed certain revisions. Because of the importance of the subject, the President had authorized further consideration of these revisions by the Council as a whole at this morning’s meeting.

Using the enclosure to the Memorandum of March 9, 1959, a copy of which is attached to this Memorandum, Mr. Gray pointed out that the first proposal for a change in the prior text of NSC 5904 came from the Department of State which desired to omit the phrase “with the Sino-Soviet Bloc” so that the title of Section A would read simply: “U.S. Policy in the Event of General War.” Mr. Gray explained that the State position on the title, as he understood it, was that general war with the U.S.S.R. would not necessarily mean general war with Communist China and that the assumption should not be made in the title. On the other hand Mr. Gray pointed out that this involved one of the most fundamental issues in NSC 5904 and that it had been his view that the two previous Council meetings gave clear guidance to the effect that in a general war between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., Communist China would inevitably be involved.

The President commented that as he understood the previous Council guidance, the U.S. would attack Communist China in the event of general war between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., only as necessary. The President said he agreed that the U.S. would have to be prepared to attack Communist China in the event of general war with the U.S.S.R. but would not automatically attack Communist China if that country could be isolated from the hostilities. As a historical precedent for this position, the President cited the fact of the long delay before the Soviet Union finally declared war and attacked Japan in World War II.

Mr. Gray pointed out his understanding that the language “as necessary” with respect to a U.S. attack on Communist China had been inserted at the Council’s direction in the text of Paragraph 7² which provided the Policy Guidance. The words “as necessary” may perhaps also have been suggested for inclusion in Paragraph 2³ of the Objectives although this was another point which was in dispute and where there was a difference of recollection as to whether the Council had agreed on the insertion in Paragraph 2. Indeed this was one of the splits which must be resolved.

The President said that it was his memory of the discussion of the problem of what the U.S. would do in the event of general war between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. that the Council had decided to put the nations of the European Soviet Bloc in a special category. Selected targets in these European Bloc nations might have to be hit but we hoped to be able to avoid doing any more damage than necessary.

Mr. Gray then stated that it was his understanding that the Department of Defense would go along with the proposal of the State Department to change the title of Section A of NSC 5904 but that the Defense Department could not agree to the insertion of the words “as necessary” in Paragraph 2 of the Objectives. Secretary McElroy confirmed Mr. Gray’s understanding and explained the position of the Defense Department that the objectives should be to reduce the capabilities of Communist China to wage war against the U.S. and its allies but that a distinction should be made between the treatment accorded to Communist China and the treatment accorded to the U.S.S.R. in the event of general war.

Secretary Herter said that the State Department was prepared to accept the elimination of the words “as necessary” from Paragraph 2 if it was made crystal clear elsewhere in the paper that in the event of general war between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., the U.S. would not automatically attack Communist China.

The President commented that our overall objective with respect to Communist China in the event of such a general war was to assure ourselves that we would not be in a situation of being attacked afresh by Communist China after we had defeated the Soviet Union in a general war. With respect to targets the President said he assumed that the targets we attacked would always be selected and not indiscriminate.

Secretary Herter repeated again his concern that NSC 5904 should not seem to indicate that a U.S. attack on Communist China would be automatic. He said that he was willing to see the words “as necessary” dropped from Paragraph 2 if Paragraph 7, where it had been agreed that these two words should be inserted, also stated that it was to be the controlling Policy Guidance. Mr. Gray suggested the wording of a footnote which would make clear that Paragraph 7 was indeed the controlling Policy Guidance and Secretary McElroy suggested that this language be placed in a footnote to Paragraph 7. The President gave his approval to this solution.

Mr. Gray then invited the attention of the Council to the additional change the State Department was now proposing to Paragraph 7 reading as follows:

“7. The United States should utilize all requisite force against selected targets in the USSR [;.]*⁴ and as necessary in Communist China [European Bloc and non-European Bloc countries;]* to attain the above objectives. Military targets in other Bloc countries will be attacked as necessary. It is assumed that the peoples of these countries are not responsible for the acts of their governments and accordingly so far as consistent with military objectives military action against these countries should avoid non-military destruction and casualties.*

“*State proposals.”

Mr. Gray pointed out that the State Department wished to add the underlined language to Paragraph 7 because it desired to make a distinction between the application of “all requisite force” against targets in the U.S.S.R., Communist China, and other Bloc countries.

With respect to the underlined language the President observed that it contained a view which he had himself stated and which he meant but he was not clear that the statement had to be included in the Policy Guidance.

Mr. Gray pointed out that there was another issue not so apparent to the naked eye which was involved in the bracketed language in Paragraph 7 which the State Department proposed that we should delete. Mr. Gray explained that if the language in brackets was left in the paragraph as the Department of Defense desired, it would provide the basis for action to carry out Paragraph 3 of the Objectives⁵ because it would permit the U.S. to destroy the puppet regimes in the Bloc countries by force if necessary. On the other hand, if the bracketed language was left out as the State Department desired, no Policy Guidance would be provided as to the destruction of the puppet regimes in the Bloc states.

Secretary Herter countered with the argument that the guidance which Defense sought, in this context, was actually provided in the next sentence which if the underlined language were accepted would read: “Limited targets in other Bloc countries will be attacked as necessary.” The President said that he could not understand why if it was agreed to put in this particular sentence the State Department would also wish to delete the bracketed language. Secretary Herter then agreed to the inclusion of the language in brackets. It was then proposed to change the first of the underlined additional sentences to read as follows: “Military targets in Bloc countries other than the U.S.S.R. and Communist China will be attacked as necessary.”

Secretary McElroy thought that the inclusion of this statement was redundant if the bracketed language were included. The President however said that he thought this was not case although perhaps the additional language proposed by the State Department to be added to Paragraph 7 was the result of some excess of caution. The President then suggested that perhaps this cautionary language could be inserted as a footnote or as a parenthetical note in the text. Secretary McElroy thought this to be a distinct improvement because after all what we were dealing with was an assumption and so described in the proposed text. The Council thereupon agreed to this solution.

Mr. Gray then invited the Council’s attention to the last split view; namely, Paragraph 14 in Section B.⁶ He recalled that there had been a considerable number of versions proposed for acceptance as the Policy Guidance in Paragraph 14.⁷ Secretary Herter indicated that he had yet another version of Paragraph 14 which he would like the Council to look at and which read as follows:

“14. The United States should be prepared to utilize such force as is requisite to attain its objectives. If during the course of hostilities general war becomes a clear probability, the U.S. will have to decide in the light of the circumstances then existing whether it is in the U.S. interest to alter its original objectives.”

After a short conference between Secretary Herter and Secretary McElroy, the latter stated that the language of this version proposed by the State Department appeared quite acceptable both to the Defense Department and to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The President said that the proposed language was also acceptable to him but warned that we could not make too many detailed military plans in advance of a war.

Mr. Gray then stated that he understood that the shorter version for the title of Section A had also been approved. There was no contrary view.

At this point General Twining said that the Joint Chiefs of Staff were worried about the present title of Section B reading as follows: “U.S. Policy in the Event of War in which the U.S.S.R. does not Participate.” In view of the kind of assistance and participation which the U.S.S.R. could actually offer without necessarily participating as a belligerent, the Joint Chiefs of Staff would suggest the desirability of changing the title to read: “U.S. Policy in the Event of a War in which the U.S.S.R. does not Participate as a Belligerent.”

Secretary Herter stated that this proposal involved no difficulty for the State Department. The President also agreed to the change in a slightly modified form.

The National Security Council:⁸

a. Discussed the statement of policy contained in NSC 5904, as revised in the last Council meeting; in the light of the suggestions proposed subsequently by the Departments of State and Defense as indicated in the enclosure to the reference memorandum of March 9, 1959.

b. Adopted the draft statement of policy in the enclosure to the reference memorandum of March 9, 1959, subject to the following amendments:

(1) Page 1, title of Section A: Delete the bracketed words and the footnotes thereto.

(2) Page 1, paragraph 2: Delete the underlined words “as necessary” and the footnote thereto.

(3) Page 2, paragraph 7: Revise to read as follows:

“*7. The United States should utilize all requisite force against selected targets in the USSR—and as necessary in Communist China, European Bloc and non-European Bloc countries—to attain the above objectives. Military targets in Bloc countries other than the USSR and Communist China will be attacked as necessary. (Note: It is assumed that the peoples of the Bloc countries other than the USSR and Communist China are not responsible for the acts of their governments and accordingly so far as consistent with military objectives military action against these countries should avoid non-military destruction and casualties.)

“*Paragraph 7 contains the controlling policy guidance with respect to military action to attain the foregoing objectives.”

(4) Page 4, title to Section B: Reword as follows: “U.S. Policy in the Event of a War in Which the USSR Is Not a Belligerent*”

(5) Page 4, paragraph 14: Revise to read as follows:

“Policy Guidance

“14. The United States should be prepared to utilize such force as is requisite to attain its objectives. If during the course of hostilities general war becomes a clear probability, the United States will have to decide in the light of the circumstances then existing whether it is in the U.S. interest to alter its original objectives.”

Note: The statement of policy, as adopted in b above, subsequently approved by the President; circulated as NSC 5904/1 as a planning guide for all appropriate Executive departments and agencies of the U.S. Government, subject to the understanding that it will be reviewed annually.

[Here follow Agenda Items 3. “Significant World Developments Affecting U.S. Security,” and 4. “Problems Illustrated by Recent Developments in the Near East and the Taiwan Strait.”]

S. Everett Gleason

0. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret. Drafted by Gleason.
1. The March 9 memorandum enclosed a redraft of NSC 5904. A copy is attached but not printed. The March 10 memorandum has not been found.
2. Paragraph 7 is quoted in full in the text of this memorandum of discussion.
3. This paragraph reads: “To reduce, by military and other measures, the capabilities of the USSR and as necessary Communist China to the point where they have lost their will and ability to wage war against the United States and its allies.” A footnote identifies the italicized phrase as “State proposal.”
4. All brackets are in the source text.
5. This paragraph reads: “To render ineffective the control structure by which the enemy regimes have been able to exert ideological and disciplinary authority over their own peoples and over individual citizens or groups of citizens in other countries.”
6. This paragraph reads: “The United States should be prepared to utilize all requisite force to attain its objectives. Any decision to commit U.S. forces to war should be taken only after full consideration of all factors, including probable Soviet reaction and the risk of general war. [Force will be applied in a manner and on a scale best calculated to avoid hostilities from broadening into general war.] A footnote states that the Department of Defense and JCS proposed deletion of the bracketed portion.
7. Reference is to paragraph 15 in the previous version of NSC 5904; see Document 52.
8. The following paragraphs and note constitute NSC Action No. 2057, approved by the President on March 12. (Department of State, S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous) Files: Lot 66 D 95, Records of Action by the National Security Council)