NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY


more detail when we give you our reactions to NSC 74,3 but we
should like to stress at this time the integrated nature of the problem
and the urgent necessity for recognition of the fact that we have
already been engaged in active psychological warfare with an enemy
since 1946, if not before, and therefore, that any treatment of this
problem as an "interim" or "intermediate" problem is
not realistic.
  9. The Joint Secretaries therefore recommend:
  a. That the Secretary of Defense inform the other members of the
National Security Council that United States military power is greatly
limited as to availability in the event of incidents in other so-called
"soft spots" of the world; that based on National Security Council
study 73/1, further study be undertaken involving particularly the
Joint Secretaries, Joint Chiefs of Staff and the State Department,
(1) to re-appraise the global position of the United States military
potential in view of present circumstances, (2) to re-examine existing
commitments, actual and moral, that have been made by the United
States Government in support of other nations, and (3) to prepare
a policy paper delineating the limits of commitments that can be
maintained and under what circumstances so that such information
may, if desirable to the maintenance of United States prestige abroad,
be communicated through diplomatic channels to the nations involved.
  b. That the Secretary of Defense request the National Security
Council to develop a policy bringing the United Nations into the
active defense of the so-called "soft spots" of the world: that
this be
done by a United States recommendation to the Security Council of
the United Nations for the establishment of small United Nations
forces for utilization at the frontiers of the "soft spots" which
appeal
for protection against possible direct or satellite invasion or coup
dj tat tactics of the Soviets.
  c. That it should be adopted as United States policy the placement
of the defense of Japan, Formosa, 'Okinawa and the Philippines under
the United Nations legal umbrella.
  d. That the Secretary of Defense recommend to the President,
through the National Security Council, that he direct as a matter of
urgency the Secretaries of State and Defense to collaborate in carry-
ing out the foregoing policies.
   10. We recognize that this is a most serious subject, that the above
suggestions are far-reaching. We therefore hold ourselves open to
discuss the matter with you any time at your convenience.
                                            [FRANK C. PACE, JR.]4
                                              Secretary of the Army
                                         [FRANCIS P. MATTHEWS] 4
                                            Secretary of the Navy
                                          [THOMAS K. FINLE'TER]4
                                        Secretary of the Air Force
   NSC 74, "A Plan for National Psychological Warfare," July 10,
1950, a report
submitted by the Department of State for NSC consideration, is not printed.
  'Filecopy not signed.
     496-362--77----24


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