400


FOREIGN RELATIONS, 1950), VOLUME I


S/S-NSC Files Lot 63D351 NSC 6,8 Series
       Report to the National Security Council by the Executive
                         Secretary (Lay)

TOP SECRET                        WASHINGTON, September 30, 1950.
NSC 68/2
NOTE BY THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUN-
  CIL ON UNITED STATES OBJECTIVES AND PROGRAMS FOR NATIONAL
  SECURITY
References: A. NSC Action No. 3611
             B. NSC 68; 2 NSC 68/1; Annexes to NSC 68/13
             C. NSC 20/4 4

  At the 68th Council meeting, with the President presiding (NSC
Action No. 361), the National Security Council, the Secretary of the
Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, the Acting Economic Coopera-
tion Administrator, the Director, Bureau of the Budget, and the Chair-
man, Council of Economic Advisers, considered draft reports on
"United States Objectives and Programs for National Security" (NSC
68 and NSC 68/1), and:
  a. Adopted the Conclusions of NSC 68 as a statement of policy to
be followed over the next four or five years, and agreed that the im-
plementing programs will be put into effect as rapidly as feasible,
with the understanding that the-specific nature and estimated costs of
these programs will be decided as they are more firmly developed.
  b. Deferred action on NSC 68/1 pending a revision of that re-
port to be prepared by-the NSC Staff for Council consideration not
later than November 15,1950.
  c. Noted the President's instructions that there should be no public
discussion of this program, and specifically no public quotation of
figures, until the appropriate time as determined by the President.
  The President has this date approved the Conclusions of NSC 68
as a statement of policy to be followed over the next four or five years,
and directed their implementation by all appropriate executive
departments and agencies of the U.S. Government.
  Accordingly, the Conclusions of NSC 68 are circulated herewith
for appropriate ,action.5
                                                JAMES S. LAY,- JR
  The substance of NSC Action No. 361 is contained in the present report.
  2 Ante, p. 234.
  N5S 68/1, "United States Objectives and Programs for National Security,"
a report to the National Security Council by the Executive Secretary, Sep-
tember 21, and its annexes, are not printed. For revisions thereof, see NSC
68/3
and its annexes, December 8 (extracts), pp. 425 and 432, respectively, and
NSO
A8/4, Deceier 14, p. 467i
  See footnote 3, p. 359.
  5The enclosure consists !of the conclusions of NSC 68, April 14, p. 234,
wi th a
small number of minor variations in form.