SheldonPriest

ProfessorCyriaqueBeurtheret
HIST1110

Document Analysis 3-5

National Security Council, Paper Number 68
In this document I will analyze a paper from the National Security
Council (NSC), Paper Number 68, a confidential document written in
1950 by US Department of State Policy Planning Staff and presented to
Harry S. Truman, president of the United States, on April 14th. This
document is based on the ideals of handling the foreign rising power of
the Soviet Union. Despite an allied victory, tensions between allies that
held the highest world power rose in the form thermonuclear weaponry
and communist expansion. Paper Number 68 was written as a plan of
action for the urgency to rearm and caution the communist movement
that the Soviet Union was echoing across their established Eastern
European line. Through concise and careful consideration, the NSC
establishes a stance on what must be done to keep the free nations
free. Through new policies and plans, their argument stands strong
when presented for action. A race for military mass, the NSC believed,
was all that stood between a world of communism and freedom.

The paper opens with a statement of war recollection. Fresh on

the minds of civilization, addressing the devastation of three decades
would help ease the statement of action that would follow later in the
paper. Highlighting a new threat that the great nations have never
seen before from a single nation power that could not be suppressed or
matched by another, militarily and politically.
Addressing the state of all free-nation, WWIIs aftermath has
shifted all power to two main victors. Germany and Japan at the
bottom of list due to defeat and devastation brought on their countries
by victors as well as self implosion of a unified state. Although victors,
France and Britain were surpassed by the United States and the Soviet
Unions financial and political pull, suggesting that these two nations
were no where near capable of disputing Soviet or U.S. actions. The
Soviets opposition to the United States ideals, which encompasses the
Declaration of Independence, was thought to be threatened and
needed to be addressed as antithetical to the U.S. stance.

The general idea of entering into conflict with the Soviet Union
was held uneasy amongst all civilization, but the United States was
urging the need for military rebuttal. The Truman Doctrine stood to
support all Western Europe in hopes of suppressing communism only to
the east, controlled by Joseph Stalin. The Truman Doctrine supported
the west in military power and in hopes that the U.S. fusion bombs
dropped over Japan embedded concern in the Soviet Unions efforts.
Also the Marshall Plan followed in aid to Europe, which Stalin saw as a
ploy to lure Eastern Europe away from communism. This made Stalin
reinforce his rule, which the people accepted. The NSC urged the
acceleration of concern to Truman, that Stalins rebuild efforts were
nothing short of a global threat.
The National Security Council highlights the urgency of
thermonuclear threat and the deliberations on the matter are running
short of time, action is the only solution that this threat warrants. The
Soviets detonation of their first nuke a year prior was proof that the
nation was not only politically asserting their power but was also
threatening civilization and needed to be threatened back. This is why
U.S. could not afford not having a worldly presence. Addressing the
current policy designed to foster a world environment in which an
American system can survive and flourish (Hunt). Meaning, without
military support, communism will threaten the American system.
Getting all American people on board as well as Western Europe in
support of suppressing the communist movement will insure safety and
peace, which will lessen the threat to civilization from nuclear warfare
and ease the tension brought on by the Cold War.

The policy of containment is next highlighted with ideas to

contain communism to Eastern Europe where it thrives by stopping it
from becoming globally accepted. This policy is referring to United
States diplomat, George Kennans contribution to Foreign Affairs
journal in the X-Article (Kennan). Kennans policy was the base of
Trumans foreign affairs. Keenans policy of containment was geared
toward a political vision, which was transformed and over powered by
Paul Nitze, Keenans successor, into a military effort. Nitzes influence
geared NSC-68 to call for military expansion. The document delves
deeper into the necessity of military power. Not only to contain
communism from wide spread but also guarantee national security for
the American people and its supporting countries.
With the containment policy embedded in foreign affairs, it would
give authority to United States to do what they saw fit to protect their

own, including eliminating communist growth throughout the free

nation of North America. Not excluding the possibility of a possible
negotiation. However, the idea that represents a negotiation would be
going against the containment policy. The solution lies within
containment and that solution was to build up a mass military force
with an abundance of weaponry, including nuclear weapons.
The NSC continues with the very idea of a free nation puts itself
in jeopardy because of the influence of the Soviet system. Targeting all
within power of influence could upset the masses and change the
course of the United States future. Finding support in a policy such as
containment, the NSC could avoid rattling the foundation of freedom
and unwanted communist revolution. By raising taxes and lowering
national expenditures military build up as well as weaponry would be
possible regardless of United States citizens support for communist
suppression.
The NSC assumed the Soviet Union was counting on revolution
and were building forces to prepare for intimidating tactics to assist
Kremlin efforts. This was why the NSC urged for containment and build
up of military, including all allied defenses. Meaning more support
would be needed besides the funds from the Marshall Plan, which was
helping to rebuild the European economy. The Soviet Union was
capable of mass destruction with nuclear force and the NSC thought if
a strong communist presence, backed by the Kremlin, arose within the
U.S. or allied nations, all opposing would be doomed by intimidation of
Soviet thermonuclear threat.
The authors go on to reflect that the United States is the most
powerful and richest nation in the world, controlling more the two
thirds of the worlds bullion and launching more than half of the worlds
commercial shipping (Hunt 883). Because of this status, the NSC
believed that the United States was obligated to wield its power and
create a peace movement amongst the free world. By doing this, the
Kremlin would have no choice but to fold and cool their urge for
domination. The NSC backed the concern that if this did not happen
the ideals of a free nation would be engulfed by those of the Kremlin.

For the conclusion of the NSC-68 this would not be a short effort,
it would be in the form of long yet rapid expansion of military build up
and possible war instigation. Taking the offensive was the only way to
frustrate the Kremlin into submission. Reiterating, that again, failure
was not an option and if so, communist rule was inevitable. The NSC
was purposing that only a mightier military could change the Soviet

Union or free nations future course, what determined that was

swiftness and longevity of military mass. This is intended to counter
the Soviet force build up, which was much larger then needed to
defend their territory.
Continuing that this plan rested on the American people, which
at the time were in no way ready for the thought of another war. Just
five years after the devastation brought on by WWII, the American
people, the government, and all free people were weary from a divided
world. Timing, the NSC felt, was very crucial considering the Soviet
Union, (although massing in military strength) its people and satellites
where still in a vulnerable state

Through careful and unique wording, the document constantly

reiterates the necessity of military might. Without it, the authors
believed that freedom would be lost to the Kremlin. The use of the
words free nation and free world throughout the document are
designed to provoke action for the good of the free. Also, including if
freedom means suppressing those rights of the people to contain
communism, that is a must. The document achieves its purpose and
gains backing with military support and build up of all free nations. The
Soviet does not dominate the world and communism is suppressed but
not without major resistance.

Works Cited
Hunt, Lynn. Making of the West, 4th Ed., Vol. 2 + Sources of the of
Making of the West,
4th Ed., Vol. 2: A
Concise History. Bedford/st Martins, 2013. Print.
"Kennan and Containment, 1947 - 19451952 - Milestones - Office of
the Historian."
Kennan and Containment, 1947 - 19451952 - Milestones - Office
of the
Historian. Department of the State. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.
Works Referenced
Lualdi, Katharine J. Sources of the Making of the West: Peoples and
Cultures. Boston:
Bedford/St. Martin's, 2012. Print.