9) what was nsc-68? how did it change america’s foreign policy strategy? course hero

What is the NSC 68 Report?

NSC-68, 1950. National Security Council Paper NSC-68 (entitled "United States Objectives and Programs for National Security" and frequently referred to as NSC-68) was a Top-Secret report completed by the U.S. Department of State's Policy Planning Staff on April 7, 1950. The 58-page memorandum is among the most influential documents composed by ...

Why did President Truman get NSC 68?

1950. National Security Council Paper NSC-68 (entitled “United States Objectives and Programs for National Security” and frequently referred to as NSC-68) was a Top-Secret report completed by the U.S. Department of State’s Policy Planning Staff on April 7, 1950. The 58-page memorandum is among the most influential documents composed by ...

How did foreign policy change after the Cold War?

What came from NSC-68 was an economic ideology that dominated the United States economy for the majority of the Cold War, Military Keynesianism. Economists assumed that the United States normally operated below production capacity.

What was the main idea of NSC-68?

NSC-68 was issued following the detonation of a Soviet atomic bomb and the triumph of the socialists movement in China over the nationalists. The report eventually became the blueprint of the United States’ foreign policy, converting the country’s diplomatic and economic containment strategy into one of military involvement.

What did the NSC-68 do?

May, NSC 68 "provided the blueprint for the militarization of the Cold War from 1950 to the collapse of the Soviet Union at the beginning of the 1990s." NSC 68 and its subsequent amplifications advocated a large expansion in the military budget of the United States, the development of a hydrogen bomb, and increased ...

What did NSC-68 propose?

According to the report, the United States should vigorously pursue a policy of “containing” Soviet expansion. NSC-68 recommended that the United States embark on rapid military expansion of conventional forces and the nuclear arsenal, including the development of the new hydrogen bomb.

How did the outbreak of the Korean War Change President Truman's opinion of NSC-68?

How did the outbreak of the Korean War change President Truman's opinion of NSC 68? Truman believed he could ignore NSC 68 indefinitely. The underlying assumptions of NSC 68 seemed proven to be sound. Truman lost faith in long-term policy planning.

Who created NSC-68?

Paul NitzeNSC-68 was a Top-Secret report written by Paul Nitze of the US State Department's Policy Planning Office.

What was NSC-68 quizlet?

NSC 68, a proposal of Truman's National Security Council, called for: massive U.S. defense expenditures to counter the worldwide Soviet threat.

What was the message of NSC-68 quizlet?

What did the NSC-68 include? - It stressed the urgency of building the USA's political, economic and military power. - It was focused on the globalisation of the Cold War and there was a powerful military emphasis on the application of containment.

How did NSC-68 fit in the overall containment strategy and the Korean War?

How did NSC-68 fit in the overall containment strategy and the Korean War? It declared a global war against communism, making a transition to total containment. What is the current status of relations between North and South Korea?

What was the result of the Korean War?

After three years of a bloody and frustrating war, the United States, the People's Republic of China, North Korea, and South Korea agree to an armistice, bringing the fighting of the Korean War to an end. The armistice ended America's first experiment with the Cold War concept of “limited war.”Jul 27, 2021

Was Truman successful in the Korean War?

In 1946, the Republicans gained control of Congress, and Truman seemed likely to lose the next election. Yet in the 1948 presidential election, Truman pulled an upset victory. In 1950, war broke out in Korea. During this war, a major confrontation took place between Truman and MacArthur over the conduct of the war.

How did NSC-68 affect the economy?

NSC #68 raised defense spending immediately. The 1950 budget had allocated $13 billion for military spending—equal to one-third of the national budget and 5 percent of the gross national product (GNP).

What was involved in the U.S. policy of NSC-68 quizlet?

NSC-68 called for the abandonment of the Containment Policy. With the aggressive leadership of General MacArthur, the United States ultimately won a military victory over the communists in South Korea. The National Security Act, among its many provisions, created the Central Intelligence Agency.

How did NSC-68 describe the Soviet Union?

In its first section,NSC-68 describes the USSR as a tyranny with an unprecedented ambition: “The Soviet Union, unlike previous aspirants to hegemony, is animated by a new fanatic faith, antithetical to our own, and seeks to impose its absolute authority over the rest of the world.” It sketches the violent and ...

What was the NSC 68 policy?

NSC 68's recommendations thereby became policy, and the United States Government began a massive military build-up. While NSC-68 did not make any specific recommendations regarding the proposed increase in defense expenditures, the Truman Administration almost tripled defense spending as a percentage of the gross domestic product between 1950 ...

What was the conclusion of NSC-68?

Building upon the conclusions of an earlier National Security Council paper (NSC-20/4), the authors of NSC-68 based their conclusions on the theory that the decline of the Western European powers and Japan following World War II had left the United States and the Soviet Union as the two dominant powers. Nitze's group argued that the Soviet Union ...

Why did the authors of NSC-68 reject a renewal of U.S. isolationism?

isolationism, fearing that this would lead to the Soviet domination of Eurasia, and leave the United States marooned on the Western Hemisphere, cut off from the allies and resources it needed to fend off further Soviet encroachments.

What is the NSC 68?

NSC-68, 1950. National Security Council Paper NSC-68 (entitled "United States Objectives and Programs for National Security" and frequently referred to as NSC-68) was a Top-Secret report completed by the U.S. Department of State's Policy Planning Staff on April 7, 1950.

Who argued that the United States already had a substantial military advantage over the Soviet Union?

Critics such as Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson, and senior diplomats such as Soviet experts and former ambassadors to the Soviet Union George Kennan and Charles Bohlen, argued that the United States already had a substantial military advantage over the Soviet Union.

What did Nitze's group argue about the Soviet Union?

Nitze's group argued that the Soviet Union was "animated by a new fanatic faith" antithetical to that of the United States, and was driven "to impose its absolute authority over the rest of the world.".

What was the conclusion of NSC-68?

Building upon the conclusions of an earlier National Security Council paper (NSC-20/4), the authors of NSC-68 based their conclusions on the theory that the decline of the Western European powers and Japan following World War II had left the United States and the Soviet Union as the two dominant powers. Nitze’s group argued that the Soviet ...

Why did the authors of NSC-68 reject a renewal of U.S. isolationism?

isolationism, fearing that this would lead to the Soviet domination of Eurasia, and leave the United States marooned on the Western Hemisphere, cut off from the allies and resources it needed to fend off further Soviet encroachments.

What is the NSC 68?

NSC-68, 1950. National Security Council Paper NSC-68 (entitled “United States Objectives and Programs for National Security” and frequently referred to as NSC-68) was a Top-Secret report completed by the U.S. Department of State’s Policy Planning Staff on April 7, 1950.

Who argued that the United States already had a substantial military advantage over the Soviet Union?

Critics such as Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson, and senior diplomats such as Soviet experts and former ambassadors to the Soviet Union George Kennan and Charles Bohlen, argued that the United States already had a substantial military advantage over the Soviet Union.

What was the purpose of NSC 68?

United States Objectives and Programs for National Security, better known as NSC 68, was a 66-page top secret National Security Council (NSC) policy paper drafted by the Department of State and Department of Defense and presented to President Harry S. Truman on 7 April 1950. It was one of the most important American policy statements of the Cold War. In the words of scholar Ernest R. May, NSC 68 "provided the blueprint for the militarization of the Cold War from 1950 to the collapse of the Soviet Union at the beginning of the 1990s." NSC 68 and its subsequent amplifications advocated a large expansion in the military budget of the United States, the development of a hydrogen bomb, and increased military aid to allies of the United States. It made the rollback of global Communist expansion a high priority. NSC 68 rejected the alternative policies of friendly détente and containment of the Soviet Union.

When was the NSC 68 report passed?

The report, designated NSC 68, was presented to President Truman on 7 April 1950, who passed it on to the NSC for further consideration on 12 April 1950 .

What was the Truman Administration's goal in the Korean War?

The Truman Administration began a nationwide public relations campaign to convince Congress and opinion-setters of the need for strategic rearmament and containment of Soviet communism. It had to overcome isolationists, including Senator Robert A. Taft, who wanted less world involvement, as well as intense anti-Communists such as James Burnham who proposed an alternative strategy of rollback that would eliminate Communism or perhaps launch a preemptive war. The State Department and the White House used the North Korean attack of June 1950 and the see-saw battles during the first few months of the Korean War to steer congressional and public opinion toward a course of rearmament between the two poles of preventive war and isolationism.

What was the NSC 68 report?

When the report was sent to top officials in the Tru man administration for review before its official delivery to the President, many of them scoffed at its arguments. Willard Thorp questioned its contention that the "USSR is steadily reducing the discrepancy between its overall economic strength and that of the United States." Thorp argued: "I do not feel that this position is demonstrated, but rather the reverse... The actual gap is widening in our favor." He pointed out that in 1949 the US economy had increased twofold over that of the Soviet Union. Steel production in the US outpaced the Soviet Union by 2 million tons; stockpiling of goods and oil production both far exceeded Soviet amounts. As for Soviet military investment, Thorp was skeptical that the USSR was committing such large portion of its GDP: "I suspect a larger portion of Soviet investment went into housing." William Schaub of the Bureau of the Budget was particularly harsh, believing that "in every arena," the Air Force, the Army, the Navy, the stockpiling of atomic bombs, the economy, the US was far superior to the Soviet Union. Kennan, although "father" of the containment policy, also disagreed with the document, particularly its call for massive rearmament (FRUS, 1950, Vol. I).

What is the significance of NSC 68?

It is not only related to documents such as the National Security Strategy March 2005, but also provides insight to current US foreign policy. Implementation of NSC 68 shows the extent to which it marked a 'shift' in US policy—not only toward the USSR, but toward all communist governments. By signing the document, Truman provided a clearly defined and coherent US policy that did not really exist previously. Furthermore, it can be argued that NSC 68, as proposed by the council, addressed Truman's problem of being attacked from the right following the " red scare " and Alger Hiss case. Although not made public, NSC 68 was manifested in subsequent increases in America's conventional and nuclear capabilities, thereby adding to the country's financial burden. While NSC 68 did not make any specific recommendations regarding the proposed increase in defense expenditures, the Truman Administration almost tripled defense spending as a percentage of the gross domestic product between 1950 and 1953 (from 5 to 14.2 percent).

What did Truman do after the Soviets became a nuclear power?

Truman's position. President Harry S. Truman, even after the Soviets became a nuclear power, sought to curb military spending. However, he did not reject the recommendations of NSC 68 out of hand, but instead requested more information i.e. asking for an estimate of the costs involved.

What was the NSC 68?

What came from the NSC-68 was an economic ideology that dominated the United States Economy for the majority of the Cold War, Military Keynesianism. Economists assumed that the United States normally operated below production capacity.

What was the result of the NSC-68?

The result was NSC-68, a report that took four months to compile and was completed in April 1950. The report began by noting that the United States was facing a completely changed world. World War II had devastated Germany and Japan, and France and Great Britain had suffered terrific losses.

What was the NSC 68?

The report was a group effort, created with input from the Defense Department, the State Department, the CIA, and other interested agencies; NSC-68 formed the basis for America’s Cold War policy for the next two decades.

Why did Truman hesitate to support the report?

As a politician, he hesitated to publicly support a program that would result in heavy tax increases for the American public, particularly since the increase would be spent on defending the United States during a time of peace.

When did Truman sign NSC-68?

Truman signed NSC-68 into policy in September 1950. As one State Department official noted, “Thank God Korea came along,” since this act of communist aggression was believed to be crucial in convincing the public to support increased military spending.

What does the report say about nuclear weapons?

According to the report, the development of nuclear weapons meant, “Every individual faces the ever-present possibility of annihilation,” and , as a result, “the integrity and vitality of our system is in greater jeopardy than ever before in our history.”. According to the report, the United States should vigorously pursue a policy ...

What was the U.S. government's view of terrorism prior to 9/11?

Prior to the attacks of 9/11, the U.S. government viewed domestic terrorism as a matter for law enforcement and international terrorism as a distant threat. Accordingly, American foreign policy focused very little on the issue of terrorism.

What is the second source of failure?

The second source of failure is the adoption of an aggressive strategy of military intervention. The lessons from the War on Terror indicate that it is time for the United States to take a different approach.

What is the motivation for the ISIS attacks?

Unfortunately, since the beginning of the War on Terror, too many American officials have believed that the motivation for al Qaeda and ISIS terrorist attacks against the United States is primarily an anti-American ideology, hatred of our freedoms, or the desire to destroy the United States. 62.

What was the most catastrophic terror attack?

Before and since 9/11, the most catastrophic terror attacks have occurred almost exclusively in failing states or states at war. Prior to September 11, 2001, the most catastrophic global terror attack caused just over a third of the fatalities of 9/11.

What was the war on terror?

In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States launched an international war on terrorism defined by military intervention, nation building, and efforts to reshape the politics of the Middle East.

What was the war on terrorism defined by?

In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States launched an international war on terrorism defined by military intervention, nation building, and efforts to reshape the politics of the Middle East.

What was the 4 D strategy?

After the attacks of 9/11, terrorism took center stage in national security policy and the limited -response approach gave way to a far more aggressive and expansive strategy that the Bush administration in 2003 called the "4-D" strategy. 10.

What was the key policy that changed America's foreign policy?

The containment policy can be described as the key policy that changed America foreign Policy. Foreign policy changed so drastically that after the cold war, America became the world police, the leaders of the free world, as they like to be characterized. Iraq and Panama invasion are prove that after the cold war America did not stop, ...

What was the turning point of American foreign policy?

The Truman doctrine and the NSC plan (National Council Report 68) expressed the fear of America and it was the turning point of American foreign policy from passive to active introducing the first steps of containment and thereafter followed by the marshal plan.

What was the US effort to avoid communism in all senses?

Foreign Policy and Atomic Age. US strived to avoid communism in all senses, from economic to political all over the world, therefore they had to get involved also in countries election. Italy elections described these efforts made by US to secure western influences.

What was the Cold War?

To conclude Cold War was an Ideology, Political, Economic, indirect and Spy war, where almost lead the world to destruction and created a generalized fear. Despite all, it made US became the Leader of the free world, spreading American ideology (capitalism and democracy) all over the world. American foreign policy is what it is today, due to ...

What was the role of the CIA in the Cold War?

CIA had an essential role on the cold war against the rival KGB undertaking thousands of under-operations. The church also expressed refusal against communism, and it was beneficial to US and it created a generalized idea that communism is a work of devil and everyone that supports communism is against Christ.

What countries suffered from the Cold War?

11 There were several battlegrounds all over the world and Africa was including, countries like Mozambique, Angola, Congo, Chad, Nigeria and etc suffered the cold war impact.

How did the Cold War affect American foreign policy?

As described on previous topics, the Cold War changed American foreign policy drastically, if before America would only be focus in trade and economic matters with the world. The Cold war influenced the heavy machinery that America is today.

Understanding

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