Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1947-1960, 1982 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
2 reels
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The National Security Act of 1947 and the Reorganization Plan of 1949 defined the composition and function of the National Security Council (NSC). Chaired by the President of the United States, the NSC consisted of statutory members (the Vice President and the secretaries of State and Defense), statutory advisers (the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency), the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and professional staff members on temporary assignment from the armed forces, the Central Intelligence Agency, elsewhere in the government, or who had been recruited from universities and think tanks. The statutory function of the NSC was, and is, to advise the President with respect to the integration of domestic, foreign, and military policies relating to national security. Since 1947 the NSC has evolved as a key foreign policy making arm of the president under such advisers as McGeorge Bundy, Dr Henry Alfred Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski. During the administrations of Harry S Truman and Dwight David Eisenhower, 1945-1953 and 1953 to 1961 respectively, the NSC met to analyse current and potential national security issues, and to formulate for the President Special Advisory reports. Special Advisory Reports were prepared by NSC staff to study specific national security issues or perceived threats to the security of the United States or to assess the domestic and political situation of individual nations. When completed, these reports were distributed to the entire National Security Council for study and comment, and were then were delivered to the President of the United States for action.
Archival history
GB 0099 KCLMA MF 82-84; MF 283-285 1947-1960, 1982 Collection (fonds) 2 reels The National Security Council of the United States, 1947-1960
The National Security Act of 1947 and the Reorganization Plan of 1949 defined the composition and function of the National Security Council (NSC). Chaired by the President of the United States, the NSC consisted of statutory members (the Vice President and the secretaries of State and Defense), statutory advisers (the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency), the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and professional staff members on temporary assignment from the armed forces, the Central Intelligence Agency, elsewhere in the government, or who had been recruited from universities and think tanks. The statutory function of the NSC was, and is, to advise the President with respect to the integration of domestic, foreign, and military policies relating to national security. Since 1947 the NSC has evolved as a key foreign policy making arm of the president under such advisers as McGeorge Bundy, Dr Henry Alfred Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski. During the administrations of Harry S Truman and Dwight David Eisenhower, 1945-1953 and 1953 to 1961 respectively, the NSC met to analyse current and potential national security issues, and to formulate for the President Special Advisory reports. Special Advisory Reports were prepared by NSC staff to study specific national security issues or perceived threats to the security of the United States or to assess the domestic and political situation of individual nations. When completed, these reports were distributed to the entire National Security Council for study and comment, and were then were delivered to the President of the United States for action.
University Publications of America, Inc
Minutes of Meetings of the National Security Council, with Special Advisory Reports are microfilmed copies of meeting minutes and Special Advisory Reports undertaken by the US National Security Council, 1947-1960. Material in the collection relates to US strategic nuclear forces capabilities, 1947-60; US policy with respect to Japan, the Soviet Union, China, 1948-49; military assistance to non-communist nations, 1948-49; US policy on atomic warfare, 1948; the Berlin Blockade; the United Nations decision to introduce military forces to Palestine, 1948; US policy towards Soviet satellite states in Eastern Europe, 1949; US courses of action with respect to the Republic of Korea, 1950-1953; responsibilities of the Central Intelligence Agency with respect to guerrilla warfare, 1952; US policy and courses of action to counter possible Soviet or satellite action against Berlin, 1952; US objectives and actions to exploit the unrest in the Soviet satellite states, 1953; US courses of action with respect to Latin America, Iran and South Asia, 1953-85; covert operations, 1954-75; nuclear attack warning channel and procedures for civilians, 1955-65; the political implications of Afro-Asian military take-overs, 1959; and US policy towards Cuba, 1959-60. Special Advisory Reports concern Europe, the Soviet Union and its satellites, Latin America, Japan, The Middle East, the People's Republic of China, South East Asia, Angola, North Africa, 1947-1960.
Arranged in chronological order.
Open, subject to signature of reader's undertaking form.
Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be provided for research use only. Enquiries concerning the copyright of the original material should be addressed to University Publications of America, Inc., 4520 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD, 20814-3389, USA
English
Summary guide available on-line at http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/top.htm, and in hard copy in the Centre's reading room, Paul Kesaris and Robert Lester (eds.), Minutes of Meetings of the National Security Council, with Special Advisory Reports (University Publications of America, Inc, Bethesda, MD, 1982).
Further microfilmed papers created by the National Security Council may be found at LHCMA MF 71-81.
Date of compilation:Oct 1999 Americas Angola Asia Berlin Bundy , McGeorge , 1919-1996 , US public official Caribbean Central America Central government China Collectivism Colonial countries Communism Cuba Decolonization East Asia Eastern Europe East West relations Eisenhower , Dwight David "Ike" , 1890-1969 , General , President of the United States Europe Foreign relations Germany Government International conflicts International relations Iran, Islamic Republic Japan Korean War (1950-1953) Middle East Military engineering National Security Council North America Nuclear warfare Palestine Political doctrines Political systems Public administration South East Asia Southern Africa Truman , Harry S , 1884-1972 , US President USA US Central Intelligence Agency x CIA US Government departments USSR War Warfare Western Europe Wars (events)
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
University Publications of America, Inc
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Minutes of Meetings of the National Security Council, with Special Advisory Reports are microfilmed copies of meeting minutes and Special Advisory Reports undertaken by the US National Security Council, 1947-1960. Material in the collection relates to US strategic nuclear forces capabilities, 1947-60; US policy with respect to Japan, the Soviet Union, China, 1948-49; military assistance to non-communist nations, 1948-49; US policy on atomic warfare, 1948; the Berlin Blockade; the United Nations decision to introduce military forces to Palestine, 1948; US policy towards Soviet satellite states in Eastern Europe, 1949; US courses of action with respect to the Republic of Korea, 1950-1953; responsibilities of the Central Intelligence Agency with respect to guerrilla warfare, 1952; US policy and courses of action to counter possible Soviet or satellite action against Berlin, 1952; US objectives and actions to exploit the unrest in the Soviet satellite states, 1953; US courses of action with respect to Latin America, Iran and South Asia, 1953-85; covert operations, 1954-75; nuclear attack warning channel and procedures for civilians, 1955-65; the political implications of Afro-Asian military take-overs, 1959; and US policy towards Cuba, 1959-60. Special Advisory Reports concern Europe, the Soviet Union and its satellites, Latin America, Japan, The Middle East, the People's Republic of China, South East Asia, Angola, North Africa, 1947-1960.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Arranged in chronological order.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open, subject to signature of reader's undertaking form.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be provided for research use only. Enquiries concerning the copyright of the original material should be addressed to University Publications of America, Inc., 4520 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD, 20814-3389, USA
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Further microfilmed papers created by the National Security Council may be found at LHCMA MF 71-81.
Finding aids
Summary guide available on-line at http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/top.htm, and in hard copy in the Centre's reading room, Paul Kesaris and Robert Lester (eds.), Minutes of Meetings of the National Security Council, with Special Advisory Reports (University Publications of America, Inc, Bethesda, MD, 1982).
Allied materials area
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Notes area
Note
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Subject access points
- Government » Public administration » Central government
- Political doctrines » Collectivism
- Political systems » Colonial countries
- Political doctrines » Collectivism » Communism
- Political systems » Colonial countries » Decolonization
- International relations » East West relations
- International relations » Foreign relations
- Government
- International conflicts
- International relations
- Military engineering
- Military engineering » Warfare » Nuclear warfare
- Political doctrines
- Political systems
- Government » Public administration
- International conflicts » War
- Military engineering » Warfare
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Language(s)
- English