Date
March 15, 1956
Document
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Description
This major NSC report articulates the “basic national security policy” of the United States, notably its stance towards the use of nuclear weapons in both “general war” and “operations short of general war,” as well as its stance towards the Communist bloc overall.
Of particular note are the following paragraphs from Section B (emphasis added):
11. It is the policy of the United States to integrate nuclear weapons with other weapons in the arsenal of the United States. Nuclear weapons will be used in general war and in military operations short of general war as authorized by the President. Such authorization as may be given in advance will be determined by the President.
12. To the extent that the military effectiveness of the armed forces will be enhanced by their use, the United States will be prepared to use chemical and bacteriological weapons in general war. The decision as to their use will be made by the President.
13. If time permits and an attack on the United States or U.S. forces is not involved, the United States should consult appropriate allies before any decision to use nuclear, chemical or bacteriological weapons is made by the President.
These are the only sections in this report that refer to the President, and appear to be reaffirming Presidential control of all weapons of mass destruction, as well as in the case of nuclear weapons seems to be hinting at pre-delegation (“Such authorization as may be given in advance…”).
For context, see this earlier document in FRUS, which discusses some of the other proposed variants of the above sections (though all retain the President as the primary decision-maker), and give some hints as to Eisenhower’s views on limited nuclear war.
A footnote for another document in FRUS also indicates, regarding the “given in advance” sentence (emphasis added):
In a memorandum dated March 15 to the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Executive Secretary Lay stated that the President, taking note of a memorandum from the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense entitled “Presidential Authorization for the Use of Atomic Weapons,” dated February 15, approved paragraph 11 of NSC 5602/1, with the addition of a final sentence. The paragraph, as approved, reads as follows: “It is the policy of the United States to integrate nuclear weapons with other weapons in the arsenal of the United States. Nuclear weapons will be used in general war and in military operations short of general war as authorized by the President. Such authorization as may be given in advance will be determined by the President.”
Citation
NSC 5602/1, “Basic National Security Policy,” Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955-1957, National Security Policy, Volume 19 (Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, 1990), 242-268.
Provenance
The scanned version here is from Galenet U.S. Declassified Documents Online. It is also available on the website of the Office of the Historian, US State Department.
Topics
Document entry started by Alex Wellerstein on October 16, 2020. Entry last updated by Alex Wellerstein on October 16, 2020.