1950 – NSC68 Timelines: N-USA, US Sicherheitssystem, US-Imperialismus

• Wikipedia-EN: NSC68
• Trumanlibrary: NSC68

NSC68 called for a military capable of

• Defending the Western Hemisphere and essential allied areas so that their war-making capabilities can be developed;
• Providing and protecting a mobilization base while the offensive forces required for victory were being built up;
• Conducting offensive operations to destroy vital elements of the Soviet war-making capacity, and to keep the enemy off balance until the full offensive strength of the United States and its allies can be brought to bear;
• Defending and maintaining the lines of communication and base areas necessary to the execution of the above tasks; and
• Providing such aid to allies is as essential to the execution of their role in the above tasks.

The Defense Department representatives on the committee initially resisted proposals that would exceed the existing $12.5 billion ceiling on defense spending