NSC-68 Flashcards
What is NSC-68?
The National Security Council Report 68 (NSC-68) was approved in April 1950 and called for a quadrupling of defense spending, expansion of alliances, and readiness to roll back Soviet influence worldwide.
What policies did NSC-68 reject?
NSC-68 rejected policies of early détente or limited containment, prioritizing the rollback of communism and aggressive measures to check Soviet influence worldwide.
What did NSC-68 call for regarding military buildup?
NSC-68 called for a rapid and substantial increase in U.S. military spending, including the development of the hydrogen bomb and expansion of conventional forces.
What were the specific military objectives outlined in NSC-68?
The U.S. military was to defend the Western Hemisphere and key allies, protect mobilization bases, conduct offensive operations to disrupt Soviet war-making capacity, and support allies essential to these efforts.
What was the effect of NSC-68 on U.S. military power?
NSC-68 provided the blueprint for the U.S. to become a permanent peacetime military power, with defense budgets quadrupling after its adoption.
How did NSC-68 influence global strategy?
It expanded containment from a primarily European focus to a global strategy, influencing U.S. actions in Asia (Korean War), the Middle East, and beyond.
What role did NSC-68 play in alliance building?
The strategy underpinned the formation and strengthening of alliances such as NATO and justified U.S. military presence worldwide to deter Soviet aggression.
