NSC-68: The document that shaped the Cold War

Our historical documentary series on the history of the Cold War continues with a video on NSC-68 - the United States Objectives and Programs for National Security. It 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.
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[@dunnowy123]

I find understanding the Cold War so important to understand, because it really explains US foreign policy even today.

[@andyreznick]

"While Soviet behavior was partly influenced by the Party and ideology, Soviet behavior was primarily grounded in the traditional insecurity and goals of Russian leaders". I think Kennan nailed it. It still very much checks with the Russian Federation of today - with the first clause now defunct, of course. This is the take-away line for me from this episode. As you then proceed with more of Kennan's analysis in the Long Telegram, I found myself thinking of the old adage: The more things change, the more they stay the same. I'm going to look up his writings and watch the Long Telegram episode again. Thanks, David, for highlighting an important thinker from that period who has since faded into the background. I've also started on my 50 pages. This bell button is SO demanding...

[@youngimperialistmkii]

Yeah, he was spot on.

[@serpentnightrevival1151]

maybe but if you look at the communist party from the revolution to the end of WW2 there was a reason for them to be paranoid as compared to the Russian empire and modern day Russian federation who just wanted to subjugate its people

[@Gigithewlis]

You should also read his "A fateful error" article

[@venomdust1]

Being born in 1967 I only caught the tail end of the Cold War . As the USSR fell apart I only saw separate events . now I find studying this period And tying events together has become my favorite hobby . Thanks for the facts and how they relate to other events .

[@annehersey9895]

So NSC-68 is what gave birth to NATO! Much of Nitze's document is pretty scary in hindsight. I am 74 and grew up and came of age as a total Cold War boomer. I remember how scared we were of Communism with TV shows like 'I was a Communist for the FBI'. I was in Junior High during the Cuban Missile Crisis and lived 30 miles from and Air Force Base in California that regularly set off missles for testing. We always were told we would be one of the first places hit by a Nuke. I can only tell you how scary it is at 13 to think you are only days away from being radiated during the missile crisis. Thanks David for a great episode!

[@forthrightgambitia1032]

NATO was founded in 1949, so no. The overthrow of the democratically elected Czechoslovak government by Soviet backed communist parties in 1948 and the general consensus that the Western European alliance of the so called Brussels treaty was insufficient to hold back Soviet influence even deeper into the rest of the Europe panicked the US (with some prodding by British defence secretary Ernest Bevin) into it far before this document. Remember Truman had already signalled his doctrine w.r.t. Greece at this point and the CIA had already been involved in the CIA election. The US was also racing ahead in terms of a massive nuclear arsenal. This document perhaps defined how the US would make NATO work in principle but not the general thrust of US policy. This document I think more set out the US's policy *outside* Europe (the focus of the initial Cold War) - where Kennan certainly thought containment was necessary - towards a global ideological struggle that engulfed much of the newly (and oldly) decolonised world. Indeed, the events in Korea in 1950, as the video show, collaborated this sense of a global, co-ordinated Communist effort against the Western order.

[@Alex-lg6nz]

Now imagine how people in USSR felt during the Cold War. They had to defend against Americans! You know, the people who slaughtered and stole an entire continent, have a long history of deception, unprovoked aggression, and violent invasions, habitually overthrows popular governments, assassinates politicians, terrorizes civilians with economic sanctions, terror bombing, and WMDs... I mean... Americans literally inspired Hitler's Generalplan Ost extermination policies! Manifest Destiny was the direct model for German idea of Lebensraum! It's no wonder that USA denied taking in Jewish immigrants after the war, but had no problem harboring countless Nazi war criminals and pardoned Japanese war criminals after WW2. Japanese were jumping off cliffs to their death, just so they don't get captured alive by US soldiers, who collected ears and skulls as war trophies. Time magazine even had a front cover picturing GI's girlfriend receiving a Japanese skull as a present! Racism is the law of the land to this day. None of the soldiers responsible for murdering unarmed civilians abroad are tried fairly. CIA has secret torture based all over the world. CIA controls the global narcotics trade. CIA created Islamic terrorism... I have no clue how you people manage to sleep at night.

[@pablonicolasangulo4356]

I have been following this chanel for years already but this one is one of your more accurate videos ever. Very clear and sintetic. Thanks!

[@treverblanco]

Great episode as usual! 🎉

[@ekmalsukarno2302]

The Cold War, can you please make a video on Argentina during the era of Juan Peron. It would mean a lot to me if you made a video on this topic, since your audience will understand how Argentina's economy, politics and society all ended up the way they are today.

[@Heike--]

Nah, whenever Americans do a video on minor countries, it never ends well. We always get a flood of pissed-off comments from that country's entire population apparently, shouting that we did it wrong. Better to avoid the whole thing and not engage.

[@ekmalsukarno2302]

@@Heike-- First off, the host of The Cold War channel is Canadian, not American. Secondly, if The Cold War made a video on Peron's Argentina, the comments section would instead be divided between Argentinians who support Peron and his policies, and Argentinians who oppose them.

[@helloworld0609]

Interested in this too,

[@ianblake815]

I love this channel

[@bigsarge2085]

Fascinating.

[@davidk7324]

Fantastic work. The crux of our relationship to this day.

[@steelydan146]

It was the correct analysis!

[@fluffypants]

The Cold War made so many discoveries

[@Mantriox]

I think that this video is probably more significant and important than any previous Cold War video on understanding the Cold War generally, because it lays out not only how the US generally came to be of the opinion that the USSR sought world domination, but also how the USSR itself believed the US was attempting to achieve world domination, which led to a conflict which was shaped largely by two superpowers who were both convinced they were in a defensive war, being attacked by the other. Victory in the Cold War was for neither side actually about world domination, but instead, about the advancement of the security of their own bloc. When presented in this way, it becomes clear, in my opinion, that in most cases, neither the US nor the USSR should ever be trusted in their assessments of the state of global conflict, ideological or otherwise, as both were (and in many ways still are to the present day) wholly convinced of the righteousness of their own struggle against foreign aggression - no matter the cost, or what that means for the countries and peoples subjected to the Great Powers' aggression and imperialism.

[@Heike--]

Which country surrounded the other country with bases, hmm? The Soviets tried it once in Cuba (to counter US bases in Turkey) and the US very nearly started a world-ending nuclear war. US naval units were given orders to depth charge Soviet submarines, a clear act of war.

[@missmiss8359]

​@@Heike--the Russians started a crisis in iran in 1946,backed the 1948 coup in Czechslovakia, gave the green light to the north Korea's invasion of the South in 1950 and forced a blockade on Berlin in 1949 they fucking brought the incercilment on themselves as for turkey the it's only natural gor it to join NATO when thr Soviets made territorial demands on its eastern parts and pulled that fuckery in Iran.

[@UltimaVeritas]

@@Heike-- "Which country surrounded the other country with bases, hmm?" Which country allied with nazi germany to invade Poland? *Russia.* Which country had a scorched earth policy to all lands it invaded in WW2? *Russia.* Which country conducted pogrom to kill off their enemies in those countries as they invaded? *Russia.* Which country did not release the countries it invaded in WW2 back to their own self-determination? *Russia.* Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦 It's Ukraine's turn to be free of your evil.

[@Heike--]

Ah, yes, the most corrupt country in Europe. With all the neo-nazis. Well, I can understand you cheering them after the Canadian Parliament did too. @@UltimaVeritas

[@Pushing_Pixels]

@@UltimaVeritas The scorched earth policy was a German thing. The Soviets just returned the favour. Yeah, the Soviets, including Ukraine.

[@brokenbridge6316]

Interesting video

[@jtsnowman66]

Man the bell button is getting very exclusive these days 😂

[@MitzvosGolem1]

Military industrial complex drooled over this... Then after 1989 came 30+ years of Arab Iraq Afgan wars . Now starting up again ..

[@CAP198462]

Without the specified increases in allocations of government funds toward the military and scientific endeavours in the United States and NATO partners there is expected to be a net stagnation in the rate of adoption of the automated notifications and updates system. The requested funds will increase the adoption rate by improving the automated notifications and updates system as well as incentivising those agencies and corporations to make mandatory the use of the automated notifications and updates system. With these measures in place and the expected adoption rate by industry the public at large can be expected to understand the benefits of said system.

[@phyarth8082]

Paradoxical cold war was kind of good thing. One British historians said that Britain role in Europe was not allow France, Germany, Austria to be dominating power and keep very good trading relations but WWI happened anyway after WWI Britain became very brutal towards France and Germany but kept trading and boarders even more liberal and WWII happened. Same with Russia it was integrated into Europe members club with red carpet Hollywood style, Courchevel ski resort, FC Chelsea, Londongrad, Miami near Sochi etc. etc etc. And we have war in middle of Europe. Cold War no trading industrial espionage, General electric bribes every Senator in USA to get contract for Soviet Union. We avoided war in cold War.

[@Pushing_Pixels]

Russia integrated into Europe? Is that sarcasm? I can't tell.

[@qZbGmYjS4QusYqv5]

@@Pushing_Pixels Russians though they've bought Europe and could do anything. Well, they were wrong

[@wiktorberski9272]

Interesting

[@ErikHare]

The analysis of the USSR by Kennan is still true today. And we are confronting Russia as we know it whether we like it or not. It's still important.

[@rastislavdemko6682]

Yeah, Kennan was accurate, cause he analysed a long-standing pattern of Russia, not only the USSR. The reason for his relevance today.

[@yanitsvetanov1162]

This telegram is so relevant to the time we live in today! Just change the USSR with the USA and Russian people with American people.

[@hydrolifetech7911]

​@@yanitsvetanov1162The Kremlin that you are bootlicking is currently undermining security of your own state of Bulgaria by assassinating CEOs of Bulgarian defence companies. Bulgarians should be putting you on trial for treason for providing aid and comfort to a belligerent enemy state.

[@stefanodadamo6809]

Kenna in 1997, despite being very old, gave advice that expanding NATO eastwards was a fateful mistake. But, you know, when you win anyway, you can force your mistake to be the mistakes of someone else, like Putin, isn't it?

[@Heike--]

Russia is no threat, but the US government that wants to dominate the world is the threat, not only to the world but to Americans. They'll never, ever give us the freedoms back that we lost under the "Patriot Act". Russia is circled by US bases. Just imagine the reaction if Russia kept bases in Mexico which they used to stir up trouble in Texas and California.

[@padawanmage71]

I am pressing not the ‘Bell Button’, but the ‘Liberty Bell Button!’

[@kashmirha]

I hope there is a warplan such this for the present day, because the evil is awakened in our world, not that it was deeply sleeping at any time...

[@garyjordan3914]

MAD is still in place . But there is always a joker in the deck , in our timeline there's two , see V.Putin and J. Biden . I don't trust either one of them having grown up during the Cuban middle crisis Kennedy and Krechev are positively sane compared to Putin And Biden .

[@sourabhmayekar3354]

Wow

[@Numba003]

Thank you for this excellent video. It's a shame the US and USSR were so paranoid and presumptively antagonistic toward one another from such an early point. God be with you out there everybody. ✝️ :)

[@CARL_093]

i wish you topic the north south korean status in cold war and how they act and happenings

[@TheColdWarTV]

we have multiple videos looking at both North and South Korea, before and after the Korean War. Please check them out!

[@300guy]

We missed you last week, vacation?

[@TheColdWarTV]

unexpected and unavoidable delay. Sorry about that.

[@jakegarvin7634]

10:34 - Fascinating, so within ten years they already knew nukes were useless

[@papajiesmicroshorts3220]

This memo serves as a crucial backdrop in the Philippines and Marcos eventually declaring martial law and US support for it. Great info!

[@alexfish3120]

Why oh why couldn't it be NSC- 69 ;_;

[@juandeag5550]

It's unfortunate that the US foreign policy was steered to the direction it was led to. Keenan's assessment was and still is relevant to truly understand Soviet mindset, but was ultimately buried underneath due to the level of paranoia that is equal, if not more than its counterpart. But in hindsight, this gave us the creation of two Koreas, MAD, our technologies that we enjoy until today and lots more. So task fail successfully?

[@mrmr446]

Kennan analysis was obviously more accurate, the other required a level of paranoia to seem even remotely credible and meant anyone proposing a more measured approach was also considered suspect.

[@mellesmelle]

funny how US analysts could identify that paranoia in the USSR but not realise the US is as paranoid if not more. and the US doesnt even have a historical reason for this paranoia lmao I get it if Ghengis khan invades ur country and then germany times 2 where as the last land invasion of the US was in 1812 by Canada?

[@nathanielzarny1176]

I'll agree it was better, but it's not like the USSR was just scared of the world and wanted to live in peace. It was supporting the Chinese communists and gave the go ahead for the communist north Korean invasion. These were aggressive moves that Inflamed tensions. They definitely wanted to export the communist revolution beyond their borders when possible, and that did pose a threat to the United States.

[@mrmr446]

@@nathanielzarny1176 At the time the document was written USSR was still recovering from the war so wasn't remotely capable of taking over the world. The document exaggerates the threat, Keenan didn't think there wasn't an issue but had a more realistic assessment of Soviet aims.

[@nathanielzarny1176]

@@mrmr446 the allies knew that the Soviets could take over Europe if they went to war, they had far more manpower on the front and the allies knew that if Stalin wished he could push them into the sea. Idk about world conquest, but certainly all of Europe.

[@Heike--]

It didn't pose a threat to the United States. It posed a threat to the banks that loaned money to these countries, which naturally the communists would not pay back. Thus the US military assumed the role of mafia enforcers. The banana wars were a great example of this. @@nathanielzarny1176

[@Mrgunsngear]

🇺🇸

[@Bob.W.]

Putin is still proving Kennan right.

[@zight99user]

NSC-68 looks pretty insecure to me

[@marcobonesi6794]

so,the document that made the cold war based.

[@TheColdWarTV]

or just "The Document that Made the Cold War"

[@AutoNomades]

What i find strange in this channel, is that it seems that no one here really tried to understand what is communisme (central autoritarian etatisme isn't communism..)

[@theotherohlourdespadua1131]

Tell that to Lenin and Stalin. The only reason Commienism gained a foothold in world history is not because Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote down the basis but Lenin wrote a thesis as to how to implement Commienism realistically. Lenin's most successful project based on those ideas is the USSR itself. Stalin morphed the idea of Commienism to what it is today. Did you not notice that the first two adopters of Commienism weren't industrialized countries with strong democratic traditions as written by Marx as essential requisites to a Commie state?

[@AutoNomades]

@@theotherohlourdespadua1131 Communisme in USSR TOdAY ???!! LoL !! Have you ever tried one day to understand what is communisme ? Withe the level of "understanding" you are showing, anyone could pretend that Democratic Republic of Congo is... "Démocratic because there is the name written" 🤪🤭🤣

[@michaelporzio7384]

If we accept the worldview of NSC 68, then the Russian reaction to the expansion of NATO to the east should have been anticipated. Russia's invasion of Ukraine was a foreseeable result of their view of NATO expansion as an existential threat. Unlike the USA, Russia has faced real existential threats dating back a thousand years (Mongols, Turks, Teutonic Knights, Swedes, French and Germans have all sought to obliterate Russia). The Russian response in Ukraine, though perhaps unjustified, is at least understandable, and not the work of a paranoid madman.

[@UltimaVeritas]

John McCain warned about russia invading Ukraine years in advance. Russia isn't invading Ukraine because it's scared of NATO (it is scared, but that's not why it invaded) It invaded because the Black Sea is its lake and _NOBODY_ (including the other countries on its shores) gets to use it but them! (WHAA! Like an infant!) Then there's Finland. You forced her hand, you imperialist fools.

[@IAmTheAce5]

Before I saw Kennan's quotes, I figured that Russia had an inferiority-superiority complex- combined with 'Dick Dastardly stops to cheat'

[@Pushing_Pixels]

Thus paranoia became doctrine.

[@DieselpunkMachine]

"as the soviet union came yo dominate FREE COUNTRIES" did they mean Panama?

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

Nice introduction... thank you ( Cold War) channel... before WW2, the USA 🇺🇸 was working for reduced Britain empire dominant around the world as First priorities..while weakness USSR directly threatened by heart European countries and mighty Japan in the east . After WW2, both Britain 🇬🇧 and Japan became inside the USA pockets....so the results of WW2 created cold War....what was constantly not changed..that global power houses were not accepted remaining Russia- USSR- Russia..as large sovereignty country ...and still not accepting that......Capitalism and communism are two tyrannical faces of same undesirable global economic system around the world.

[@dr.victorvs]

I disagree with both analyses. I agree with the first approach, but the analysis itself was a little too gotcha-psychoanalysis for me. The second analysis is way too reductive and ideological to the point of being anti-intellectual, but the recommendations seem [mostly] sound.

[@DieselpunkMachine]

"those who control the Soviet Union" -aliens, wanted to suck Pentagon oldies vital liquids.

[@ingemar_von_zweigbergk]

I was right

[@GeneralGayJay]

Marx and Engels would have been disgusted by the USSR. A communist country cannot be a authocracy since everyones opinion is equaly valuable.

[@qZbGmYjS4QusYqv5]

Marx and Engels would have been shocked if they knew the backwards imperialistic Asian country like Russia is trying to build an utopia. Both of them despised Russia

[@user-ng3rl4iy7g]

The same means is use for counter with China now

[@Charles-js3ri]

This document and thinking is what happens when you're a conspiracy theorist, a lead head, and just a little bit paranoid and cruel.

[@pyeitme508]

lol

[@mtranchi]

For peace, be ready for war. Stalin was a dictator, and no matter what you call them--a king, a tyrant, a strongman, a bully, etc--their aim is always to expand their realm. Had we powered down our military and left ravaged Europe on its own, the communique back to Stalin would have said "They're weak, Europe and the world is ours for the taking."

[@Heike--]

A large number of Europeans wanted communism. We should have let them have it - good and hard. Italy, Greece, France and others were ready to elect communist governments in free elections. Only US meddling and behind the scenes collusion thwarted the will of the people and ensured the military-industrial complex became the wealthy monster it is today, manipulating the US government to start wars for profit.

[@missmiss8359]

@@Heike-- besd American meddling (as if the Soviets didn't fund every fucking communist party in the west) and military industrial complex(as if the Russians didn't have one) now go cry me a fucking river ,thank good the US was smart enough to not hand over Europe and the world to the fucking Russians.

[@mtranchi]

@@nails11 Nobody's a one man show. Caesar had the praetorian guard, Hitler had industrialists, and ultimately, all kings, despots, czars, tyrants, strong men, on and on, have to answer to the people if they go too far. But to coddle the notion that Stalin didn't do EXACTLY as he pleased because he was worried about the soviet court is ludicrous, get real.

[@hourbee5535]

Once again America is responsible for much of the unrest we see in the world today.

[@PMickeyDee]

This might be overly simplistic, but any time i learn of various cold war leaders and influencers thought processes on their respective opponents & the battle lines of the not quite conflict it truly sounds like nothing more than an, _ahem,_ ICBM measuring contest between two overly intense teenagers with mutually assured destruction as a potential outcome. Like bro, they're just as worried about all the bluster you're spouting. If yall would have just simmered down and had a nice chat eliminating the human race would'nt've even been in question.

[@nathanielzarny1176]

I'll agree Hennans was better, but it's not like the USSR was just scared of the world and wanted to live in peace. It was supporting the Chinese communists and gave the go ahead for the communist north Korean invasion. These were aggressive moves that Inflamed tensions. They definitely wanted to export the communist revolution beyond their borders when possible, and that did pose a threat to the United States.

[@Heike--]

Nope! At no point was that a threat to the United States. Who cares who rules Korea? It was a dirt-poor peninsula that was going nowhere. The US troops defeated the invasion easily and then, to prove how noble they were, advanced to the Chinese border with the objective of regime change in Beijing. It wasn't just MacArthur, lots of top government officials wanted a war with China. Which would, naturally, have enriched the military-industrial complex - the real winners of the Cold War.

[@stonefish1318]

naZi ruSSia

[@ExtraEcclesiamNullaSalus]

The cold war wasn't waged across the earth. Ask australians, and the cold war is a very foreign idea.

[@TheColdWarTV]

What about nuclear testing at Maralinga; participation in the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency, Konfrontasi, and the War in Vietnam; the Petrov Affair; the CIAs likely involvement in the dismissal of an Australian PM; active participation the ANZUS treaty?

[@Joe-Dead]

good one, one thing you touched upon, the russian people and the czarist regime before the revolution...the russian peoples have never been truly supported by their government. you could say 'free' but that isn't quite correct, limited freedom always curtailed at will or whim by the state whether that was kings, queens, czars, leaders of the party or of the oligarchy. they have gone from one government working for itself and it's own benefit over the people to another for centuries. it is truly one of the great unsung tragedies, rulers that demand their sacrifice and offer little to nothing in return and it still continues.