The Joint Chiefs of Staff and National Policy, 1969-1972
Abstract
The Joint Chiefs of Staff were established in the early days of World War II to advise the President on the strategic direction of the US armed forces. They continued after the war as military advisers and planners and have played an important role over the years in devising US national policy. An understanding of their relations with the President, the National Security Council, and the Secretary of Defense provides an essential basis for understanding their current work. Moreover, an account of their activity during peacetime, crises, and limited wars is an important part of the military history of the United States. For these reasons, the Joint Chiefs of Staff directed that an official history be written for the record. Its value for instructional purposes, for the orientation of officers newly assigned to the Joint Staff, and as a source of background information for staff studies will be readily recognized. The series, The Joint Chiefs of Staff and National Policy, treats the activities of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since the close of World War II. Because of the nature of these activities and the sensitivity of the sources, the volumes were originally prepared in classified form. Volume X describes JCS activities during 1969 to 1972, except those for Indochina which are described in a separate series, The Joint Chiefs of Staff and the War in Vietnam. This volume covers a period in which President Richard M. Nixon sought to replace confrontation between the superpowers with detente, leading to a generation of peace. The Joint Chiefs of Staff adjusted slowly and reluctantly to the changes in policy and strategy that President Nixon imposed, particularly as regards the Far East. They worried most about US conventional capabilities at a time when sizable forces were engaged in Southeast Asia and incidents or crises were occurring in Korea, South Asia, Cuba, and the Middle East.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA582326
Entities
People
- Walter S. Poole
Organizations
- Joint Chiefs of Staff