President Nixon’s Transformation of the National Security Council
Nixon Legacy Forum
William G. McGowan Theater, National Archives Building
May 12, 2014

Key members of President Nixon’s staff talked about the revitalization of the National Security Council, and how the 37th President put a premium on strategic planning in foreign affairs.

Participants at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. included Richard V. Allen and Robert C. McFarlane, who both went on to become national security advisors to President Reagan; John F. Lehman, Jr., former Secretary of the Navy (1981-1987); and Winston Lord, former Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China (1985-1989). Fox News national security analyst KT McFarland moderated.

Legacy Forum Transcript (To be linked later)

Background

Upon winning the presidential election of 1968 President-elect Richard Nixon began the process of preparing to assume the presidency in January of 1969. Given his experience in government and his vision for a more modern presidency Richard Nixon knew the work that had been assigned to his pre-presidential task force was not a small one. To make the most efficient use of the time as possible President-elect Nixon set up seventeen task forces to study the Executive Branch. These task forces were to determine how to modernize and make the presidency more effective. Arthur F. Burns (Counselor to the President) was to oversee these task forces and submit their reports prior to President Nixon’s inauguration. 

The National Security Council was established in 1947 by the National Security Act, in response to the experiences of World War II and the looming beginning of a Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. 

Richard Nixon’s experience as Vice President for eight years under President Dwight D. Eisenhower provided him valuable insights into the National Security Council’s interactions with the president. As president, Nixon wanted to adjust how the N.S.C. operated to give the president a far greater role in foreign policy decision-making processes — beyond giving a “yes” or a “no” to decisions that were made by N.S.C. staff.  

Nixon intended to consolidate foreign policy making within the White House. He envisioned a model of White House foreign policy making assisted and informed via Memorandum by various officials of the N.S.C. Historically, major foreign policy decisions were generated from the State Department, rather than the White House. By the end of the Lyndon B. Johnson presidency, the N.S.C. had all but been eliminated.

National Security Memorandum 1 set Nixon’s changes into motion: National Security Study Memoranda (NSSM) were used by N.S.C. members to gather information about particular policy proposals, while National Security Decision Memoranda (NSDM) were issued to the president.  

The National Security Adviser would chair the six key committees of the Council, presenting the president with real policy options, especially those strategic and far-sighted as opposed to reactionary. This would, in President Nixon’s view, allow decisions made related to foreign policy by the N.S.C. to reflect his foreign policy grand strategy.  Since the chairman could set the agendas and dictate the flow of information, a significant amount of policy making was consolidated in the hands of the National Security Adviser.

The memorandum also created the National Security Council Review Group, replacing the chaotic review system of President Johnson’s Council. This team of qualified experts with well thought out ideas were expected to fully support the ideas once decisions were made and implemented. 

The innovations and changes brought to the decision-making process of the N.S.C. contributed in no small way to the foreign policy success of the Nixon Administration in ending the war on the ground in Vietnam, opening China, initiating détente with the Soviet Union and signing the Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty, as well as a peaceful conclusion to the superpower confrontation amid the Yom Kippur War. 

Essential Documents 

11 November 1968 A Program to Ensure Control of Key Personnel by the new president

5 December 1968 Personnel Management at the U.S. Department of State

Kissinger Transition Memo on New NSC System to President-Elect Nixon

20 January 1969 Establishment of the NSC Decision and Study Memoranda Documents Series (NSDM 1)

20 January Reorganization of the National Security Council System (NSDM 2)

Memo Goodpastor to HAK concerning possible revisions to NSDM2

20 January 1969 Direction, Coordination, and Supervision of Interdepartmental Activities Overseas (NSDM 3)

Background Documents that Led to the Proposed Changes

13 December 1968 Goodpastor Memo to Kissinger on Organization and Procedures for the Conduct of National Security Affairs

13 December 1968 Goodpastor Memo to Kissinger Priority List of Security Projects

15 December 1968 Goodpastor Memo to Kissinger on Defense Organization and Management Procedures 

15 December 1968 Goodpastor Memo to Kissinger Security Affairs under Eisenhower

8 January 1969 Memo to Wheeler sent to Haig on NSC Organization

9 January 1969 Laird Memo to Kissinger concerning new NSC proposal

Memo Halperin to Kissinger NSC Procedures for Improving Discussions

5 August 1969 Memo Halperin to Kissinger on NSC and New Initiatives 

Supporting Documents for Further Study

21 January 1969 U.S. Military Posture and Balance of Power (NSSM 3)

21 January 1969 U.S. Foreign Aid Policy (NSSM 4)

21 January 1969 Review of NATO Policy Alternatives (NSSM 6)

23 January 1969 Review of the International Situation (NSSM 9)

30 January 1969 Contingency Planning (NSSM 12)

3 February 1969 Technical Issues Concerning U.S. Strategic Forces (NSSM 8)

3 February 1969 Review of U.S. Policy Toward Latin America (NSSM 15)

5 February 1969 Position of Key Countries on the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NSSM 13)

5 February 1969 U.S. China Policy (NSSM 14)

7 February 1969 The Direction, Coordination and Supervision of Interdepartmental Activities Overseas — the Interdepartmental Groups (NSDM 7)

12 February 1969 Resumption of the Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Committee (NSSM 20)

21 March 1969 Crisis Anticipation and Management (NSDM 8)

16 May 1969 Memo on Special Action Groups (NSDM 19)

24 June 1969 Criteria for Strategic Sufficiency (NSDM 16)

26 June 1969 Relaxation of Economic Controls Against China (NSDM 17)

10 July 1969 U.S. Foreign Internal Defense Policy (NSDM 20)

4 Sept 1969 Program Analysis Studies (NSDM 4)

17 September 1969 Disposition of Outdated NSC Policy Papers (NSDM 25)

11 October 1969 U.S. Military Posture (NSDM 27)

31 October 1969 Speech on Latin America (NSDM 28)

January 1971 The Council on International Economic Policy (CIEP) – established by a presidential memorandum (https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/memorandum-establishing-the-council-international-economic-policy )

February 1970 Members of the NSC Staff February 1970

July 21, 1970. President Nixon attends a National Security Council (NSC) meeting with Kissinger and Secretary Rogers.

PHOTO: RN attends NSC Meeting_CAB_7_21_70_37-whpo-3962-15-i-2020-js

Supporting Clips from the Nixon Tapes

25 March 1971 About Length of NSC Meeting 473-001 (rmn_e473a) 

25 March 1971 NSC and signing ceremony for reorganization 473-002 (rmn_e473a)

26 May 1971 Relations with China 3-127 (003-127)

18 June 1971 NSC and Importance of Content over Consensus 526-002 (rmn_e526a)

28 June 1971 Special Project on Security Clearances 259-001 (rmn_e259)

24 July 1971 NSC and Defense Budget 545-001 (rmn_e545a)

12 October 1971 Quality of State Department Briefing Book 11-075 (011-075)

14 August 1972 Need for reform 768-24 (rmn_e768_24b)

3 March 1973 Working with NSC and Speed of Enacting Policy 872-011

8 March 1973 NSC Meeting length versus Cabinet Meeting Length 872-003

8 March 1973 NSC Meeting and the big picture 872-006 Part 1

8 March 1973 NSC Meeting and the big picture 872-006 Part 2

Other Sources