Evolution of
US National Security
Strategy
US Strategies





National Security Strategy (Pres)
National Defense Strategy (SecDef)
National Military Strategy (CJCS)
Quadrennial Defense Review
(SecDef)
Annual Report of the SecDef to
Congress (SecDef)
All from DoD Historical Office
Decision Process
National Security
Strategy of the US
Defense
Guidance
QDR
National
Military
Strategy of
the US
Annual
Report
Force Posture
CONGRESS
Guidelines
Isolationism /Nationalism
vs.
Internationalism
Realism
Balance of power
Idealism
Hegemonic realism
liberalism
Wilsonianism
Realism
Idealism
balance of power
spreading
US values
Priority on
Priority on
Continuities? Patterns?
1.
2.
1789-1950s: Debate
1940s-1952: Decision to Lead
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Balance of power?
Hegemony?
Free Trade and Commerce
Spreading Democracy**
Nervousness about Commitments
Threat and Response
1.
2.
3.
4.
How do we define the threat?
How do we define the US role?
How many and what types of wars
do we prepare for?
How do we respond to changes in
the threat?
Since WW II
1.
2.
3.
Cold War 1945-1990
Post-Cold War 1990-2001
Post-September 11: 2001 to present
Each era defined by the nature of the
threat
1. Cold War
 Stable
and relatively predictable
threat
 Dilemma: Total war is not an
option
 45 years of developing strategies
to compete with and live with the
USSR
Defining the Threat

Soviet Union and Communism
Defining US Role

“Truman Doctrine”



Containing Spread of Communism and Soviet
Power
Speech, March 1947
Containment: Kennan’s Long Telegram as
published in Foreign Affairs, “The Sources of
Soviet Conduct” by “X”, 1947
Strategy
1.
2.
3.
Nuclear Deterrence
Forward Presence
Peacetime Military Buildup
A.
4.
5.
6.
NSC-68 (1950)
Own the sea
NATO
Limited War
2. Forward Presence
6. Limited War

Korean War 1950-1953
Fight locally
 Prevent escalation

 Geography
 Weapons
 Objectives
 Negotiate
and fight
Legacy of Truman Strategy
Core Strategy
1. Nuclear Deterrence
2. Forward Presence
3. Peacetime Military Strength
4. Own the sea
5. NATO and other alliances
6. Free Trade and Commerce
7. Spread Democracy**
Shift in Strategy under Ike

The New Look



Greater reliance on nuclear weapons
Conventional weapons cuts
No limited war


“Never Again Club”
Reliance on regional alliances and allies
JFK: Renewed Focus on “Wars of
Liberation”
Strategy



Flexible Response
Large Defense Buildup
Two and ½ War Strategy
1.
2.
Europe
East Asia

½ War: Counterinsurgency
Vietnam War
Insurgency/Counterinsurgency
(for reference only)
Insurgent/Guerrilla Tactics







Not taking territory
Hit and run strikes on
economic, governmental ,
and military targets
Create shadow political
structure
Make government look
weak, incompetent
Win support of the people
Collapse government
through intimidation and
loss of popular support
Then take over nation
Counterinsurgency (COIN)







Protect territory
Protect government,
economic, and military
infrastructure
Hunt down guerrillas
Hunt down political
supporters of enemy
Stabilize government
Win support of the people
Nation-building
1950s-1960s: Change in the Threat
Sino-Soviet Split
Nixon Strategy

1. Containment through détente

Arms control with USSR
 SALT

Opening to China
Nixon (continued)
2. 1 ½ war strategy
1.

Europe
½ in Korea or Middle East
3. Regional Threats?

Nixon Doctrine


Remarks July 25, 1969 (see Q and A)
Address to the nation, Nov. 3, 1969
1979-1981
Redefinition of Threat


Iranian Revolution
Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
“Arc of Crisis”
New Strategy (Carter)
1.
Two War Strategy
1.
2.
Europe
Persian Gulf Region
1.
2.
2.
End Détente with USSR
1.
3.
Carter Doctrine
Establish RDJTF (Central Command)
But crisis brings US-PRC closer
Large US military Buildup
Reagan Response to New Cold War,
End of Detente
1.
Military Buildup


2.
3.
Type of War? Sounds like Total War
But Use of US force—minor

4.
Nuclear forces
600 ship Navy
Doctrine of Overwhelming Force (Weinberger
or Powell Doctrine)
Reagan Doctrine
The Cold War Ends
Active Duty Military Personnel, 1940–2011
Military personnel on extended or continuous active duty. Excludes reserves on active duty for training
.
Source: Department of Defense. NOTE: Figures for 1998 through August 2007 include cadets/midshipmen.
Year
Army
1940
Air Force
Navy
Marine Corps
Total
269,023
160,997
28,345
458,365
1945
8,266,373
3,319,586
469,925
12,055,884
1950
593,167
411,277
380,739
74,279
1,459,462
1955
1,109,296
959,946
660,695
205,170
2,935,107
1960
873,078
814,752
616,987
170,621
2,475,438
1965
969,066
824,662
669,985
190,213
2,653,926
1970
1,322,548
791,349
691,126
259,737
3,064,760
1975
784,333
612,751
535,085
195,951
2,128,120
1980
777,036
557,969
527,153
188,469
2,050,627
1985
780,787
601,515
570,705
198,025
2,151,032
1990
732,403
535,233
579,417
196,652
2,043,705
1995
508,559
400,409
434,617
174,639
1,518,224
2000
482,170
355,654
373,193
173,321
1,384,338
2005
488,944
351,666
358,700
178,704
1,378,014
2011 (Sept.)
565,463
333,370
325,123
201,157
1,468,364
US Navy size 1945-2011
http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/org94.htm#1945
 Dept of the Army historical summaries
http://www.history.army.mil/html/bookshe
lves/collect/dahsum.html
 AF stats
http://www.afhso.af.mil/usafstatistics/
