The Making Of The US National Security Strategy In The Era Of Paul Nietzsche And Truman

This Dissertation focused on Paul H Nitze's contribution to the evolution of American national security strategy in the Truman Administration. Paul Nitze was a national security advisor and master negotiator to a succession of 6 American presidents throughout the Cold War. He was almost unrivalled in his breadth and depth of experience in the Cold War national security establishment of the United States. Undoubtly, the most important and influential phase of his career was during his involvement with the Truman administration, as Director of the Department of State's Policy Planning Staff. It was in this very position that Paul Nitze made a profound shift in strategic thinking that redefined U.S. national security strategy both at this time and for the next forty years. He was the principal author of famous National Security Council directive 68 (NSC 68) series, the most comprehensive and influential appraisal of American national security strategy of that time. The NSC 68 series recommended the United States move away from its prevailing military strategy of massive nuclear retaliation and towards a forward defence of the'free world',which made by a vast increase in conventional military capabilities. This dissertation makes use of several series of archival sources to offer a preliminary study to comtemporary understanding of Paul Nitze and to the relationship between Nitze's worldview or strategic thinking and the evolution of American national security strategy in the Truman administration.This dissertation is composed of the introduction,5 chapters and epilogue:The introduction summarized the academic achievements on the intellectuals of the Cold War especially the national security advisors, American national security strategy and gave a historiographical appaisal of Paul Nitze.The first chapter made a descriptive record of the early days of Paul Nitze.Then illustrated his experience from "Wall Street" and the impact of witness to the aftermath of Hiroshima provided the base for his worldview and way of thinking.The second chapter described the influence of the dramatic changes in the situation, and details Nitze's role in the thermonuclear weapon decision, then discussed the Nitze's appointment as Policy Planning Staff Director, just succeeding Kennan.The third chapter explored the formulation of NSC 68 series and analyzed the relationship between the NSC 68 series and the Korean War. Then it discussed the dilemma of the implementation of the "Perimeter Defence"The fourth chapter discussed the implementation of the whole NSC 68 series as the official national security policy, and explored the formation process and main points of the NSC 114 series, the NSC 135 series and NSC 141, with the contestation of the Soviet Union's intention and capability by Paul Nitze and Charles Bohlen.The fifth chapter summaried to the main points of Paul Nitze's contribution to the Truman Administration's national security strategy and reviewed Nitze's legendary experience during the Cold War.The epilogue discussed the evolution of nuclear deterrence strategy of the United States and the Soviet Union throughout the Cold War, and then gave some personal thinking on this issue.