A Study On The America's National Security Act Of 1947

The National Security Act of 1947, signed by President Harry S. Truman on July 26, 1947, is a landmark law in the history of United States. The Act created lots of institutions, including the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Resources Board and the National Military Establishment(renamed in 1949 the Department of Defense), laid the foundation for the realigning and reorganizing the United States′armed forces, intelligence apparatus, and foreign policy in the aftermath of World War Two. This paper analyzes the significance of the National Security Act of 1947 and its impact on America's foreign policy, national defense, intelligence and national security strategy through exploring the background, process and main content of the enactment of the Act.The foreword points out the significance of this paper and has a brief introduction on the current situation of the National Security Act of 1947 at home and abroad.The dissertation is divided into three chapters:The first chapter analyzes the foundation and motives for the establishment of the National Security Act of 1947. The separation of powers system was originally brought up and improved by John Locke and Montesquieu. As soon as it was founded, the United States inherited and developed the system of separation of powers. As an integral part of U. S. Law, the National Security Act of 1947 embodied the influence of separation of powers system in the process of the enactment. World War Two was another reason why the United States set up the National Security Act of 1947 and reorganized the national security agencies. On one hand, Eberstadt Report had argued that there were serious weaknesses incoordinations between government departments of American during the war. On the other hand, with the end of World War Two it came the realization that the world had been entering a new era. Also, the war had convinced most American leaders that postwar world order required America's involvement and leadership. For the U.S. leaders, they had to define and refine a national security structure and strategy, The structure and strategy were first formally articulated in the National Security Act of 1947. In addition, Economy, science and technology of the United States developed steadily, for it was far away from the main battlefield during the war, except it detonated the world's first atomic bomb in 1945. During the war, the United States Army Air Forces played an irreplaceable role for the using of atomic weapons. The United States Air was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947. As early as 1937, the organization and action of British intelligence agencies left deep impressions on the United States. It was one of the motives that the United States set up central intelligence institutions in the postwar. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, American Presidents' were the supporters and promoters of the reorganization of the national security system and enactment of the National Security Act of 1947 during World War Two.The second Chapter mainly describes the process and main content of the enactment of the National Security Act of 1947. After World War Two, Congress held hearings to decide whether it established a unified military institution or not, both the Navy and Army put forward their views on this issue. The well-known 250-page Eberstadt Report was submitted by the Navy to Congress in 1945. Eberstadt rejected the proposal of establishing a unified military institution, but the idea of National Security Council and National Security Resources Board was included in the National Security Act of 1947.The Navy and the Army finally came to an agreement in January 1947. They decided that the Air Force would separate from the Army as a separate institution, the Navy would keep its naval aviation, the Marine Corps and the three services would be under the unified direction of the Secretary of Defense. President Truman, the Department of State, the Navy and Army expressed their own views on the establishment of the central intelligence institution. The Central Intelligence Group was set up in 1946, later it was replaced by Central Intelligence Agency in the National Security Act of 1947. The originally enacted Act contained three titles and created the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Military Establishment. The Act established some institutions under the direction of the National Military Establishment, such as the War Council, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Munitions Board, Research and Development Board. General authority would be given to the Secretary of National Defense, but individual secretaries would manage the three departments as separate units. The Act also prescribed the funds of the Defense and the compensations of its staff. The system created by the Act has persisted since 1947, but it only amended for three times—in 1949, 1958 and 1986.The third chapter mainly discusses the significance of the National Security Act of 1947 and its impact on American foreign policy, intelligence, national defense and national security strategy. Now National Security Council had been advising the President to the integration of domestic, foreign and military policies relating to the national security so as to enable the Government to cooperate more effectively in matters involving the national security, which improved the efficiency of Presidents' decision-makings. National Security Adviser, one of the members of National Security Council had played a more and more important role in the Government, which has a rising influence on American foreign policies as the manager of the decision–making procedure. The Central Intelligence Agency has not only collected the related intelligence of other national, but also precedes the covert action in some nations. All these have put American national security strategy into practice. Department of Defense has enhanced the military strength of the United States and improved the efficiency of the military cooperation. The Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 required the President to submit an annual National Security Strategy Report to the Congress. Since 1987, President and the Congress have been exchanging their views on national security affairs by the National Security Strategy Report, and finally they came to an agreement. It was the foundation of the implementation of the national security strategy of the United States. The United States has been undergoing several fundamental changes in strategic thinking and direction since 1987. Those adjustments have been driving by changes in different administrations, which have been making adjustments to national interests, national security goals and objectives, as well as changes in the international and national security environments. In the conclusion, the author expresses some views. Even if the National Security Act of 1947 might not be perfect, the system which was established by the Act has remained over sixty years. As long as the U.S. dose not ceases the pursuits of national security, the legislative activities around the national security will not end.