Ask the Scholar
Page 84 of 120
I can add historical knowledge about this page.
Page image
OCR
SECRET
83
some reallocations of manpower were made,
next to defense research, highest priority for
and production of selected armaments was in-
military expenditures.
creased. Neither added significantly to the
(3) Foreign military commitments are be-
UK's military capabilities. It was in fact im-
ing reduced or ended wherever feasible. The
possible to increase such capabilities without
UK has (a) reduced its commitment in
sacrificing some measure of economic recov-
Greece, handing over responsibility to the US,
ery, and the attempt to strike a balance be-
(b) accepted a shared responsibility with the
tween these two requirements has led to much
US in the Middle East generally, (c) devolved
perplexity and to several shifts of policy.
upon Australia a principal share in maintain-
The decision which has been taken to seek
ing security in the Pacific area where US in-
economic recovery at a calculated risk to secu-
terests abut and overlap Commonwealth se-
rity was probably made somewhat easier by
curity needs, (d) reduced the sizes of less
the lack of crystallization of strategic con-
critical overseas garrisons, and (e) ended all
cepts involving such weapons as atomic
troop commitments in Burma and India. On
bombs, the true submarine, rockets, guided
the other hand, and in great part counter-
missiles, chemical and biological agents-al-
balancing these reductions, are (a) the neces-
though the likelihood of the employment of
sity of employing substantial forces in Malaya
these weapons has ominous implications for
and in Hong Kong, and (b) the thorny prob-
a country SO situated as the UK. It therefore
lem in the British-occupied ex-Italian colony
appeared reasonable to go slowly in commit-
of Libya, where the UK wishes to develop a
ting sparse resources until the problems to
base in Cyrenaica to replace, if necessary,
be dealt with should be more definitely known.
those in Egypt (where treaty arrangements
It is felt that research must resolve multiple
may not be extended beyond 1956) but has
uncertainties regarding the availability and
been hampered by an impasse in the United
capabilities of both offensive and defensive
Nations concerning permanent disposition of
weapons of the future before the composition
the area.
of the armed forces to employ them can be
b. To Maintain a Reasonable War Potential.
planned. When these perplexities are clari-
(1) First objective is to maintain, during a
fied, presumably in a period of peace, firm de-
period of quantitative weakness, qualitative
cisions can be taken to meet the demands of
progress of the armed forces by intensive re-
future warfare.
search and development in the fields of tech-
Present United Kingdom military policies
nology likely to influence future warfare. As
arising out of the foregoing considerations
far as possible since the war, the UK military
are:
has shielded research and development in the
a. To Concentrate Increasingly on Defense
three services from budgetary cut-backs, per-
of the United Kingdom.
mitting the onus of economizing to fall on
(1) Available resources no longer allow the
re-equipment programs. Adopted projects
UK to assume as fully as before its responsi-
are characterized generally by distant materi-
bility for Commonwealth security and other
alization dates and by predominant attention
widespread defense commitments; at the same
to defensive weapons and equipment. Al-
time the UK is more vulnerable to attack and
though substantial progress is being achieved,
to devastation than ever before. Increased
programs are often beset with delays arising
roles in the defense of the Commonwealth
out of shortages of scientific manpower and in
and its communications are therefore being
obtaining specialized equipment. For ex-
devolved upon the Dominions, and very con-
ample, the earliest service date of the most
siderable effort is being given to strengthening
advanced guided missile has been set forward
the economic and military potential of the
recently from 1957 to 1959.
colonies.
(2) In equipment, the announced policy is
(2) The RAF has replaced the navy as the
to make maximum use of accumulated stocks
first line of defense, despite Britain's known
and austerely to limit replacements and the
vulnerability to submarine blockade. It has,
introduction of new types. This is based both
ECRE
Page data
- Page
- 84
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- 11bd1b45720cee2d
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 486500365
- Core
- doc
- Type
- document
DTO data
{
"id": "486500365",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500365",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, United Kingdom, Situation Report 25",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500365",
"collections": [
"President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)",
"Intelligence Files"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875509/875509-01-001.tif",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875509/875509-01-001.tif",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875509/875509-01-001.tif",
"imageCount": 120,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Context sent to Scholar
Document identity
{
"localId": "486500365",
"label": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, United Kingdom, Situation Report 25",
"core": "doc",
"dtoType": "document",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500365"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "486500365",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500365",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, United Kingdom, Situation Report 25",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500365",
"collections": [
"President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)",
"Intelligence Files"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875509/875509-01-001.tif",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875509/875509-01-001.tif",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875509/875509-01-001.tif",
"imageCount": 120,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Document source extras
{
"url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500365",
"naId": 486500365,
"levelOfDescription": "item",
"productionDates": [
{
"day": 7,
"logicalDate": "1949-12-07",
"month": 12,
"year": 1949
}
],
"recordType": "description",
"ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}
Page context
{
"seq": 84,
"pageIndex": 0,
"type": "photo",
"url": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875509/875509-01-084.tif",
"mediaId": "11bd1b45720cee2d",
"ocrText": "SECRET\n83\nsome reallocations of manpower were made,\nnext to defense research, highest priority for\nand production of selected armaments was in-\nmilitary expenditures.\ncreased. Neither added significantly to the\n(3) Foreign military commitments are be-\nUK's military capabilities. It was in fact im-\ning reduced or ended wherever feasible. The\npossible to increase such capabilities without\nUK has (a) reduced its commitment in\nsacrificing some measure of economic recov-\nGreece, handing over responsibility to the US,\nery, and the attempt to strike a balance be-\n(b) accepted a shared responsibility with the\ntween these two requirements has led to much\nUS in the Middle East generally, (c) devolved\nperplexity and to several shifts of policy.\nupon Australia a principal share in maintain-\nThe decision which has been taken to seek\ning security in the Pacific area where US in-\neconomic recovery at a calculated risk to secu-\nterests abut and overlap Commonwealth se-\nrity was probably made somewhat easier by\ncurity needs, (d) reduced the sizes of less\nthe lack of crystallization of strategic con-\ncritical overseas garrisons, and (e) ended all\ncepts involving such weapons as atomic\ntroop commitments in Burma and India. On\nbombs, the true submarine, rockets, guided\nthe other hand, and in great part counter-\nmissiles, chemical and biological agents-al-\nbalancing these reductions, are (a) the neces-\nthough the likelihood of the employment of\nsity of employing substantial forces in Malaya\nthese weapons has ominous implications for\nand in Hong Kong, and (b) the thorny prob-\na country SO situated as the UK. It therefore\nlem in the British-occupied ex-Italian colony\nappeared reasonable to go slowly in commit-\nof Libya, where the UK wishes to develop a\nting sparse resources until the problems to\nbase in Cyrenaica to replace, if necessary,\nbe dealt with should be more definitely known.\nthose in Egypt (where treaty arrangements\nIt is felt that research must resolve multiple\nmay not be extended beyond 1956) but has\nuncertainties regarding the availability and\nbeen hampered by an impasse in the United\ncapabilities of both offensive and defensive\nNations concerning permanent disposition of\nweapons of the future before the composition\nthe area.\nof the armed forces to employ them can be\nb. To Maintain a Reasonable War Potential.\nplanned. When these perplexities are clari-\n(1) First objective is to maintain, during a\nfied, presumably in a period of peace, firm de-\nperiod of quantitative weakness, qualitative\ncisions can be taken to meet the demands of\nprogress of the armed forces by intensive re-\nfuture warfare.\nsearch and development in the fields of tech-\nPresent United Kingdom military policies\nnology likely to influence future warfare. As\narising out of the foregoing considerations\nfar as possible since the war, the UK military\nare:\nhas shielded research and development in the\na. To Concentrate Increasingly on Defense\nthree services from budgetary cut-backs, per-\nof the United Kingdom.\nmitting the onus of economizing to fall on\n(1) Available resources no longer allow the\nre-equipment programs. Adopted projects\nUK to assume as fully as before its responsi-\nare characterized generally by distant materi-\nbility for Commonwealth security and other\nalization dates and by predominant attention\nwidespread defense commitments; at the same\nto defensive weapons and equipment. Al-\ntime the UK is more vulnerable to attack and\nthough substantial progress is being achieved,\nto devastation than ever before. Increased\nprograms are often beset with delays arising\nroles in the defense of the Commonwealth\nout of shortages of scientific manpower and in\nand its communications are therefore being\nobtaining specialized equipment. For ex-\ndevolved upon the Dominions, and very con-\nample, the earliest service date of the most\nsiderable effort is being given to strengthening\nadvanced guided missile has been set forward\nthe economic and military potential of the\nrecently from 1957 to 1959.\ncolonies.\n(2) In equipment, the announced policy is\n(2) The RAF has replaced the navy as the\nto make maximum use of accumulated stocks\nfirst line of defense, despite Britain's known\nand austerely to limit replacements and the\nvulnerability to submarine blockade. It has,\nintroduction of new types. This is based both\nECRE"
}