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National Security Act of 1947: Difference between revisions
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| introducedin = [[United States Senate|Senate]] | | introducedin = [[United States Senate|Senate]] | ||
| introducedbill = {{USBill|80|S.|758}} | | introducedbill = {{USBill|80|S.|758}} | ||
| introducedby = [[John Chandler Gurney|Chan Gurney]] ( | | introducedby = [[John Chandler Gurney|Chan Gurney]] (R–[[South Dakota|SD]]) | ||
| introduceddate = March 3, 1947 | | introduceddate = March 3, 1947 | ||
| signedpresident = | | signedpresident = Harry S. Truman | ||
| signeddate = July 26, 1947 | | signeddate = July 26, 1947 | ||
| passedbody1 = Senate | | passedbody1 = Senate | ||
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The act merged the [[United States Department of the Army|Department of the Army]] (renamed from the [[United States Department of War|Department of War]]), the [[United States Department of the Navy|Department of the Navy]], and the newly established [[United States Department of the Air Force|Department of the Air Force]] (DAF) into the [[United States Department of Defense|National Military Establishment]] (NME).<ref name=":1" /> The act also created the position of the secretary of defense as the head of the NME.<ref name=":1" /> It established the [[United States Air Force]] under the DAF, which worked to separate the [[United States Army Air Forces|Army Air Forces]] into its own service.<ref name=":1" /> It also protected the [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] as an independent service under the Department of the Navy.<ref name=":1" /> Aside from the unification of the three military departments, the act established the [[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]] and the [[Central Intelligence Agency]], the latter of which is headed by the [[Director of Central Intelligence]].<ref name=":1" /> | The act merged the [[United States Department of the Army|Department of the Army]] (renamed from the [[United States Department of War|Department of War]]), the [[United States Department of the Navy|Department of the Navy]], and the newly established [[United States Department of the Air Force|Department of the Air Force]] (DAF) into the [[United States Department of Defense|National Military Establishment]] (NME).<ref name=":1" /> The act also created the position of the secretary of defense as the head of the NME.<ref name=":1" /> It established the [[United States Air Force]] under the DAF, which worked to separate the [[United States Army Air Forces|Army Air Forces]] into its own service.<ref name=":1" /> It also protected the [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] as an independent service under the Department of the Navy.<ref name=":1" /> Aside from the unification of the three military departments, the act established the [[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]] and the [[Central Intelligence Agency]], the latter of which is headed by the [[Director of Central Intelligence]].<ref name=":1" /> | ||
The legislation was a result of efforts by | The legislation was a result of efforts by Harry S. Truman beginning in 1944.<ref name=":3">Congressional Quarterly, inc. (1948). Unification of the armed forces. In ''Congressional quarterly almanac'' (v. 3, pp. 457–463). Congressional Quarterly, inc.</ref> President Truman proposed the legislation to [[United States Congress|Congress]] on February 26, 1947.<ref name=":10" /> The bill was introduced in the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] on February 28, 1947, and in the Senate on March 3, 1947.<ref name=":4" /> Senator [[John Chandler Gurney|Chan Gurney]] was the bill's [[Sponsor (legislative)|sponsor]].<ref name=":4" /> Senator Gurney, as [[Chairperson|chairman]] of the [[United States Senate Committee on Armed Services|Senate Committee on Armed Services]], led [[United States congressional hearing|committee hearings]] for the bill from mid-March to early May.<ref name=":11" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /> The bill passed in the Senate on July 9, 1947, and in the House on July 19, 1947.<ref name=":7" /> The Senate agreed to a related House [[Resolution (law)|resolution]] (80 H.Con.Res. 70) on July 16, 1947.<ref name=":7" /> The bill received [[Bipartisanship|bipartisan]] support and was passed in both chambers by [[voice vote]].<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":7" /> The National Security Act of 1947 was signed into law by President Truman on July 26, 1947, while aboard his [[Douglas C-54 Skymaster|VC-54C]] presidential aircraft ''Sacred Cow''.<ref name=":12" /> | ||
== Background == | == Background == | ||
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Before [[World War II]], [[United States congressional committee|congressional committees]] oversaw the [[Cabinet of the United States|Cabinet]]-level [[United States Department of War|War Department]] and [[United States Department of the Navy|Navy Department]], and while each department was separate from the other, both were able to obtain [[Military aircraft|aircraft]].<ref name=":2">{{cite book |last1=Kurtz |first1=James H. |last2=Crerar |first2=John H. |title=Military Roles and Missions: Past Revisions and Future Prospects |date=March 2009 |publisher=Institute for Defense Analyses |id={{DTIC|ADA519426}} }}{{pn|date=October 2023}}</ref> During this time, the President had a level of authority over the departments.<ref name=":2" /> After the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]], Congress passed the [[War Powers Act of 1941|First War Powers Act]], which authorized the sitting president "to make such redistribution of functions among executive agencies as he may deem necessary" provided that it is "only in matters relating to the conduct of the present war" and that these authorities will expire "six months after the termination of the war."<ref name=":2" /><ref>First War Powers Act of 1941, Pub.L. No. 77-354, 55 Stat. 838 (1941). https://govtrackus.s3.amazonaws.com/legislink/pdf/stat/55/STATUTE-55-Pg838.pdf</ref> | Before [[World War II]], [[United States congressional committee|congressional committees]] oversaw the [[Cabinet of the United States|Cabinet]]-level [[United States Department of War|War Department]] and [[United States Department of the Navy|Navy Department]], and while each department was separate from the other, both were able to obtain [[Military aircraft|aircraft]].<ref name=":2">{{cite book |last1=Kurtz |first1=James H. |last2=Crerar |first2=John H. |title=Military Roles and Missions: Past Revisions and Future Prospects |date=March 2009 |publisher=Institute for Defense Analyses |id={{DTIC|ADA519426}} }}{{pn|date=October 2023}}</ref> During this time, the President had a level of authority over the departments.<ref name=":2" /> After the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]], Congress passed the [[War Powers Act of 1941|First War Powers Act]], which authorized the sitting president "to make such redistribution of functions among executive agencies as he may deem necessary" provided that it is "only in matters relating to the conduct of the present war" and that these authorities will expire "six months after the termination of the war."<ref name=":2" /><ref>First War Powers Act of 1941, Pub.L. No. 77-354, 55 Stat. 838 (1941). https://govtrackus.s3.amazonaws.com/legislink/pdf/stat/55/STATUTE-55-Pg838.pdf</ref> | ||
During World War II, then-[[Chief of Staff of the United States Army|chief of staff of the Army]] [[George C. Marshall|George Marshall]] brought the idea of unification of the armed services to President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], but "he was routinely rebuffed on the grounds that a substantive discussion of this option while the country was at war might undermine the [[war effort]]."<ref name=":13">{{cite book |chapter=Present at the Legislation: The 1947 National Security Act |pages=5–24 |jstor=resrep12044.5 |title=Organizing for National Security |date=2000 |publisher=Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College |url=https://press.armywarcollege.edu/monographs/125/ |last1=Stuart |first1=Douglas }}</ref> On August 26, 1944, future president | During World War II, then-[[Chief of Staff of the United States Army|chief of staff of the Army]] [[George C. Marshall|George Marshall]] brought the idea of unification of the armed services to President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], but "he was routinely rebuffed on the grounds that a substantive discussion of this option while the country was at war might undermine the [[war effort]]."<ref name=":13">{{cite book |chapter=Present at the Legislation: The 1947 National Security Act |pages=5–24 |jstor=resrep12044.5 |title=Organizing for National Security |date=2000 |publisher=Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College |url=https://press.armywarcollege.edu/monographs/125/ |last1=Stuart |first1=Douglas }}</ref> On August 26, 1944, future president Harry S. Truman, who was a senator at the time, wrote that "under such a set-up [of unification] another Pearl Harbor will not have to be feared" in his article "Our Armed Forces Must Be United".<ref name=":13" /> Military problems apparent during World War II that turned attention to the need for unification were a lack of [[Combat readiness|preparedness]], a lack of attention to "[[Military logistics|logistics in war]]," and a "lack of coordination among the services."<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lee |first1=Gus C. |title=The Organization for National Security |journal=Public Administration Review |date=1949 |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=36–44 |doi=10.2307/972661 |jstor=972661 }}</ref> | ||
In the years following the war, President Truman had been pushing for the unification of the armed services until the passing of the National Security Act of 1947, having [[Military science|research]] conducted on the topic since 1944<ref name=":3" /> and having expressed his desire for Congress to act on the issue as early as April 6, 1946.<ref name=":13" /> He stated in a letter to Congress on June 15, 1946, that he "consider[s] it vital that we have a unified force for our [[National security|national defense]]."<ref>The Associated Press. (June 15, 1946). "President's program to unify the services, with Army-Navy views". ''The New York Times''. {{ProQuest|107793495}}</ref> President Truman had worked closely with the Army and the Navy to establish a consensus, but the departments struggled to come to an agreement until 1947.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{cite news |title=ARMY-NAVY DISPUTE BACK AT WHITE HOUSE |id={{ProQuest|107493837}} |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1946/06/01/archives/armynavy-dispute-back-at-white-house.html |work=The New York Times |date=1 June 1946 }}</ref> | In the years following the war, President Truman had been pushing for the unification of the armed services until the passing of the National Security Act of 1947, having [[Military science|research]] conducted on the topic since 1944<ref name=":3" /> and having expressed his desire for Congress to act on the issue as early as April 6, 1946.<ref name=":13" /> He stated in a letter to Congress on June 15, 1946, that he "consider[s] it vital that we have a unified force for our [[National security|national defense]]."<ref>The Associated Press. (June 15, 1946). "President's program to unify the services, with Army-Navy views". ''The New York Times''. {{ProQuest|107793495}}</ref> President Truman had worked closely with the Army and the Navy to establish a consensus, but the departments struggled to come to an agreement until 1947.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{cite news |title=ARMY-NAVY DISPUTE BACK AT WHITE HOUSE |id={{ProQuest|107493837}} |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1946/06/01/archives/armynavy-dispute-back-at-white-house.html |work=The New York Times |date=1 June 1946 }}</ref> | ||
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When Congress convened, it had preemptively restructured in favor of unification. Due to the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946, in the 80th Congress the Military and Naval Affairs Committees had been combined into unified Armed Services Committees in both the House and Senate.<ref name="USMCDU4447" /> | When Congress convened, it had preemptively restructured in favor of unification. Due to the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946, in the 80th Congress the Military and Naval Affairs Committees had been combined into unified Armed Services Committees in both the House and Senate.<ref name="USMCDU4447" /> | ||
On February 26, 1947, President Harry S. Truman sent a bill proposal to Congress detailing the creation of a "National Defense Establishment".<ref name=":10">{{cite news |title=Text of the President's Proposal for a National Defense Establishment, as Sent to Congress |id={{ProQuest|107802651}} |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1947/02/28/archives/text-of-the-presidents-proposal-for-a-national-defense.html |work=The New York Times |date=28 February 1947 }}</ref> Representative [[Clare Hoffman|Clare E. Hoffman]] ( | On February 26, 1947, President Harry S. Truman sent a bill proposal to Congress detailing the creation of a "National Defense Establishment".<ref name=":10">{{cite news |title=Text of the President's Proposal for a National Defense Establishment, as Sent to Congress |id={{ProQuest|107802651}} |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1947/02/28/archives/text-of-the-presidents-proposal-for-a-national-defense.html |work=The New York Times |date=28 February 1947 }}</ref> Representative [[Clare Hoffman|Clare E. Hoffman]] (R-[[Michigan|MI]]) introduced the bill as H.R. 2319 to the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] on February 28, 1947; it was then referred to the [[United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform|Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments]].<ref name=":4">Congressional Quarterly, Inc. (1948). Unification of armed services. In ''Congressional quarterly almanac'' (v. 3, pp. 53–56). Congressional Quarterly, inc.</ref> | ||
Senator [[John Chandler Gurney|Chan Gurney]] (R-[[South Dakota|SD]]) introduced the bill to the [[United States Senate|Senate]] as S. 758 on March 3, 1947.<ref name=":4" /> Due to conflict over which committee the bill was to be referred to, as well as the focus the Senate had on the legislative budget at the time, the bill was not able to be introduced in the Senate sooner.<ref name=":4" /> | Senator [[John Chandler Gurney|Chan Gurney]] (R-[[South Dakota|SD]]) introduced the bill to the [[United States Senate|Senate]] as S. 758 on March 3, 1947.<ref name=":4" /> Due to conflict over which committee the bill was to be referred to, as well as the focus the Senate had on the legislative budget at the time, the bill was not able to be introduced in the Senate sooner.<ref name=":4" /> | ||
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On March 18, 1947, then-[[Chairperson|Chairman]] Senator Gurney held [[United States congressional hearing|congressional hearings]] in the [[United States Senate Committee on Armed Services|Senate Committee on Armed Services]] on the bill that would become the National Security Act of 1947.<ref name=":4" /> The hearings were held in three parts: Part 1 hearings were held on March 18, March 20, March 25, March 26, and April 1–3, 1947;<ref name=":11">''National Defense Establishment (Unification of the Armed Services) Part 1: Hearings before the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services,'' 80th Cong. (1947). https://congressional.proquest.com/legisinsight?id=HRG-1947-SAS-0003&type=HEARING={{subscription required}}</ref> Part 2 hearings were held on April 8, April 9, April 15, April 18, April 22, April 24, and April 25, 1947;<ref name=":5">''National Defense Establishment (Unification of the Armed Services) Part 2: Hearings before the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services,'' 80th Cong. (1947). https://congressional.proquest.com/legisinsight?id=HRG-1947-SAS-0007&type=HEARING{{subscription required}}</ref> and Part 3 hearings were held on April 30, May 2, May 6, May 7, and May 9, 1947.<ref name=":6">''National Defense Establishment (Unification of the Armed Services) Part 3: Hearings before the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services,'' 80th Cong. (1947). https://congressional.proquest.com/legisinsight?id=HRG-1947-SAS-0008&type=HEARING{{subscription required}}</ref> | On March 18, 1947, then-[[Chairperson|Chairman]] Senator Gurney held [[United States congressional hearing|congressional hearings]] in the [[United States Senate Committee on Armed Services|Senate Committee on Armed Services]] on the bill that would become the National Security Act of 1947.<ref name=":4" /> The hearings were held in three parts: Part 1 hearings were held on March 18, March 20, March 25, March 26, and April 1–3, 1947;<ref name=":11">''National Defense Establishment (Unification of the Armed Services) Part 1: Hearings before the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services,'' 80th Cong. (1947). https://congressional.proquest.com/legisinsight?id=HRG-1947-SAS-0003&type=HEARING={{subscription required}}</ref> Part 2 hearings were held on April 8, April 9, April 15, April 18, April 22, April 24, and April 25, 1947;<ref name=":5">''National Defense Establishment (Unification of the Armed Services) Part 2: Hearings before the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services,'' 80th Cong. (1947). https://congressional.proquest.com/legisinsight?id=HRG-1947-SAS-0007&type=HEARING{{subscription required}}</ref> and Part 3 hearings were held on April 30, May 2, May 6, May 7, and May 9, 1947.<ref name=":6">''National Defense Establishment (Unification of the Armed Services) Part 3: Hearings before the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services,'' 80th Cong. (1947). https://congressional.proquest.com/legisinsight?id=HRG-1947-SAS-0008&type=HEARING{{subscription required}}</ref> | ||
The witnesses at the hearings largely spoke in support of the bill, either overall or with adjustments. Major witnesses of the bill who spoke in support were [[Chief of Staff of the United States Army|United States Army Chief of Staff]] [[General officer|General]] | The witnesses at the hearings largely spoke in support of the bill, either overall or with adjustments. Major witnesses of the bill who spoke in support were [[Chief of Staff of the United States Army|United States Army Chief of Staff]] [[General officer|General]] Dwight D. Eisenhower, [[United States Secretary of the Navy|Secretary of the Navy]] [[James Forrestal|James V. Forrestal]], [[United States Secretary of War|Secretary of War]] [[Robert P. Patterson]], [[Chief of Naval Operations]] [[Admiral]] [[Chester W. Nimitz]],<ref name=":4" /> Under Secretary of War [[Kenneth Claiborne Royall|Kenneth C. Royall]], Representative [[Walter G. Andrews]] (R-[[New York (state)|NY]]), Senator [[Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.|Henry Cabot Lodge]] (R-[[Massachusetts|MA]]), two [[Colonel|colonels]] from the [[Reserve Officers Association of the United States]], [[Director of Central Intelligence]] [[Hoyt Vandenberg|Hoyt S. Vandenberg]], Director of the [[Office of Management and Budget|Bureau of the Budget]] [[James E. Webb]], and president of [[General Electric|General Electric Co.]] [[Charles Edward Wilson (businessman)|Charles E. Wilson]].<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /> [[Assistant Secretary of the Navy]] [[W. John Kenney]] spoke in support but expressed concerns about appropriations, while [[Surgeon General of the United States Army|United States Army Surgeon General]] [[Norman T. Kirk]] expressed concern about the role of [[Army Medical Department (United States)|medical services]].<ref name=":5" /> Former senator [[Thomas C. Hart]] (R-[[Connecticut|CT]]) opposed the bill and proposed changes to the areas concerning the Navy and the [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]].<ref name=":5" /> The president of the Marine Reserve Officers Association, [[Melvin Maas|Melvin J. Maas]], stated that 95% of the Association opposes the bill and requests adjustments as it comes to the Marine Corps' role.<ref name=":5" /> The president of the Reserve Officers of the Naval Services (RONS), John P. Bracken, stated that the organization opposed the bill due to the lack of input they were allowed to give.<ref name=":6" /> Representatives from the [[National Guard Association of the United States|National Guard Association]] opposed the bill as it stood and said that the role of the [[National Guard (United States)|National Guard]] needed to be improved.<ref name=":6" /> | ||
On April 24th, Edson requested to retire in order to be permitted to present his personal views against the bill, but the Commandant denied his request.<ref name="EdsonOMPF" /> | On April 24th, Edson requested to retire in order to be permitted to present his personal views against the bill, but the Commandant denied his request.<ref name="EdsonOMPF" /> | ||