Editorial Note
At the meeting of the National Security Council on June 28, 1950, President Truman requested the Council to resurvey all American policies affecting the entire perimeter of the USSR. This resurvey, entitled “Estimate of Possible Further Soviet Moves in the Light of the Korean Situation and Their Effect on the Position of the US,” underwent several revisions. As finally approved by the National Security Council at its meeting on August 24, the paper was designated NSC 73/4, August 25 and was referred to the Council staff for continuing study and recommendations. Paragraph 37 of NSC 73/4 recommended that in the event of overt attack by organized Soviet military forces or Soviet-inspired satellite aggression against Yugoslavia, the United States should implement existing policy as set forth in NSC 18/4, November 17, 1949, pending a review of that policy, with the purpose of denying to the USSR effective control of the country. The text of NSC 73/4 and other documentation on the origin and development of the paper are printed in volume I, pages 126 ff.