• ' -·- 'p · · r s -• ' L' '' 1 - o I 1' SC · _I _ COP-Y No C _J ' ' T t J ' TO l 'llE IO L ECLT y _ou· CIL II' I ··WASHNGTON ' ···- e-- ·-·•---- i oo_ 2 ' J ily 25 1949 · OTE BY 'r EXEC· to hie NATION IL SECURIT't COUNC IL ' • • If 0 • -i ' I SE - our OF' 'TH£ BERLLif AI RLIFT Referc Ji N'Sc 21fl3 B NSC - J ct om1 Nos 233 na 2· 2 5 s tho cnclo e d C l' ' q·u cst or t o Secrc cry or De tho 1 l OJact 1 s s bm1 ttad im rai 1 th o r eonsid9N tion as a matter of ur3 ncy b'J- the Notional So eu ri t y C01Jncil o r th · reco andat on cc n ea in 't ha ·e Jtt t o the las' pt1 ra s raph tho reot t memoT ci n on is - this - a oor 1- re _ o'_ io J - ba· mcnd t1on tha he pprov e by the Sec re ta r•r of De·re 1u o • 'I l NEY1 -1 SO R S E ccutlvc Scu re t-0 ry D s 'b on The Pff91do Th Soc re ta r of Sta to Tho Seorot l' f of tho Tr o n rn y Thci Soc retary· or -D efenso Tho Stieretary of he socreto ry 0 0 Socl'e a ry or l'l'h I 1 the my e • C V 'J' he li1r Fo_co Bt1an3l S eur1ty · rto a o uree s Bocrd C 1rrnon Dl C i i SS _ t P-0 h •'h l' _ l 11 I it O Y' r J c J 1 ll f h-LJJ ' 1_ T D 1 L S cu 'l 1 oou IC L' l ·- _ _ __ a i s• • C 2 1 I ' I @Q ·cor • T lli SECRET 1 Y 01' Ollf ' NSE WASllINC'fON • t 81 lOIIMilJVJ 1 • ron r 25 July 1949 I THE EXECUTIVE' S1 CHETJ RY NAT O lAl SECtmI7Y COUNCIL • SVID ¾ T ' l'l csc-Out of i hc Bci -lin J il•lift • • •· • Ypu ill recull thct MSC 2'li3 o pprov0'd by tho ' Presidcn t on 15 June 19119 ' roc omir cndod an 1'nte r iin moosui•os hilc tho _ Council o r oreicn t iinis tvrs was in session o nd t lso thorenftor unLo ss o cloor 1 rltton agreement wero rooch d providln'g definitive rr ln30 ent for ndoquato rail road end wctor occoss· to Berlin that I J ll efforts including tho airlift be mode to 1 1ncroo o the rcscrv stocks o ' supplios in Berlin IIQ • b The airlift sys tor - be kept in c s tatc of roadinosa for full operation 1 As you kno11 no definiti ve o grc ornent confirming Western 1 lliod trensportot1on rights to aorl1n 110s och1ovcd ot the recent session or the Council oi'-Fore1gn M1n1stor In recont m'essogon to t e Dopertment or tho Arr y tho United Stotos o nd Bri t ish Mi l1 tory Govarnoi•s have estimated tbet the Borlin atockpil e of 1 100 000 1 etrl c tons or aupplies o reserve of four to five months fo-z- tho ostorn sector s or Berl in 11111 be ach1ovod opproximotolt by 17 J l ust 19119 This i s rogorded by tliom es' o m lximum ·stockp1 l e thot 1s pre c t1oeblo both from the poi nt or vi 011 of sto re o_end fi nance When tho stockpile is completed there wil l still be o s'urplus or int llto copccity by roil nnd be rgo of somo '6 000 tons dol ly nbove I rociuiromonts ' 'l'ho M111torv Covornors thereforo conside r thet 1rnmed1oto 3teps ore nocosce -y to reduce tho e1rl1ft by phases bogi nn1nr ' 1 1 t ucuct 1949 The fastest and sofoat praot1coblo ratol-of pbaso out uill in their opinion requ1 a throo ' mcnths to complete With rcs cc t t o tho possibilities of o roimpoaition of the Berlin blockt' cl c the M111 c ry Covorn r hsvo rocomr 10ndod I · u· o Thot two troor · cnrrier groups S Air Force - nd ·•· ' t1to hoovy tren port squadron3 ·noyol Air Force retno1n in I • • • Co rrnan ' I • •r hat thqir GOvornmont mo lc o' opproprio't ef orrongo ln ure t hot tho o1rl1ft con b6 bui t up ' eso1n so - l - ' ' ' ' f • · • 11·w J · f of i ip f 'i'I a - i i1 t t - 1 ' f n v 'O' U J c ij· • ' - ·· ·· w- I · ' - ' 4 J o o · 01 n • • • • I • ull 11 •11 I • 1• colo • -• • • 1 1 I ____ _ _ • I n ° er od or nine y da s • 1 1 1 c 'h c ch II Poree in Ge 1nany hey - lnsuire he 1 s c Ilatio - s 'w'ithin t c11 m - ro l aro rnD1nta1n ea suff1cien _ to 1 su r - hn U 1e n rl1r t c un· be bu l up ae c- in st the r -t v0n 1n obovo I c onc'IJr 1 'the t ado - he J ·o 1 n t Ch i t • ' lnn sm ich 'o no moo ting of tho No ioncl ·security• Couco1l· chad led prior to l Aug uzt 1949 I _ug o - ·t -_ hc t concurronc n i ho X eco ' llcndat o n ll so orth in t · 1 ne ortindwn be i'nd11ce 1ocl 0 • VO 1f'l S 1 pri r4 fJ M by · he caJ llniS of D s p cc ie _ meo·t 1n5 o s p 1 as_ - ' LO 15 OJ'D SO ' I - '· ' I - ' - • t ' • 1 1111