---
title: "NSC-68: U.S. Cold War Strategy Document | Model Diplomat"
description: "NSC-68 was a 1950 U.S. policy paper that set military containment of the Soviet Union as a key Cold War strategy, shaping American foreign policy."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/nsc-68"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- NSC-68 was a 1950 classified U.
- S.
- How did NSC-68 differ from George Kennan's original concept of containment?
- Why was the Korean War decisive for NSC-68?
- Who authored NSC-68 and when was it declassified?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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Example

In April 1950, Paul Nitze's NSC-68 urged President Truman to triple U.S. defence spending; the Korean War's outbreak in June 1950 converted the proposal into operative policy.

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