National Security Resources Board
Encyclopedia
The National Security Resources Board was a United States
board created by the National Security Act of 1947
. It was a part of Cold War
Civil defense
, and obviously United States Civil Defense
in particular. It was composed of eight members, one of whom served as its Chairman.
The organization had the follow statutory duties:
In addition, at the time of its creation, the chairman of the National Security Resources Board also served ex officio as one of only seven permanent members of the National Security Council
. The first Chairman was Arthur Hill
.
Ultimately, the goal was to do long-range and continuous planning to prepare the United States
for adequate industrial and economic mobilization. The board was originally very ineffective, perhaps because authority was shared by all eight members of the board rather than any single point person. In 1949, this was changed on the recommendation of the Hoover Commission
. All power was vested in the chairman alone, and the Board was moved to be part of the Department of Defense
. Later, it was shifted to the Executive Office of the President. Its role was later eliminated when its responsibilities were transferred to the Office of Defense Mobilization
in June 1953.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
board created by the National Security Act of 1947
National Security Act of 1947
The National Security Act of 1947 was signed by United States President Harry S. Truman on July 26, 1947, and realigned and reorganized the U.S. Armed Forces, foreign policy, and Intelligence Community apparatus in the aftermath of World War II...
. It was a part of Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
Civil defense
Civil defense
Civil defense, civil defence or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state from military attack. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, or emergency evacuation, and recovery...
, and obviously United States Civil Defense
United States civil defense
United States civil defense refers to the use of civil defense in the history of the United States, which is the organized non-military effort to prepare Americans for military attack...
in particular. It was composed of eight members, one of whom served as its Chairman.
The organization had the follow statutory duties:
- policies concerning industrial and civilian mobilization in order to assure the most effective mobilization and maximum utilization of the Nation's manpower in the event of war.
- programs for the effective use in time of war of the Nation's natural and industrial resources for military and civilian needs, for the maintenance and stabilization of the civilian economy in time of war, and for the adjustment of such economy to war needs and conditions;
- policies for unifying, in time of war, the activities of Federal agencies and departments engaged in or concerned with production, procurement, distribution, or transportation of military or civilian supplies, materials, and products;
- the relationship between potential supplies of, and potential requirements for, manpower, resources, and productive facilities in time of war;
- policies for establishing adequate reserves of strategic and critical material, and for the conservation of these reserves;
- the strategic relocation of industries, services, government, and economic activities, the continuous operation of which is essential to the Nation's security.
In addition, at the time of its creation, the chairman of the National Security Resources Board also served ex officio as one of only seven permanent members of the National Security Council
United States National Security Council
The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the...
. The first Chairman was Arthur Hill
Arthur Hill
Arthur Hill may refer to:* Arthur Hill , Anglo-Irish soldier, constable of Hillsborough Fort* Arthur Hill, 8th Marquess of Downshire * Arthur Hill-Trevor, 1st Baron Trevor...
.
Ultimately, the goal was to do long-range and continuous planning to prepare the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for adequate industrial and economic mobilization. The board was originally very ineffective, perhaps because authority was shared by all eight members of the board rather than any single point person. In 1949, this was changed on the recommendation of the Hoover Commission
Hoover Commission
The Hoover Commission, officially named the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government, was a body appointed by President Harry S. Truman in 1947 to recommend administrative changes in the Federal Government of the United States...
. All power was vested in the chairman alone, and the Board was moved to be part of the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
. Later, it was shifted to the Executive Office of the President. Its role was later eliminated when its responsibilities were transferred to the Office of Defense Mobilization
Office of Defense Mobilization
The Office of Defense Mobilization was an independent agency of the United States government whose function was to plan, coordinate, direct and control all wartime mobilization activities of the federal government, including manpower, economic stabilization, and transport operations...
in June 1953.