History As It Happens: Episode Summary – "1945: National Security State"

Release Date: August 15, 2025
Host: Martin DeCaro
Guest: Daniel Besner, Historian of U.S. Foreign Policy and Co-host of the American Prestige Podcast

Introduction: The Birth of the National Security State

In the fourth installment of the five-part series commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, host Martin DeCaro engages in a profound discussion with historian Daniel Besner about the emergence and implications of the United States' national security state. The conversation delves into how the aftermath of World War II did not usher in universal peace but instead gave rise to the Cold War, reshaping American institutions and foreign policy.

The Dawn of the Cold War and the Truman Doctrine

At the heart of the discussion is the pivotal year 1947, marked by significant legislative and ideological shifts that entrenched the United States into a prolonged state of geopolitical tension with the Soviet Union.

Key Points:

• Stalin's Support for Greek Communists: Daniel Besner points out that in early 1947, Stalin began supporting communist insurgencies in Greece, prompting a strategic response from the U.S.

  "Stalin starts supporting the Greek communist insurgency, I believe in early 1947. In March 1947, Truman responds with his speech. Becomes known as the Truman Doctrine speech."
  (Daniel Besner, [01:50])

• The Truman Doctrine Speech: President Harry Truman's address to Congress, commonly referred to as the Truman Doctrine, sought to contain the spread of communism by providing aid to Greece and Turkey. This speech is widely regarded as the moment the Cold War became institutionalized in U.S. foreign policy.

  "Historically, this is usually pointed to as a moment when the Cold War really begins to take off, that it's institutionalized in US Foreign policy in a way that it wasn't before this March 1947 speech."
  (Daniel Besner, [24:54])

• Establishing a Permanent Security Bureaucracy: The necessity to combat the burgeoning Soviet threat led to the creation of enduring institutions like the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Council (NSC) through the National Security Act of 1947.

  "Before 1947, the United States never had a peacetime intelligence gathering agency like the CIA. Foreign policy was made on an informal basis."
  (Martin DeCaro, [02:25])

Creation and Impact of the National Security Act of 1947

The National Security Act fundamentally restructured the U.S. government's approach to foreign policy and military affairs, laying the groundwork for the national security state.

Key Points:

• Institutional Reorganization: The Act established the CIA, NSC, and eventually led to the formation of the Department of Defense, centralizing and expanding executive power over war and peace decisions.

  "The National Security Act basically establishes a National Security Council, it establishes a Central Intelligence Agency, and it establishes what will eventually become the Department of Defense."
  (Daniel Besner, [26:51])

• Permanent Armaments Industry: Dwight D. Eisenhower highlighted the dramatic shift from a country with minimal military-industrial presence to one reliant on a vast, permanent armaments industry.

  "Our military organization today bears little relation to that known of any of my predecessors in peacetime. We have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions."
  (Dwight D. Eisenhower, [02:25])

• Entrenchment and Expansion: These institutions became deeply ingrained and resistant to dismantling, perpetuating a cycle of increased military involvement and expenditure.

  "These institutions wind up coming together. States accrete power. This is one of the fundamental lessons of the literature on state making or American political development."
  (Daniel Besner, [28:15])

Eisenhower’s Warning: The Military-Industrial Complex

Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower's farewell address serves as a critical reflection on the implications of the national security state's growth.

Notable Quote:

"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex."
(Dwight D. Eisenhower, [01:00])

Key Points:

• Unchecked Power and Influence: Eisenhower warned that the intertwining of the military and industrial sectors could wield disproportionate influence over national policy, potentially endangering democratic processes and liberties.

  "The total influence economic, political, even spiritual is felt in every city, every state house, every office of the federal government."
  (Dwight D. Eisenhower, [03:25])

• Long-Term Implications: Despite his warnings, the national security state continued to expand, often at the expense of American democratic ideals and accountability.

  "That was 64 years ago. The warning still applies."
  (Martin DeCaro, [08:51])

The Evolution of U.S. Foreign Policy Institutions

Besner elaborates on how U.S. foreign policy became increasingly centralized and dominated by executive power, diminishing the role of traditional institutions like the Department of State.

Key Points:

• National Security Council (NSC) Growth: Initially modest, the NSC grew into a powerful policymaking body, especially under leaders like Eisenhower, overshadowing the State Department.

  "Under Eisenhower, the NSC becomes what it becomes, which is basically a centralized policy-making body that is going to eventually replace the Department of State."
  (Daniel Besner, [30:15])

• Covert Operations and CIA Expansion: Early CIA actions laid the foundation for extensive covert operations, often bypassing democratic oversight and violating international norms.

  "Martin raises how NSC 1042 allows the CIA to conduct guerrilla activities."
  (Martin DeCaro, [27:53])

Impact on American Democracy and Society

The national security state's growth had profound effects on American democracy, including reduced transparency, increased secrecy, and diminished public accountability.

Key Points:

• Centralization of Power: Power became highly concentrated within the executive branch, limiting checks and balances essential for democratic governance.

  "Foreign policy is now essentially made by the President, centralizing authority in the executive branch."
  (Daniel Besner, [30:30])

• Lack of Accountability: Institutions like the CIA and NSC operated with excessive secrecy, undermining public knowledge and involvement in critical decisions.

  "The secrecy gets worse and worse and that's built in."
  (Martin DeCaro, [32:39])

• Perpetual Militarism: The national security state's logic led to continuous military engagements and interventions, as seen in actions from Iran in 1953 to modern-day conflicts, often justified by the need for national security.

  "We've got the drone strikes, assassinations... It's just empire, the same exact thing, subject to absolutely no democratic accountability."
  (Martin DeCaro, [40:36])

Modern Implications: The "Deep State" and Political Polarization

The legacy of the national security state persists in contemporary politics, influencing debates around the "deep state," military spending, and American hegemony.

Key Points:

• Perception of the Deep State: Figures like Donald Trump have leveraged the concept of a "deep state" to critique entrenched institutional powers, though historians like Besner argue that such structures are resilient and indifferent to presidential rhetoric.

  "We're in a strange place in our politics right now with this... we're in control of these structures, but the structures influence the president."
  (Martin DeCaro, [39:20])

• Continuing Expansion: From Cold War interventions to post-9/11 policies, the national security state's reach has only broadened, often at odds with public welfare and democratic principles.

  "The national security state and US Hegemony is unrelated to that, about life here getting just decreasingly worse, living through a period of decay and dissolution."
  (Daniel Besner, [41:18])

Conclusion: Reflecting on the Lasting Legacy

As the episode wraps up, both host and guest reflect on the enduring nature of the national security state and its implications for American society and global politics.

Notable Quote:

"We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes."
(Dwight D. Eisenhower, [34:34])

Final Thoughts:

• The national security state's foundations laid in the 1940s continue to shape U.S. foreign and domestic policies, often sidelining democratic accountability.
• Addressing these deeply entrenched institutions remains a complex challenge, as they have become normalized and resistant to reform.
• The necessity of transforming American self-perception and its role in the world is crucial for fostering a more accountable and democratic society.

Looking Ahead: Final Episode Teaser

In the concluding fifth episode, historian David M. Kennedy will join to discuss "America's Global Age and Whether It's Coming to an End," providing a comprehensive closure to the series on the national security state's historical trajectory.

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