EVACUATION AND PROTECTION OF U.S. CITIZENS IN DANGER AREAS
ABROAD
The enclosed draft statement of policy on the subject, prepared by the
NSC Planning Board, is transmitted
herewith for consideration by the National Security Council at an early
meeting.
The enclosed statement of policy, if adopted, is intended to supersede
NSC 106/3 and the Record of Action
on the subject transmitted by the reference memorandum of November 29,
1960.
It is recommended that, if the Council adopts the enclosed statement of
policy, it be submitted to the President with the recommendation that he
approve it; and direct its implementation by all appropriate Executive
departments and agencies of the U.S. Government under the coordination
of the Secretaries of State and Defense.
cc: The Secretary of the Treasury
The Director, Bureau of the Budget
The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Director of Central Intelligence
Enclosure
Statement of Policy
EVACUATION AND PROTECTION OF U.S.
CITIZENS IN DANGER AREAS ABROAD
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
1. Every reasonable effort must be made to protect U.S. citizens
abroad in the event of imminent or actual general hostilities,
localized hostilities or civil disturbances; including the
evacuation of such citizens to relatively safe areas, and provision
for their welfare if such evacuation is not possible. Primary
factors influencing any decision to implement emergency plans for
the protection of U.S. citizens abroad are:
a. The imminence of danger.
b. The capability and willingness of local
authorities to provide adequate protection.
c. The effect of an evacuation on the local or
international situation.
d. The availability of evacuation facilities
and relatively safe holding areas.
e. The essentiality of reducing the numbers of
U.S. noncombatants in probable combat areas in order to:
(1) Avoid impairment of the combat effectiveness of U.S. and allied
military commanders necessitated by their care, and to
[Facsimile Page 3]
(2) Minimize the hazards of their capture as hostages.
2. It is essential that flexibility be provided in planning for the
protection and welfare of U.S. noncombatants in danger areas
overseas, since the probability of successful evacuation of such
persons to the United States or their movement to relatively safe
holding areas could be substantially reduced by:
a. Political considerations prior to actual
outbreak of hostilities, and
b. The disruption of transportation, port and
airport facilities incident to a massive attack.
In view of these factors, emergency planning should provide for the
disposition and welfare of U.S. citizens overseas within their host
countries as well as for evacuation to the United States or movement
to relatively safe holding areas. This “standfast” planning is
applicable to the eventualities of localized hostilities and civil
disturbances as well as general hostilities.
POLICY OBJECTIVES
3. In the event of imminent or actual general hostilities, localized
hostilities or civil disturbances:
[Typeset Page 1147]
a. To protect U.S. citizens including, if
necessary and feasible, their evacuation to and welfare in
relatively safe areas.
[Facsimile Page 4]
b. To reduce to a minimum the number of U.S.
citizens subject to the risk of capture as hostages.
c. To reduce to a minimum the number of U.S.
citizens in probable combat areas in order not to impair the combat
effectiveness of U.S. and allied military commanders.
POLICY GUIDANCE
4. In furtherance of the foregoing policy objectives, the Secretaries
of State and Defense shall:
a. Conduct a continuing review of conditions
abroad with respect to:
(1) Imminence of general or localized hostilities or civil
disturbances which may involve U.S. citizens.
(2) The capability and willingness of local authorities to provide
adequate protection.
(3) The numbers and locations of U.S. citizens.
(4) The evacuation and protection capability, including availability
of relatively safe holding or survival areas.
b. Make recommendations to the President if
required for the timely reduction of the number of U.S. citizens in
an area.
[Facsimile Page 5]
c. Maintain plans for: (1) evacuation of U.S.
citizens to the United States or their movement to and welfare in
other relatively safe areas; and (2) “stand-fast” and welfare of
U.S. citizens in the countries where appropriate.
5. Normally, the decision to initiate evacuation shall be made in
Washington, taking into consideration the recommendation of the
principal U.S. diplomatic or consular representative in the country
concerned, or of the appropriate U.S. Military Commander. The
following additional considerations apply in initiating
evacuations:
a. Evacuation not Involving
the Use of U.S. Military Forces and Facilities: When
hostilities or disturbances occur with complete surprise or are so
imminent as to jeopardize the safety of U.S. citizens and conditions
do not permit communication with Washington, the principal U.S.
diplomatic or consular representative is authorized to initiate such
action as the gravity of the situation warrants.
b. Evacuation Involving the
Use of U.S. Military Forces and Facilities: Because of the
grave international consequences that may be involved, the
President’s advance approval for the use of U.S. military forces and
facilities is required except:
[Facsimile Page 6]
(1) Where such use would be limited to non-combatant military forces
and facilities which are normally assigned to the diplomatic or
consular mission concerned or which are used routinely for the
[Typeset Page 1148]
transport
of personnel, supplies, and equipment into and out of the country
from which evacuation is to take place;2 and
(2) In those extreme cases where conditions do not permit either the
principal diplomatic or consular representative in the area
concerned or the appropriate military commander to obtain
Presidential approval in time to initiate effective action.
c. Responsibility for initiating action under
the circumstances described in b–(1) and (2)
above devolves in the following order:
(1) The principal U.S. diplomatic or consular representative in the
country or countries concerned has primary responsibility for making
the decision that immediate use of military forces and facilities is
necessary for evacuation or protection of U.S. citizens and for
requesting assistance from the appropriate military commanders, who
will respond to the extent which he considers militarily possible.
[Facsimile Page 7]
Responsibility for the execution of such evacuation centered
military operations rests wholly with the military commander,
coordinating, [illegible in the original] with policies of the
principal U.S. diplomatic or consular representative.
(2) If timely communications cannot be established between the
principal diplomatic or consular representative in the country
concerned and the appropriate military commander, the military
commander concerned shall assume the responsibility for undertaking
the above actions.
6. In implementing the guidance outlined in 5, the Secretary of State
shall have over-all responsibility for the protection and evacuation
of U.S. citizens abroad. In certain areas the Secretary of Defense
shall have primary responsibility for the protection and evacuation
of those U.S. citizens specified jointly by the Secretaries of State
and Defense. The Secretary of Defense has supporting responsibility
for the evacuation of all other U.S. citizens abroad.
[Facsimile Page 8]
NOTE ON FINANCING
1. The cost of the preparation of evacuation plans and the necessary
support thereof, in times of peace, is absorbed by the several
Departments concerned out of their regular operating budgets.
2. It is impossible, at this time, to estimate the cost of evacuation
in time of emergency, because conditions under which evacuation will
occur can not be foreseen.
