Date: Political and Military Actions

Jul 49: USAF started coordinating the pattern and frequency of reconnaissance flights with the State Department

29 Aug 49: USAF WB-29 aircraft collects evidence on Soviet nuclear detonation – Changed Truman administration’s foreign policy of trying to contain the Soviet threat and forced changes in US military strategy

Oct 49: Joint Outline Emergency War Plan “OFFTACKLE” outlined attack on 104 “urban targets” with 220 nuclear weapons and allowed for a second strike with 72 additional nuclear bombs – No adequate intelligence to “target” specific military targets – shoot for urban centers

Apr 50: Keenan [quote] about NSC-68’s “containment” policy.

5 May 50: JCS published the Special Electronic Airborne Search Program (SESP) Established the 1st formal approval process for recce overflights (USAF would have missions in Northern Europe and USN in Southern Europe and Mediterranean Sea areas.

6 June 50: President Truman reauthorized USAF to conduct EW missions in the Baltic area (after a two month stand-down)

25 June 50: North Korean troops invade South Korea

USAF deliveres atomic weapons to B-29s already deployed at US bases

Jul 50: US and UK conduct urgent “Strategic Talks”

1 Nov 50: USSR commits 32 MiG-15’s to Korean Conflict – under Gen Gorgi Lobov later increased to 150 painted in Chinese colors at Chinese airfield “Antung” USSR claimed over 200 Soviet MiG pilots killed and 1,300 US planes downed

9 Nov 50: Soviet MiG’s shoot down USAF RB-29 over Sea of Japan

Dec 50: USAF Chief of Staff (CoS) requests a review of the JCS Target List (Current plan revealed lack of intelligence needed to destroy listed targets

4 Dec 50: Soviet MiG’s shoot down RB-45 over the North Korean/Manchurian border

22 Jan 51: General Curtis LeMay calls for review of strategic bombing attack list

Apr 51: President Truman assigns nine MARK 4 atomic bombs to General Hoyt Vandenberg’s (USAF Chief of Staff) custody – first instance DoD and not Atomic Energy Commission authorized to hold both nuclear and non-nuclear components

6 Nov 51: USN P2V-5 lost during an ELINT mission near Vladivostok in the Sea of Japan

13 June 52: RB-29 shot down by Soviet MiG’s over Sea of Japan near Vladivostok. Soviets don’t admit to shootdown until 1992

17 Oct 52: USAF flies B-47 PHOTINT mission over the Chutskoi Peninsula in Soviet Far East from Eielson AFB, Alaska

Dec 52: Soviet test flight of Tu-16 (BADGER) bomber

17 Jan 53: Dwight Eisenhower inaugurated as 34th U.S. President

18 Jan 53: USN P2V-5 lost in Formosa Straits near Swatton, PRC

31 Jan 53: PRC/North Korean units shoot down RB-29 over Liaoning Province Manchuria – Crew held captive in PRC until after Korean War

Mar 53: Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin died

27 Jul 53: Korean Armistice signed – combination of stalemate, loss of Stalin and Eisenhower’s nuclear posturing

U.S. fighters shoot down Soviet passenger aircraft near (or in) Manchuria

29 Jull 53: USAF RB-50 shot down over Sea of Japan

12 Aug 53: Soviets detonate first hydrogen nuclear device (Joe IV) at nuclear testing range near Semipalatinsk

Sept 53: Soviet Prime Minister Malenkov gives his “Peaceful Co-existence Speech” in Politburo

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