Battle Act

Summary of Battle Act

Known officially as the Mutual Defense Assistance Control Act of 1951, an act of Congress designed to discourage foreign nations from exporting strategic materials to the Soviet bloc. The act requires that an officer of the State Department be assigned the duties of administrator to compile and maintain listings of strategic items, divided into two parts: List 1 contains armaments and nuclear materials; List 2 includes petroleum and derivatives, certain transportation equipment, and implements for weapons production. Any nations found to be exporting List 1 items to the Soviet camp are denied all U.S. military and economic assistance; nations exporting items on List 2 also may be denied American aid at the discretion of the president. The Battle Act has been recodified in the Arms Export Control Act of 1976.

(Main Author: William J. Miller)