On July 20, 1950 the seventh periodic meeting of the Western Union Defense Committee took place. Present were the defense ministers of Belgium, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Luxembourg as well as the military, air and naval chiefs. The ministers considered the international military situation and some proposals drawn up by the commanders-in-chief. They recognized the necessity of speeding up, without delay, the production of war material and of increasing the defensive power of the western union land, air and sea forces “as a guarantee against aggression.”