INFORMAL MINUTES OF MEETING OF INTERDEPARTMENTAL FOREIGN INFORMATION ORGANIZATION SEPTEMBER 13, 1950

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-01065A000500120026-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 11, 2001
• Sequence Number: 26
• Publication Date: September 13, 1950
• Content Type: MIN

Approve For Release 2003/06/12 : CIA-RDP8
INFORMAL MINUTES OF MEETING OF IR CT{ R ,A NS LTA TS
NTERDEPARTMENTAL FOREIGN # 1 FOR IATZO2 UA M ITI. -
September 13, 1950 at home of~the L3fr?ector
Department of State - Mr. Barrett, Director
Mr.. Stone, Executive .Secretary
Mra Sergeant
Mr. . Phillips
Mr. Oechsner
Department of Defense - General Magruder
joint Chiefs of Staff - Admiral Stevens
National Security Resources B Sheppard
Central Intelligence Agency - 25X1A
Economic Cooperation Administ-vanvia .. e
The following questions were discussed:
1 ~ Use of balloons for propaganda purposes
2e Countering Soviet propaganda.
'With respect to balloons, it was agreed;
L(a ) 'hat use of balloons directed against. Iron Cur-
tain areas would not at this time achieve any important
propaganda or technical a vantagees, but might on the
contrary lead to serious soviet countermeasures;
(b) That the potential value of-balloons as a
propaganda device is sufficiently established' to. justify..
the further development and stocking of balloons for use
in a major emergency or in time of war;
l SP should be responsible to the Psyc4o-
Ec) That
J
logical Strategy Board for'the developing and stockings
of suitable types of balloons for use : i.r emergency or
war?25X1A
D
undertook to assign a. qualified expert
to head this project and indicated that ,CIA would be in
a position to make funds available. Detailed specifi-
submitted to the
catioa$ and terms of reference will be
,
Boardo Mr. Barrett indicated that the' State Department
7
would be prepared to contribute funds to the project.'
With respect to item two on the' agenda, the discussion
brought out a clear distinction between the .techniques
employed. in propaganda directed to areas under Soviet
SECRET
State Dept. declassification &pprove d For . y nstru
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control and areas of. the non Soviet wurld'o In output
to Iron Curtain areas, it was agreed that VOA and
other rgedia should answer $ of
Soviet propaganda by means which would "keep the rece d
straight" without giving the propagartc initiative to
Moscow? It was suggested that a tpeci4l,.'Section of VOA
might be set up for the specific purpose of keeping the
record straight/\ The following. additipnal Cutters were)
discussed briefly:
MMr,, Barrett propose% tha, a r port n priv&&te
psychological warfare efforts woul t 'ruseful and requested
to report'dn covert efforts and bra Stone to
report on oven efforts, both to report at the Board
meeting on"i+onday, September 250
25X1,A study on the present availability of small,, cheap radio
receivers for distribution in both eastern and.western
Europe, with the view of the appropriate political desks
on the introduction of these sets by infiltration and
other means.
IFIS was assigned the project of preparing a staff
IFIS.:WTStone: with
Approved for Release 2003/06/12 : CIA-RDP80-01065A000500120026-2