STAFF STUDY ON PUBLICITY WITH RESPECT TO NOVEL WEAPONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01731R003200020022-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 11, 2005
• Sequence Number: 22
• Publication Date: December 14, 1951
• Content Type: STUDY

Copy No,
WASHINGTON, D. C.
PSYCHOLOGICAL STRATEGY BOARD f 17c-
14 December 1951
STAFF STUDY ON PUBLICITY WITH RESPECT TO NOVEL WEAPONS
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved For Release 2006103/t7 :-CtA--Rf5 EO'RO'1731R003200020022-5
PROBLEM
1. To establish a procedure for the development and promulgation
of policy guidance for the content of governmental statements with re-
spect to the existence, development and contemplated uses of novel
weapons.
DEFINITION
2. For the purpose of this study, novel weapons are considered to
include all weapons using atomic power for propulsion or explosion,
guided missiles, and biological, radiological and chemical weapons,
FACTS BEARING ON THE PROBLEM
3. Adequate machinery does not now exist for Guidance of senior
officials of the Government in formulating and issuing statements on the
subject of novel weapons. The need for such guidance has recently been
demonstrated by the conflicts in approaches to this subject taken by
officials including those of the Atomic Energy Commission and the Depart-
ment of Defense. In addition, opportunities are presently being lost
for profitable exploitation abroad of the psychological possibilities
inherent in novel weapons themes.
DISCUSSION
i. Public statements covering novel weapons must be based on con-
sidered appraisal of the following fundamental principles:
a. Domestic information responsibilities
The Government has an obligation to provide the American
Security Information
NSC review(s) completed.
C 0 J PIDENTIAL
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C O N F I D E N T I A L
Security Information PSl3 D-17a
people with authoritative information concerning the nature and scope
of novel weapons. When practicable, such statements should be so designed
as to avoid intensifying anxiety unduly. They must also be designed to
obtain wide public support of national policy in the use of novel weapons
in the national interest.
5. Mechanisms now existing do not provide for representation of
all agencies having an interest in the problem. They are particularly
inadequate with respect to representation of the foreign information
aspects.
6. In the course of drafting this study, the Psychological Strategy
Board Staff received informal comments from the departments indicating
that it is objectionable to create a guidance mechanism which takes
into consideration only the foreign effects of domestic public state-
ments with respect to novel weapons, The Office of Public Information
of the Department of Defense claims responsibility for the formulation
of domestic public: information policy on biological warfare, radiolo-
gical warfare and chemical warfare, Other means exist for the maintenance
of security with respect to these weapons. The creation of an additional
mechanism to provide foreign information policy guidance would result
in competing mechanisms dealing respectively with the security, the
domestic information and the foreign information aspects of the problem,
Adequate guidance can be provided only through a single mechanism which
has the authority and available knowledge to deal with all.three aspects
of the problem.
Domestic information policy is a matter not within the competence
of PSB. The necessary mechanism should be constituted by an agency
having competence to deal with foreign information policy, domestic in-
formation policy and security.
Security Information
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Security Information
PSB D-17a
7. Since the primary purpose of the development of novel weapons
is their utilization in war, and since the Department of Defense has
the major responsibility for the maintenance of security with respect to
such weapons, it appears that a mechanism to achieve the purpose
described in paragraph 6 above should be organized under the chairmanship
of a member of the Department of Defense. This committee should be
composed of one or more members from each of the following agencies:
The White House Staff., the Psychological Strategy Board., the Department
of State, Central Intelligence Agency and the Atomic Energy Commission.
A representative of the Federal Civil Defense Administration should sit
as appropriate with the committee for information of interest to that
agency. Members must be so selected as to take cognizance of the three
major aspects of the problem: foreign information., domestic information.,
and security.
RECOMMENDATIONS
8, a. That the Department of Defense member of the Psychological
Strategy Board be requested in his capacity as Deputy
Secretary of Defense to take steps to organize a Novel
Weapons Information Guidance Committee composed as indicated
in paragraph j'.
b. That this committee be instructed to prepare as a matter of
urgency a national information policy guidance for state-
ments with respect to novel weapons, taking into considera-
tion the foreign information, domestic information and security
aspects of the! problem,
c, That the Department of Defense ember inform the board when
this action has been complet#,
Gordon Gray
Director
Security Information Page 3 of 3 Pages
C O N F I D E N T I A L
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