MINUTES NINTH MEETING OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STRATEGY BOARD JANUARY 31,1954

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01731R003300160010-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 19, 2005
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: January 31, 1952
• Content Type: MIN

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APPROVE t
MINUTES
Ninth Meeting of the
PSYCHOLOGICAL STRATEGY BOARD
January 31, 1952 2:h5 p.m.
Director's Conference Room
Administration Building
Ceritral Intelligence Agency
Copy No. 1!
P6B M-9a
MEMBERS:
General Walter B. Smith, Director of Central Intelligence,,
Chairman
Honorable William C. Foster, Deputy Secretary of Defense
Honorable James E. Webb, Under Secretary of State
Honorable W. Averill Harriman, Director for Mutual Security,
Executive' Office of the President
Dr. Raymond B. Allen, Director, Psychological Strategy Board
OTHER PARTICIPANTS:
Department of State
Mr: 9dward . Barrettt Asst Secretary of State for Public
Affairs
I)2artment of Defense
Bt 1g,, en John Magruder, USA (Rst'd)
Joint Chiefs of Staff
g. Gen. eemond D. Balmer, USA
Central Intelli ence A enc
Office of Director for Mu ual Securit Executive Office of
The President
'Mr..amuel Berger, Asst to Mr. Harriman (Agenda Item 2 only)
Ps ycholo ical Strategy Board
Mr. . racy Barnes, Deputy Director
Mr., Edmond Taylor
Cal. Charles W, McCarthy, Executive Officer
Major Edmund J. Bennett, Secretary
V. S. Senat
" . Senat6r Brien McMahon (for Agenda Items 1 through 3)
Charles W. McCarthy
Colonel, U.S.A.
Executive Officer
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roval of Minutes of Seventh Meet
Minutes of the seventh meeting were approved. Amendments to
the minutes of the eighth meeting were suggested by Mr. Foster and
Mr. Webb. General Smith asked that these be inserted and underlined
and then circulated for approval.
Agenda Item No.
Psychological Operations Plan for the Reduction
O Communnis Power in ranee =2107'
F
Approved as amended. Amendments proposed by Mr. Harriman and
Genera Sm t were accepted. r, Webb offered some observat ons on
rau ac ons f orTnc us on in the m nu a s t e s e~wi be c on-
s dered a the next meeting.
Discussion:'
Mr. Harriman proposed the following amendments to Section III,
all of which were unanimously approved by the Board:
a. Par. 1, lines 1 - 3. Strike out "westward" and
'tin Europe".
b. Par, 1, lines 3 to 7. To be rewritten as follows:
"It has strategic significance as the instrument through
which the Soviet Union is harassing French economic recovery,
weakening the French and NATO defense effort, and encouraging
neutralism, all with the object of making France an unde-
pendable ally of the West in times of peace or war. The
French communist party thus constitutes a serious threat to
American foreign policy and to NATO plans for the defense
of Western Europe."
c. Par. 10, second sentence, eliminate "and appropriate
guidance and support by the French Government" and insert
a new sentence between the first and second to read, "The
most important actions that could be taken to reduce com-
munist power in France are for the Government to give posi-
tive support to the democratic unions in their struggle
against communist domination of organized labor, to stop sub-
sidizing the communist unions and stop dealing with them,
and to work towards a more equitable share of the national
income for labor."
General Smith then proposed the following amendments, which were
also unanimously approved by the Board:
a. Section VI. Administrative Matters, par. I.A., 4th line.
Delete "including" an insert- in l eu "where a r riate
chaired by a member of the Ps eholo.3.ca ra oar staff
I
b. Add a par. C,to par. I, Section VI:
"The reports of the various members shall be made avail-
sble o t of er?
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Mr. Webb indicated his willingness to accept the Plan but re-
quested that the following observations be incorporated in the minutes:
"The Department of State agrees with the purposes and objec-
tives in PSB D-1L/b. Because of the novelty of many of the proposed
courses of action in the new fields under which we would be taking U.S.
Government operations, we accept this report as guidance to planners
and as permissive rather than mandatory. The judgments of the Ambass-
ador and of the policy officers here will have to be resorted to for
decisions to initiate, carry out or suspend the actions concerned, and
to time them.
"The courses of action in particular which are specified in
Group B of Section V of the report are of a nature so noel in the
operations of one sovereign government within the jurisdiction of
another sovereign government that a few words of comment to emphasize
and fortify the preface of Group B are necessary.
"The actions in Group B reveal a recognition on our part of
basic structural distortions and inequalities in French society. The
reforms proposed are designed to bring about a stability within France
which will strengthen it against communism and enhance our security.
t'However, there is a great gap between stating praise-worthy
objectives dealing with reform in the field of labor management re-
lations, in the distribution of income, in business and social prac-
tices, etc. in France, and realizing such objectives. Without a proper
appreciation of the width of this gap we expose ourselves to frustrating
experiences, if results do not measure up to intentions. To put
through such reforms requires political power. Political power has
been lacking in French Governments, The margins of power to enable
the French Government to push through such wide and basic reforms, on
the assumption that the French Government desires them, have not been
available. The question arises whether the programs proposed in the
report does not presuppose a political vitality which if it existed
would of itself constitute an answer to problems of French society.
"Moreover, the adoption by the French Government of a good
many of the programs outlined presuppose 4 high degree of governmental
control of economic activity. This would necessarily call for a
significant shift to the left of the basis of political power in France
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while we are striving for free enterprise and freer competition. We
would therefore constantly have to bear in mind whether such a shift
in French political direction would be entirely an unmixed blessing
from the standpoint of the objectives we are seeking.
It therefore becomus obvious that each of the courses of
action suggested must be weighed in relation to political factors re-
quiring the most acute exercise of political judgment and timing.
We cannot enter into them uncritically and unreservedly without taking
into account both the negative and the positive implications bearing
upon our political interests. Ultimately the question becomes not
one of effecting reforms in the French system but of developing and
maintaining in power elements of sufficient strength and desirable
orientation to accomplish the reforms and at the same time to con-
tinue French collaboration with us toward our common security objec-
tives. There is no easy formula or quick attainment of a political
undertaking of this magnitude.
"If the foregoing considerations are kept constantly in mind
by both the planners and the officials who will be responsible for
implementation, the courses of action flowing from this paper should
lead us in the right direction and should enhance our security."
The other Board members asked that they be given an opportunity
to study these observations and then discuss them at the next meeting
before formal incorporation in the minutes.
ALenda Item No. 1. - Plan for Conducting Psychological Operations
fUi_nGeFe_ral Hostilities PSA D- a
Action:
To. be considered at the next meeting at which time the views of
the rit Defense tail- be presented*
Discussions
Mr. Foster advised that Defenses views were being cleared. These
views had been discussed informally by the alternates, but certain
points are still unsettled. General Smith indicated his concern over
the Joint Chiefs' proposal to use "theatre of war" instead of 4'theatre
of operations". He observed that the "theatre of war" definition
would probably mean "global" which, in relation to the paper at hand,
would give the Joint Chiefs of Staff responsibility for virtually the
entire job. Such a definition would not be acceptable,, General Smith
declared, since, in his opinion, the military responsibility should,
generally speaking, be limited to areas where fighting is occurring
or about to occur.
Agenda Item No. 3. Terms of Reference for PSB Wea one information
Guidance ommittee ~PSB D-1 1; rev_ oouusl
i4 n ' tiered, dated Januar 3
Action:
Approved as amendd.
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Discussion:
General Magruder proposed and the Board accepted the following
changes:
a, Omit "for the National Security Council", page 1,
par, la under "Problem",
b, In second sentence of par. 3 "Procedure". change the
phrase "the NSC may issueff to "may be issued".
c. In par, fit, insert after the word fichairman", ''Depart-
meet of Defense"', in parentheses.
General Smith proposed, and the Board concurred in a suggestion
that the phrase ;fin the United States" at the end of par. 2c be
inserted after "understanding" in the same sentence.
Agenda Item No. 4.,- Pro ram for Soviet Orbit Escapees -- Phase "B"
(PSB D-l a) National Psychological Str ategz
an escrib ng ecific- Courses ofTAationn with
rea ec efectors, scT a ee s, Re ees, nd
o en aGuerri ,as from and in t He Sovierbit}
Approved. The Board stipulated that the Panel should initially'
narrow'. ~e s o e v a actua study o mmedia e y probable U. S.
cuAbilities,
Discussion:
Dr. Allen reported the PSB staff view that the terms of reference
for Phase "B" were essentially an extension of the terms of reference
for Phase "A"" and were not an elaboration,
Mr. Webb observed that the proposed terms of reference were some-
what broad and should be more restrictive, He cautioned against a
study that would develop plans for mass defections. Mr, Foster and
General Smith replied that they did not construe the terms of reference
as in any way inferring a plan for mass defections.
General Smith reported his staffs view that the terms wr:re
rather general and therefore the panel should establish definite limits
within the context of the problem from which a feasible and phased
plan can be evolved, The panel, General Smith suggested, should care-
fully formulate, as a first order of business, its concepts and outline
the immediate practical limits around which a study can be built.
Dr. Allen suggested that rather than attempt to rswrite the terms
of reference, the panel be requested to review them and develop neces-
sary modifications to keep the study within manageable and realistic
limits. Mr, Harriman urged early action to implement the Defector-
Escapee Program, since he had to account to Congress shortly on the
1Q(),000,000 of MSA funds from which support will be drawn for this
Program.
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Agenda item No. 5. - Terms of Reference for Sub -panel B-1 (Invento -
Se c ond-Sta e_
Approved. The Board directed that a PSB
the sza ec as e cis of f 's ob ? end
c tasks and l.: di ale the
Discussion:
anels a undertake
gate the specific
aerating a end cies.
Mr. Webb approved the paper and suggested that the PSB panel
make use of the studies and information on this subject and on economic
warfare which are available in State and other agencieP4 General
$mith suggested that since the study to be undertaken involved opera-
tions and tactics, consideration should be given to transferring it to
the POCC. Dr. Allen also favored considering such a move.
General Magruder and Mr. Barrett, members of PQCCp reported that
POCC is concerned primarily with propaganda. There is a good deal of
international covert work.gnd strategy involved in the subject Study
which POCC is not equipped to handle, they said,
Mr. Webb said since covert work was involved in the study a PSB
panel should be used for itti Mr. Barrett suggested the job of develop-
ing detailed tactics could be given to POCC and CIA.
General Smith commented that since the problem states "to recom-
mend concrete steps ~ which the United States (and its Allies) can take
in the titre To Wustrate Soviet blackmail tactics," it is out of
the realm of strategy? General Magruder and Dr. Allen suggested. the
phrase "concrete steps" be omitted and the Board agreed. Dr. Allen
offered to have the PSB staff aid in'developing the specific tasks
under this problem, The Board accepted this offer?
Agenda Item No. 6, - Guidance for the Director in Dealin with
Co ressio Committees
Action:
k-M
Mr. Webb was designated to give guidance to this Director on
Can ressi?n a - ?
Discussiant
General Smith reported that this item had been discussed at the
luncheon preceding the meeting.
Mr. Webb offered t develeR some guide lines for the tireetor to
follow in deali? with Congressional committees. Dr, Allen said he
would like very much to have such guidance,
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ends item No. 7. - Effectiveness of the US-UK-French Disarmament
r osa H-Th7e-un-I'Feld Nations D40
Acce ted the .a er for its informon,
Discussion:
The Board members complimented the PSB staff on the fine job
they had done on this paper and expressed the hope that similar
evaluation papers would be forthcoming from the PSB staff in the
future,
Ir. Webb reported that Mr. Phillips had some comments on the
paper which he would pass on to the PSB staff.
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