SOME SURVEY INDICATIONS OF U.S. VERSUS SOVIET MILITARY STANDING IN THE SPACE ERA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T00268R000600030022-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 3, 2013
• Sequence Number: 22
• Publication Date: December 1, 1959
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/13: CIA-RDP86T00268R000600030022-1
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Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/13: CIA-RDP86T00268R000600030022-1 --- -
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Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/13: CIA-RDP86T00268R000600030022-1
COMF1DENTIAL
Available trend measurements from Western Europe on c question bearing upon U.S.
versus Soviet military strength in the atomic area suggest that the Sputnik launchings
"zd a naJor impact in lowering U.S. military prestige vie -0 -vis Soviet Russia.
"Do you think that the Western powers are stronger in atomic
we-pone than the U.S.S.R., weaker, or clout syul?"
Great West
=din gAl2ADX
June
No. of cases
West stronger 39%
West weaker 5
About equal 27
No cminion
-Ns
Net "West stronger" 34
Nov.
h...?
Nov. June
Nov.
June
Nov.
TeTh'71
722310M-0
9702
TTTT
26%
39%
31%
20%
14%
30%
20%
21
6
10
6
20
7
12
31
36
40
35
20
34
89
A g
1.41
2-
Ti0%
10(5
5
33
21
14
-6
23
16
'mediate poet-Sputnik jodgments on America's standing vis-a-vis the U.S.S.R. in
iodulatraxxigizah were even lower on the average in the West European nations
sawled, with an especially adverse pattern in Grist Britain.
"All things considelvd, do you think the U.S. or Russia is
ahead in total military strength at the present time? Con-
siderably ahead or only a little?"
Gre:t West
Okrialiffct. NjieWtot. Nov. Oct.
No. of cases
T-Y*) Ti'o!T -07 ik
U.S. considerably ahead
of Russia 4%
U.S. ? little ahead 15
Russia a little ahead of
U.S. 31
Russia ponsiduably shoed a
Both equal (vol.)
NO opinion
Net U.S. ahead
6
-31
7%
10%
96
6%
lig
17%
10%
19
22
15
11
16
17
25
22
17
16
13
21
13
14
19
6
7
12
6
9
9
0
20
22
20
34
23
22
rigx
Tik
-15
15
1
-I
-10
12
15
* * *
Cammuna
Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/13: CIA-RDP86T00268R000600030022-1
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Declassified and A proved For Release 2013/09/13: CIA-RDP86T00268R000600030022-1
CONFIDENTIAL
The recovery over 1S5? of some of the scientific pretties the U.S. lost to the
U.S.S.R. with the Sputniks was not accompanied by any general inprovreme in judg-
ments vs to which side is niliterily stronger. Only in Greet Britain, it will be
noted in the trend comparisons above, was there c gain which.however, fell appreci-
ably short of taking British opinion out of the minus column. Moreover, imacvement
in Great Britain was offset by an equal decline in West Gernany.
'Adeir, a few scattered worldwide returns to tie Nest European picture .2.1 U.S.
versus Soviet Alitary ight yield a picture of a virtual strndoff, on the average,.
with the U.S. at best only slightly in the van. When it is appreciated that the
countries surveyed in the present connection are almost without exception out allies,
it oust be presumed that a lore representative picture would be even less favorable.
"All things considered, do you think the U.S. or Russia
is ahead in total military strength at the present tine?
Considerably ahead or only a little?
Ivo, of Survey
Viet-Nam (College Students)
Greece (General Population)
Italy (General Population)
Ckinawa :General Population)
Uruguay (General Population)
Nest Gernany (Gener.1 Population)
Japan (General Population)
Turkey (College Students)
France (General Populcsion)
Great Britain (General Population)
AVERAGE NET FAVORABLE
?
Net Favorable
pats of Survey to U.S.
Worth, 1959 32
November,1958 20
October, 1953 15
Deoember.195C 14
June, 1950 4
October, 1950
Decenber.1950 -1
June. 1950 -2
Deccber,1950 -10
December,1S5C -15
5.8
1 See Special Melor.ndu , dated Deco ter, MS, "Brief Surlary of Sore Survey Indications
Bearing Upon U.S. Vs. S.vist Scientific Prestige," Confidential.
CCINFIDENTIAL
Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/13 : CIA-RDP86T00268R000600nmn97_1
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Declassified and Ap
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roved For Release 2013/09/13: CIA-RDP86T00268R000600030022-1
COlf IDEITTIAL
The results of a recently conpleted survey in Italy -- the freshest data avail-
able in the present connection -- raise the possibility of s favorable opinion devel-
opment 'Mich if more widely verified would be of no little significance. Despite
the sharp drop in U.S. scientific prestige in Italy over the past year (documented in
the preceding nenorandum), it appears from the trend conparisons below that there
has been no corresponding decline in favorable judgments about U.S. military strength.
"All things considered, do you think the U.S. or Russia
is ahead in total military strength at the present time?
Considerably ahead or only a littler
No. of cases
Nov.
TRiff ra y
U.S. considerably ahead of Russia
U.S. a little ahead
1*
17
1*
25
10
17
Russia o little ahead of U.S.
13
14
11
Russia considerably ahead
9
9
7
Both equal (Vol.)
23
22
24
No opinion
.
*
ilig
*
Net U.S. ahead
12
15
15
That military evaluations of the U.S. have remained stable despdte sharply
declining U.S. prestige in the scientific ergs could men that Soviet epees sucoesses
are not, at least to the sane degree se formerly, being autonetisally translated into
military power. The Russians !homely's may have oontributed to @ugh a development
by their stress upon peseeful rather than military implications of their resent
scientific developments.
carnecrus.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/13: CIA-RDP86T00268R000600030022-1