STAFF STUDY ON PUBLICITY WITH RESPECT TO NOVEL WEAPONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01731R003200020023-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 11, 2005
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: December 20, 1951
• Content Type: STUDY

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CONFIDENTIAL
zTEr7 VAtei_%I u C
Staff Study on Publicity with Respect to Novel Weapons
Surmary: The need for guidance has been demonstrated recently by the
conflicts in approaches to this subject taken by officials,
including those of the Atomic Energy Commission and the Department of
Defense. This particular subject involves foreign information policy,
domestic information policy, and the security on special type weapons
of which the Department of Defense has principal cognizance. This PSB
staff study recommends: that the Department of Defense member of the
PSB organize a committee to consist of representation from the White
House Staff, PSB, Department of State, CIA, and the AEC, as well as a
member of the Federal Civil Defense Administration when appropriate;
that this committee prepare as a matter of urgency a national information
policy guidance for statements with respect to certain (special type)
weapons; and that the Department of Defense member itform the Board
when this action is completed,
Recommendation: (a) That you approve the recommendations as summarized
above; and (b) That you designate Col. Chester Hansen of your
Staff as the CTA representative for this information guidance committee.
NSC review(s) completed.
g ' IAL
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Sec'zrity Information
PSYCHOLOGICAL STRATEGY BOARD
WASHINGTON, D. C.
ES!CL'tive Rog;strq
Copy No.2_i
PSB D-17c
18 December 1951
STAFF STUDY ON PUBLICITY WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN WEAPONS
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PROBLEM
1. To establish a procedure for the development and promulgation of
policy guidance for the content of governmental statements with respect
to the existence, development and contemplated uses of weapons using
atomic power for propulsion or explosion, guided missiles, and biological,
radiological and chemical weapons.
FACTS BEARING ON THE PROBLEM
2. Adequate machinery does not now exist for guidance of senior
officials of the government in formulating and issuing statements on the
subject of the above mentioned 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
Department of Defense,. In addition, opportunities are presently being lost
for profitable exploitation abroad of the psychological possibilities in-
herent in weapons themes relating to these weapons,
DISCUSSION
3. Public statements covering these 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
people with authoritative information concerning the nature and scope of
recently developed weapons. When practicable, such statements should be so
Security Information
a ~c 5-- /'~ f3
C 0 N F I D E N T I A L
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Security Information PSB D-17c
designed as to avoid intensifying anxiety unduly. They must also be de-
signed to obtain wide public support of national policy in the use of such
weapons in .he national interest.
b S uric r
Security considerations require that certain weapons informa-
tion must be kept secret, despite public information considerations,
c. International -e.T .rc:ussioni
The present international situation requires that the effect
upon foreign groups should be taken into account with regard to the timing,
place of release, and source of any public statements regarding ",Zp071'3,
4. Mechanisms now existing do not provide for repres'nta41ior. of all
agencies having an interest in the problem. They are particularly inade-
quate with respect to representation of the foreign information aspects,
5. 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 statements with
respect to the weapons with which this paper deals,
Domestic information policy is a matter not within the competence
of PSI3. The Office of Public Information of the Department of Defense is
primarily responsible for the. formulation of domestic public information
policy on biological warfare,, radiological warfare and chemical warfare.
Other means exist for the maintenance of security with respect to ti;ese
weapons,
The creation of an additional agency to provide foreign informa-
tion policy guidance would result in competing agencies dealing respec-
tively with the security, the domestic information and the foreign infor-
mation aspects of the problem. Adequate guidance however can be provided
only through a single mechanism which has the competence to deal with all
Security Information
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Secur.lt,; Information PSB D?17c
three aspects of the problem.
6. Since the primary purpose of the development of suOh weapons is
their utilization in war,, and since the Department of Defense has the
major responsibility for the maintenance of security with respect to wich
weapons, it appears that a mechanism to achieve the purpose described in
paragraph 5 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. Meri?bers must be
so selected as to take cognizance of the three major aspects of the problem:
foreign information, domestic information, and security.
RECOMNiEMDATIONS
7.
a. That the Secretary of Defense be requested to organize a
Weapons Information Guidance Committee composed as indicated
in paragraph 6?
That he be requested to instruct this committee to prepare as a
matter of urgency a national information policy guidance for
statements with respect to the weapons referred to in para-
graph 1, taking into consideration the foreign information,
domestic information and security aspects of the problem.
c. That the Department of Defense member inform the board when
this action has been completed.
Gordon Gray
Director
b".1 (~ T .
Security. information
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