MATERIAL FOR PSB LUNCHEON RE BRAINWASHING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-01065A000600100001-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 14, 1999
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: March 5, 1953
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 1999/0992?: P80-01065A000600100001-0
VY eearc
.
5 March 1953
VEVGRAND1W FOR DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
SUBJECT Material for PSB Luncheon re Brainwashing
25X1A
1. Two meetings have been called by you on this subject, the
first on Saturday morning, 28 February, and the second on Tuesday
morning, 3 March. In addition to CIA, the meetings were attended
by ? rep-
resentatives of the FSB staff, Department of State, Department of
Defense, the Army (Gen. McClure's office), and the Air Force (PN
office).
2. The main purpose>lie two meetings was to explore avail-
able facts and to obtain eactions to the possibility
of forming a medical or scientific, or combined group, to examine
the facts and issue a statement regarding the feasibility of brain-
washing procedures.
3. At the 3 March meeting the movie, ,"Documentary Evidence
of the International Scientific Commission for the Investigation
of U.S. Bacteriolo ~~ rfare't, was shown almost in its entirety,
but particular atte`o~Yas called to the confessions of the four
U .'S'. Army fliers, In addi-
ons of the two marine Corps fliers,
These confessions were read over the Peiping radio
and we had the transcripts at the meetings. Since the meetings,
it has been established that the confessions were in fact read
and were not as suggested, tape recordings of the voices of the
two Marine officers. At the end of the second meeting the fol-
25X13'wing points were agreed upon:
a. would immediately start to form a group of
doctors, numbering 5 or 6 at the most, and consisting mainly
of Americans but including other nationalities if desirable.
Speed not only in forming the committee, but having it reach
some useful conclusions, was recognized. Names suggested by
Ttr. Bro ~rAe:
FOIAb6
Approved For Release 1999/09/7RDP80-01065A000600100001-0
 Approved For Release 1999/09h-RDP80-0106M000600100001-0
25X1A
FOIAb6
25X1A
25X1A
b. As soon as this group is formed all available facts
will be presented to it including the film., evidence from the
c. An interdepartmental workinw 14 was formed con-
sisting of representatives of P`'B ( , Chairman,
refense (William Godel State (Mr. Ritter in Mr. Phillips'
office), and CIA . The primary concern of this
group is to collect all available facts and to prepare it-
self to service group when formed.
d. State and Defense were to consider an appropriate
statement for release in the near future and to make recom-
mendations as to the appropriate parson, agency, or depart-
ment to make the release. This statement is being cleared
through my office Thursday morning and will be immediately
transmitted to you in time for your luncheon.
14. Additional issues which you may wish to consider for
discussion.
a. the material which might be relevant to the
work of committee may be elssified, and some
of it may be highly sensitive. P-B may wish to determine
who should decide whether or not such material should in
fact be presented.
h. As a report, you might wish to state that a quick
search of (`IA shows little scientific evidence in support of
brainwashing, but rather massive evidence in the form of
case reports or circumstantial evidence leading to the con-
clusion that it is not a difficult matter given the time to
force almost anyone to make an inaccurate statement, provided
that the time at which the statement is to be made can be
controlled and the individual is not required to continue his
willingness to lie for a long period.
Approved For Release 1999/09/27 :1 406P80-01065A000600100001-0
 Approved For Release 1999/09 MV- A-RDP80-0106 000600100001-0
25X1A
25X1A
c. An important issue for FEB is presented by b above,
namely, to what extent does it wish to consider through the
committee the lengt1- of time for which brainwashing
may be el ecti.ve. it would seem that the evidence on this
point is inconclusive and might, therefore, require a long
period of consideration before any answer could be attempted.
V y suggestion would be to eliminate this point unless it can
be determined within a reasonably short period of time, and
adopt suggestion to continue the committee in
being for cons. eration of this subject over an indefinite
term.
Chief
political and psychological Warfare
Approved For Release 1999/09/27 : di491180-01065A000600100001-0
 VG AND RECORD SHEET
INSTRUCTIONS: Officer designations should be used in the "TO" column. Under each comment a line should be drawn across sheet
and each comment numbered to correspond with the number in the "TO" column. Each officer should initial (check mark insufficient)
before further routing. This Routing and Record Sheet should be returned to Registry.
FROM:
NO.
("/Pp
DATE
ROOM
DATE
OFFICER'S
COMMENTS
To
NO.
RECD
FWD'D
INITIALS
2.
~+
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
6.
8.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
1s.
UOIZ
-199970971.7 -. t.#!A-KUF-8j-u-luoo^uuuovvwu
FEso . x'1_10 SECRET