PROGRESS REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF PSB D-14C 'PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS PLAN FOR THE REDUCTION OF COMMUNIST POWER IN FRANCE.'

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP80R01731R003200020009-0
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
T
Document Page Count: 
4
Document Creation Date: 
January 4, 2017
Document Release Date: 
March 31, 2008
Sequence Number: 
9
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
January 14, 1953
Content Type: 
MF
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PDF icon CIA-RDP80R01731R003200020009-0.pdf167.4 KB
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-- Approved For Release 2008/03/31 : CIA-RDP80RO1731 R003200020009-0 ADDRESS OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS TO THE DIRECTOR OF PSYCHOLOGICAL STRATEGY BOARD WASHINGTON 25, D. C. PSYCHOLOGICAL STRATEGY BOARD JAN 1 4 1953 I220R'iNDWI FOR : Gener~,1_ Walter 13. 21hith Director of Central Intelligence Progre;;r Report on Implementation of F: D-11?.c "Psychological Operations Plan for the Reduction of Communist Power In France." .'stt,ached hereto for your Snformetion is an interim progress report on PSB D-14c "Psychological Operations Plan for the Reduction of Communist Fower in France". NSC review completed 1. Progress Report on Implementation of PUB D-14c, I) ted January 13, 1)53 Copy No. 4' MORI/CDF Pages 2-3 Approved For Release 2008/03/31 : CIA-RDP80RO1731 R003200020009-0 Approved For Release 2008/03/31 : CIA-RDP80RO1731 R003200020009-0 Security Information TOP SECRET PSYCHOLOGICAL STRATEGY BOARD Washington 25, D. C. Copy No, 42 January 14, 1.953 11ENORANDUM FOR: The Honorable Da J.d K? E. Bruce IJnde:r i?ecretary of State SUBJECT: Progress Report, on Implementation of Pn D-14c "Psychological Operations PL ,n for the Reduction of Cominuni st Power in France." Attached hereto for your information is an interim progress report on PSB D-14c "Psychological Operations Plan for the Reduction of Communist Power in 14-ance". 1. Progress Report on Implementation of IaB D-14c, dated Janu..ry 13, 1953 (Note: Identical Memoranda sent to Mr. Foster, General Smith and General Young.) Secu,ity Information TOI ',T Page 1 of 1 Page Approved For Release 2008/03/31 : CIA-RDP80RO1731 R003200020009-0 Approved For Release 2008/03/31 : CIA-RDP80RO1731 R003200020009-0 TOP SECRET Seuri. y I . ormaatign Copy No, January 13, 1953 Fro,~ Lr e ssr R. e 'o t on, L_pJ f1 dent tio, of PSB b ~c ~rl'chol o_~ic.]. Oneratior. s Plan for the Reduction of Coim.tunist Poi,?r '' n France, ?P Formal implementation of PFD D-34c "Psychological Operations Plan for the Reduction of Comrmuni st Power in France". is now in its eleventh month with coordinating eomm.qittees functioning regularly in both Paris and. Washington. During this period there has been an interchange of views between members of the committees, both by personal visits and by exchange of reports and other pertinent papers. Functioning of the Paris Committee is the direct re r,ponsibility cf our Ambassador and, in addition to interdepartmental representatives, discussions are now participated in by the Chief of the P2 A Ni.ssi.on to France and the Deputy Chief of M ssion, Paris Embassy. A repre- sentative of the U. S. Corrinander-in--Chief, Europe, will also soon participate in the discussions. Progress toward achieving the objectives of. FSB D?-14c Is regarded as satisfactory with the initia- tive in anti-.connmrd. st actit its a e being taken by the T- ench Government and with our own activities being conducted in the back;[-,,round. The French Communist Party continued throughout 1952 to contract in size and to display the same lack of dynamism that has characterized it to an ever increasing, extent during the past four years, Membership in the Party is now estimated at around 450,000, amounting to a 50 percent decline in ovcr..a1l membership since 1946 The electoral strength of the Communists, however, continues to run at about 5,000,,000 out of a total of 19,000,000 votes cast in each postwar national election. At no time during 3,952 did the Party reveal any capacity for rallying non-communist support to such an extent as to influence govern. went policy. Signs of a split in the Party hierarchy became evident with the purge of Marty and Tillon and in September the Party line become a "United National Front" policy, The French Communists are apparently striving to create a united front with all elements of the population on the basis of a program of "peace, nationel independence, end democratic libErties". In spite of its decline in 1952, the French Communist apparatus will remain for the foreseeable future a powerful and dangerous factor for French security and therefore for our own within the NATO framework. The CPF is one of the world's largest Communist parties outside the Soviot Bloc. In France,, itself, it is still a mr:: jor political party, an important power in the trade union movement, and a huge propaganda machine. For the immediate future the most likely lines of attack against the sources of Comiruni.at strength lie in legislative and administrative moves by the French Government and in action by ourselves in the field of public opinion. If the French Government succeeds in its present efforts to convict the Party leaders (and thus the Party itse7 ') of treason by judicial process, and so to brand the Party as "foreign", the basis will have been laid for all manner of measures to weaken Conmiunist influence,, Pego 1 of i Page S, ecizxity Information TOP Approved For Release 2008/03/31 : CIA-RDP80RO1731 R003200020009-0 Approved For Release 2008/03/31 : CIA-RDP80RO1731 R003200020009-0 Approved For Release 2008/03/31 : CIA-RDP80RO1731 R003200020009-0