INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTROMAGNETIC WARFARE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84-00022R000300160016-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 7, 2000
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: July 2, 1951
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Reuse 2005/01/Oq, ,22RGW300160016-8
JUL 2 1951
1V[;TORANDU1I FOR: The Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT: International Communications and Electromagnetic
'Warfare
19 The United States and the West have lost the initiative in
the fields of international communications, including broadcasting,
from both the technical and diplomatic standpoint, to the Soviet Bloc.
This loss is due entirely to the lack of foresight and leadership on
the part of the US.
2. The President's Communications Policy Board, cognizant of
this situation and the general state of disorganization and lack of
planning in our domestic communications situation, recommended, and
the President has decided to establish, an Advisor with responsibility
for developing sound national policy in all major aspects of our national
and world communications responsibilities.
3. The problem of recommending a man has been passed about in
the Bureau of the Budget, finally coming to rest with Dr. Oliver E.
Buckley, Chairman of the President's Science Advisory Committee.
Discussion with Dr. Buckley indicates that he feels the Advisor to the
President should be primarily an arbitrator and conciliator between
conflicting communications interests within the government and with
private industry rather than an agressive, farsighted leader who will
provide that authoritative guidance and direction necessary for the
West to regain the initiative in this vital field. The men who have
been recommended as candidates by Dr. Buckley (although fine gentlemen),
do not in any way meet the requirements for such leadership.
ii.. The kind of man who is needed is someone of the caliber of
Dr. Llo d V. erkrier whose history and accomplishments are summarized
in t e enc osure Zereto.
5. Dr. Berkner is a close friend of I las a 25X1
matter of fact there is a memorandum in the er, Navy, files signed
b which gives Berkner the credit for salvaging
the Eighth Air Force offensive over Germany in the winter of 19!3 because
n- ','
L
Al
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W NFIDENrIAL
of his great foresight and initiative in forcing the development and
early production of the ANAPS 1; radar which became the Eighth Air Force's
blind bombing equipment. Dr. Berkner is also one of the relatively few
men chained to desk jobs in Washington during the war who were awarded
the Order of the British Empire.
b. There can be great advantage to the work of the Psychological
Board, the Security Council, and Mr. Wilson's Office to have a very able,
farsighted and agressive leader in this position who has such a broad
background in electrical communications, has at the same time had exper-
ience in high level government circles, and is not closely tied with
either the private communications industry or the military.
25X1
Acting Assistant Director
Scientific Intelligence
Encl. 1
1. Curriculum vitae on Dr. L. V. BERKNER
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BERIKNER, Lloyd V(iel), research scientist, naval officer and
government executive.
a. Born Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1 February 1905,
b. Be S. in elece engineering, U. of Minn., 1927.
c. Studied physics, George Washington U.
d. Engineer, Airways Div., U.S. Dept of Commerce 1927-28.
e. Radio engineer and pilot, first Byrd Antarctic Expedition 1928-30.
f. Research engineer, Nat. Bur. Standards, 1930-33.
g. Research physicist, Dept. of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie
Institution of Washington, 1933-41.
h. Head electronics material branch, Bur* of Aeronautics, U.S.
Navy Dept. 1941-46. (Captain, USNR).
i. Executive Secretary, Research and Development Board, NME, 191[6-47.
j. Chairman, Section on exploratory geophysics of the Atmosphere,
Dept. of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 1947-48.
Acting Director 1918-51o
k. Special Assistant to Secretary of State to direct work relating
to Military Assistance Program, 191.9.
1. Now president, Associated Universities, Inc., in New York. 1951-
m. Fellow, American Physical Society, Institute of Radio Engineers,
American Institute of Electrical Engineers; member, National Academy of
Sciences, American International Scientific Radio Union (exec. council),
U.S. National Come Internat. Joint Commn. on Ionosphere, American Inst. of
Elec. Engrs. (exec. council; Washington sect.), A.A.A.S. (Centenniel Planning
Como), Democrat; Congregationalist; Contributor to professional journals.
Home: 105 Mountain Avenue, New Rochelle, New York. Office: Brookhaven
National Laboratory, Upton, L. I., New York.
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