TRANSMITTAL OF SANITIZED COPIES OF INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY STUDIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86B00269R001000010001-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 73
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 6, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: June 9, 1977
• Content Type: MF

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9 JUN 1977
Chief, Information and Privacy Staff
SUBJECT Transmittal of Sanitized Copies of
Intelligence Community Studies
1. Per your telecon of 8 June with of this
Staff, we are transmitting for your retention the sanitized
copies received from the National Security Council of four
intelligence community studies, reviewed under,
of the NSC in response to the FOIA request of
IPS is, of course, retaining
copies o the CIA studies reviewed in response to
request. I
. a. W.H. Jackson, President's Committee on Inter-
national Information Activities, Report to the Preside.nt,.
30 June 1953.
b. J.H. Doolittle, Report on the Covert Activities
of the Central Intelligence Agency, 30 Sept. 1954.,
.c. Mark Clark, Commission on the Organization of
the Executive Branch of the Government. Task Force
Report on Intelligence Activities, May 1955.
d. M.D. Sprague, President's Committee on Infor-
mational Activities Abroad, Conclusions and Reconimen-
dations, Dec. 1960.
3. It is believed that it will be more useful to lodge
these documents with your record and-reference set of such
reports than with our case files in the Records Center.
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CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
OF THE
PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE
ON
INFORMATION ACTIVITIES ABROAD
December 1960
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GEORGE V. ALLEN JOHN N. IRWIN II
Director, U. S. Information Assistant Secretary of Defense
Agency (International Security Affairs)
TH PP ESIDENT'S COMMITTEE
ON
INFORMATION ACTIVITIES ABROAD
MANSFIELD D. SPRAGUE, Chairman.
GORDON GRAY LIVrNGSTON T. MERCHANT
Special Assistant to the Presi- Under Secretary of State for
dent for National Security Political Affairs
ALLEN W. DULLES -
Director of Central Intelligence
Affairs
KARL G. HARR, JR.
Special Assistant to the Presi-
dent
PHILIP D. REED
Alternates
JOHN A. BROSS ABBOTT WASHBURN
Central Intelligence Agency Deputy Director, U. S. Informa-
RAYMOND A. HARE
Deputy Under Secretary of State
Executive Director
WALDEMAR A. NIELSEN
?
ALFRED V. BOERNER
(U. S. Information Agency)
(Central Intelligence Agency)
COLON EL J. I. COFFEY
(The White House Office)
tion Agency
F. HAYDN WILLIAMS
Deputy Assistant Secretary of
Defense for National Security
Council Affairs and Plans
Administrative Officer
EDMUND A. GULLION
(Department of State)
ABRAHAM M. SnuuN
(U. S. Information Agency)
COLONEL JOHN F. TWOMBLY III
(Department of Defense)
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Y -
}
Letter of the President to Committee Chairman Mansfield D.
Sprague, dated January 9, 1961, acknowledging receipt of the Com-
mittee report -
Chairman Sprague's letter to the President, dated December 23, 1960,
transmitting the Committee's Conclusions and Recommendations
Chapter I-The Role of the Psychological Factor in Foreign Pol-
icy and the Requirements for an Adequate Informa-
tion System : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Chapter II-Reinforcing the Foundations of the U. S. Information
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Chapter III The New Importance of Educational, Cultural and
Exchange Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Chapter IV-Psychological and Informational Aspects of Economic
Aid, Scientific Research and Military Programs . . . 33
Chapter V -New Dimensions of Diplomacy . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Chapter VI-International Activities of Private Persons and Organ-
izations, and of the Mass Media . . . . . . . 51
Chapter VII-Organization, Coordination and Review . . . . . . . 59
APPENDICES
I-Supplementary Recommendations .. 63
A
11 List of Staff Papers . . . . . .. . ... . . . . . . . 89
III-Letter of the President to Committee Chairman Sprague, dated
December 2, 1959, concerning the establishment of the Presi-
dent's Committee on Information Activities Abroad . . . . . . 91
fi.
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media to freedom of travel for correspondents and freedom from censor-
ship. It should continue to give the most vigorous support to the
UN Draft Declaration on Freedom of Information.
3. That there be parallel efforts by private media, by professional
journalistic bodies, by private foundations, and by the Government, to
help strengthen the news media in the less-developed areas, to develop
standards of journalistic objectivity, to improve the quality of person-
nel, and to increase contacts between editors, broadcasters and corre-
spondents of "various Free World countries.
4. That a standing interagency group be created to plan and guide
a continuing effort to expose and condemn the Soviet blockade of- the
free flow of news, and to break down gradually the dangerous practices
of censorship, jamming, and controls which are now followed. This
complex problem can at best be ameliorated gradually. But by draw-
ing attention repeatedly to flagrant examples of unequal treatment of
events by Soviet and Free World media, by offers of reciprocity of radio
and television programs from time to time, and by other measures, use-
ful pressures for improvement can be generated.
Motion Pictures
American entertainment films are enormously popular throughout
the world, being seen weekly by some 150,000,000 foreign viewers..
Their effects upon the image of the United States are a matter of long-
standing debate. The Committee is aware of the great concern of a
number of responsible persons in the Government and outside about
the impact abroad of some of the poor productions. However, the Com-
mittee is not prepared to recommend governmental sanctions or con-
trol. The present voluntary arrangements between the Government
and the film industry appear to have worked reasonably well, at least
in modifying some types of objectionable material while films are still
in the production stage. The difficulties and dangers which would be in-
volved in going beyond such arrangements do not seem justified in
terms of the probable gains to be realized. Present cooperative
arrangements should be strengthened where. possible and the situation
kept under review.
Television
The rapidly growing export of American television programs pre-
sents some of the same problems as the export of motion picture films.
In addition, special needs and opportunities are presented because of the
rapid spread of television broadcasting to the less-developed countries
and because technological progress has now made international televi-
sion broadcasting a practical possibility. A dozen emergent countries
are expected to inaugurate television broadcasting in 1960-61 and some
20 more in 1961-62. Their primary interest will be in utilizing such fa-
cilities for education and for national political, economic and social pur-
posts, not for entertainment.
The Committee recommends:
1. That there be developed a coordinated, Government-wide policy
to guide and extend U.S. participation in the future overseas expansion
of television.
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2. That consideration be given to the expansion of present efforts
to assist underdeveloped countries in their television development, par-
ticularly by providing programing materials and technical engineering
assistance.
3. That under the leadership of the 'State Department steps be
taken now to develop policies to clarify the roles of the U.S. Government
and private broadcasters in international telecasting and to plan inter-
national proposals for frequency allocation which would prevent chaos
on the international airwaves once international telecasting begins.
Books and Publications
In terms of U.S. national objectives, a most pervasive, powerful
and constructive influence is that exerted by U.S. books and periodicals
distributed abroad. In a time of new technical marvels of communica-
tion, the fundamental importance of the printed page in the trans-
mission of information and ideas is sometimes overlooked. Since World
War II the volume of U.S. books exported abroad has increased tenfold.
It would be valuable, however, to facilitate the circulation of U.S. and
other useful publications in those countries and among those groups
abroad where for a variety of economic and other reasons their avail-
ability is still sharply restricted.
The Government should continue to play a twofold role in this
field: to stimulate and facilitate private and commercial distribution
of publications; and, where commercial publication or distribution is
infeasible, to carry on supplementary activities of its own. Since several
agencies are now operating in this field, it is important that their activ-
ity be effectively coordinated.
The Committee recommends the continuation of the Informational
Media Guarantee program and, where feasible, its extension to cover
those areas where the shortage of dollar exchange continues to be a
serious hindrance.
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Chapter VII
ORGANIZATION, COORDINATION AND REVIEW
In the preceding chapters, the Committee has urged greater and
more consistent awareness and consideration of the psychological factors
involved in the international actions of our Government. It has also
stressed the importance of greater coordination among the departments
and agencies in the planning and execution of policies and programs
having an impact abroad.
Accordingly the Committee has certain recommendations to make
regarding: (1) organizational steps to be taken within governmental
agencies to assure attention to psychological factors; (2) the role of the
Operations Coordinating Board in psychological and informational mat-
ters; and (3) the need for periodic review of such activities.
Organizational Steps Within Departments and Agencies
Ideally all officials dealing with matters which have impact abroad
should take account of psychological factors in their planning and
to be nobody's business, the Committee feels that wdthin the appropriate
d
i
ng
opt
departments and agencies consideration should be given to a
those organizational measures which will insure that psychological
aspects of policy are, in fact, consciously and fully considered.
The Departments of State and Defense have already moved in this
direction. The Office of the Assistant Secretary of State for Public
Affairs and the public affairs advisers attached to the several geographi-
cal bureaus have been increasingly concerned with psychological factors
in our foreign policy. Thus personnel familiar with informational tech-
niques and foreign public opinion are increasingly involved in the
decision-making process. However, there appears to be a need for further
improving their regular and effective involvement in major policy prob-
lems. This cannot be accomplished by fiat; it will depend on growing
confidence throughout the Department in the political judgment as
well as the specialized advice of public affairs personnel.
In the Defense establishment the device of "collateral activities com-
mittees" has been developed. These have made a useful contribution,
including improving the psychological side-effects of military programs.
The Defense Department should be encouraged to continue its efforts
to go beyond the "collateral" concept and insure adequate consideration
of psychological factors in substantive decisions.
In fiscal, economic assistance, science and other departments and
agencies whose activities have major -impact on foreign opinion, the
need exists for initial organizational steps or assignment of responsibility
to assure the integration of psychological. considerations in policy
formulation.
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The Committee recommends that the President reaffirm to all
departments and agencies the importance of adequately considering
psychological factors in the formulation of policies and the execution
of programs which have an impact on foreign opinion; that he request
the Departments of State and Defense to continue and reinforce the
efforts already made to this end; and that.he ask the heads of other
departments and agencies to take whatever organizational or procedural
steps may be necessary in this connection, leaving to their discretion
the determination of the particular methods to be used.
The Role of the OCB in Psychological and Informational Matters
The coordination of information activities in the general structure
of the U.S. Government is a formidable problem. They are conducted
by a number of different departments and agencies and they are both
diverse in character and substantial in scale. Even more complex is
the task of integrating psychological factors in the substantive programs
of the Government affecting foreign opinion.
The creation of the Operations Coordinating Board in September
1953 represented a major step forward in improving the effectiveness of
U.S. psychological and informational activities. Although the activities
of the Board have been the subject of ccntinuing debate, there can be
no question that it has performed and continues to perform a number
of vital functions in the coordination of information activities and the
integration of psychological factors in substantive programs of the
Government.
-The weekly executive sessions of the Board provide its members with
a unique and high-level mechanism in the Government for the expe-
ditious and effective handling of a whole spectrum of interagency mat-
ters including those related to the climate of world opinion. Its working
groups and committees carry on part of the continuing task of inter-
agency coordination of information programs. Most important, the OCB
is a point high in the governmental structure where security programs
and policies are considered in relation to their psychological as well as.
other aspects.
In the judgment of the Committee it is essential that, whatever
changes may be made in national policy machinery, the functions now
performed by OC13 continue to be provided for...
We believe that the most effective means for insuring the continua-
tion of these functions, particularly those related to psychological and
informational matters, is through the continued existence of the OCB.
If the OCB did not exist, it would have to be invented; its creation
was- the logical outgrowth of the increase in U.S. information activities
up to 1953 as well as of the growing importance of public opinion and
communications in foreign affairs.
Furthermore, we believe that the OCB should not only be continued
but that its potentialities should be more fully recognized and realized.
There are certain specific measures which, if taken, would enhance
the effectiveness of the present organization without giving the OCB
powers incompatible with the responsibilities and prerogatives of the
various executive departments and offices.
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Continuing strong Presidential interest in making the OCB effective
is the crux of the matter. It is especially important that the President
make clear to the individual members of the Board that he expects them
to see that matters agreed upon by the Board in the implementation of
policy are dealt with effectively in their respective departments and
agencies.
Raising the level of representation on certain of the OCB commit-
tees and working groups would also be desirable.
Since one of the OCB's most important, functions is to assure the
coordinated execution of governmental policies and programs in the
informational fields, special attention should be given to increasing its
effectiveness in this respect. To help achieve this objective, the OCB
should not only continue to identify agency operational responsibilities,
but should also stimulate and coordinate planning at the various levels.
This requires greater attention to anticipating major opportunities and
problems, identifying the requirements for trained personnel and physi-
cal facilities on the scale and at the time needed to deal with upcoming
situations, and mobilizing all the informational assets of the Government
in support of national objectives. . The OCB should also play a primary
role in formulating and establishing over-all themes around which to
build sustained action and information efforts.
At the country team level, all elements-political, military, economic
and informational-under the active leadership of the ambassador,
should develop a detailed operating plan in support of the OCB country
plan- This should be a fully integrated plan in all aspects, including
the psychological, and should point up the practical contributions which
each element of the team will make toward reaching stated objectives.
The Committee believes that it is important to achieve program eval-
uations of a more objective and critical character than has been the
case in the past. There is some question whether such evaluations, given
the understandable concerns and perspectives of operating agency rep-
resentatives, can be most effectively accomplished through the committee
approach. Nevertheless this Committee firmly believes that the respon-
sibility rests with the Board itself, and that the Board members should
give greater attention to meeting it.
The problem of dealing with the increasingly effective activities
of the Communist apparatus continues to present a very important
double need for constantly improved operational planning. One aspect
of the problem is to expand our influence on the people and governments
of the countries of the Sino-Soviet Bloc. The second aspect is to
counter the world-wide efforts of the Communist system outside its
own orbit. These problems are sufficiently urgent to warrant the
continuous effort of our best talent.
In the areas of foreign educational development, exchange of
persons, English language teaching, exhibits and trade fairs, and radio
and television, there is need for increased integration and coordination
of current efforts.
We believe that the OCB should address itself to the specific means
by which these various requirements can best be met. One'device would
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be the establishment of additional interagency mechanisms under the
OCB.
Recently an OCB committee was established to assure that new
scientific developments are presented abroad in such a way as to con-
tribute to the image of U. S. achievement. The charter of this com-
mittee might be broadened to provide a means of considering how
psychological factors can be integrated into governmental scientific and
technological .programs.
Periodic Over-all Review of Information Activities
Since World War II, two committees have been appointed by the
President to examine the field of governmental information activities
abroad. The predecessor to this Committee concluded its work in
June 1953.
During the past seven years the Communist threat has assumed
an immediacy and reality far beyond its previous dimensions. This
has created a whole new range of problems in the informational field
which will continue to multiply in the decade ahead. The Committee
therefore believes that more frequent independent reviews of the over-
all balance, interrelations and effectiveness of U.S. information activities
Is desirable, perhaps not less than once every three years.
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