740.00119 Control (Germany)/10–3047: Telegram
The Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy) to the Secretary of State
3464. For the Secretary—Eyes Only. Referring to Clay’s statement at press conference on October 28 of his intention to carry out a frank expression of American views on Communism to the German people, Clay has instructed Information Control Division to conduct and manage this program. That division will be assisted by an advisory board consisting of directors of Political Affairs, Civil Affairs, Intelligence and Manpower Division. Information Control and Advisory Board are now considering a preliminary report of which the following is a summary:
A. General policy.
Press and radio material will not include attacks on other governments and specifically the Soviet Government, nor will attacks be made on leading personalities of other governments. Attacks will be concentrated on Communism as a system of government and its lack of protection of the rights of the individual. The effect of Communism as [Page 894] applied in Russia and other countries and in the Soviet zone of Germany may be included. Use will be made of military government and other American personnel.
B. Overt operations.
All overt media will be used including all five radio stations. Radio programs will include talks by American and selected German personnel. Such programs will also include plays with entertainment value and critical of the Soviet system. The overt publications will carry anti-Communistic material and present the American viewpoint towards Communism. The circulation of Die Neue Zeitung will be substantially increased and the War Department has been requested to supply additional newsprint for the purpose. With respect to information centers, they will participate in the program only to the extent of disseminating positive information with respect to the American system of democracy and will not ordinarily be used as distribution centers for anti-Communist material.
C. Licensed German press and magazines.
No pressure will be placed upon such licensees and they will retain freedom to express their own political views under limitations set forth in ACA directive 40 and ICD regulation 3. However, licensees: will be advised that they may henceforth deal with the subject of Communism as a system and with the attempt being made to apply it in Germany and in other parts of the world, and describe how it functions in the Soviet Union. Criticism of the Soviet Government or of other governments, including their leading personalities, will not be permitted.
D. Interzonal flow of printed matter.
OMGUS will continue to support the principles of ACA directive 55. At present there is a heavy flow of vituperative anti-American material into the American zone from the Soviet zone. While protest may be made to the Soviet military administration regarding contents no action will be taken at this time to ban or confiscate the material. However, if printed matter from American zone is confiscated or refused distribution in Soviet zone retaliatory action in the form of ban or confiscation may subsequently be taken. There is evidence that the KP in US zone is acting as distributor for various anti-American publications and this action, which is in violation of ICD regulations, will be terminated. Party publications and pamphlets issued by the KP in the US zone must abide by ACA directive 40 in the same manner as German publications and will be suspended if violations take place. End summary.
OMGUS divisions represented on the Advisory Board have been requested to designate personnel for continued activity on this project and to submit a list of subjects for which they will be primarily responsible. Political Affairs Division will suggest that its primary contribution will be to make certain that publicity efforts under this program are consistent with American foreign policy toward the USSR. It is foreseen that cases may readily arise where propaganda material [Page 895] of value inside Germany may have unfortunate reactions in other countries and Political Affairs will attempt to influence the output in such manner as to avoid these difficulties. Furthermore, Political Affairs will supply background information respecting Soviet foreign policy and particularly on its support of Communist activity and policies.
To be effective in this advisory board and to avoid inconsistencies and contradictions which may affect general Departmental policy towards the Soviet Union, I believe that I shall have to assign one officer full time to this project. Furthermore, I very much hope that the flow of information telegrams respecting Soviet action in all parts of the world and important American policy developments touching in any way upon the Soviet Union can be promptly and continuously telegraphed to USPolAd. Otherwise I fear that publicity material may appear in Germany which might contravene established American policies towards other countries.
General Clay has not yet given his final approval to the program outlined above but has indicated his general acquiescence in this plan.85 In this connection, please see an exchange of cables between Draper and Clay of October 29 and 30.86 If Department has any serious objections to the plans as outlined to date I recommend that this matter be discussed at once at high level with Department of the Army without reference to this telegram as the project is moving ahead and taking form here.
- Airgram A–633, November 19, 1947, from Berlin, not printed, reported that the campaign entitled “Democracy versus Communism” was launched in Berlin on November 13 over the United States Zone radio network. In accordance with Gen. Clay’s instructions, the radio broadcasts were to be maintained “on high intellectual and philosophical plane without invective, invidious comparisons, or attacks on the Soviet Government, SMA, or Soviet officials.” The radio broadcasts were to be followed up in the press by factual information in support of the more generalized statements (740.00119 Control (Germany)/11–1947).↩
- Neither printed.↩