Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950–1955, The Intelligence Community, 1950–1955

2. National Security Council Report¹

NSC 59/1

Washington, March 9, 1950.

THE FOREIGN INFORMATION PROGRAM AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE PLANNING

1. Foreign information programs in periods of peace and psychological warfare programs in periods of national emergency or war are established instruments of national policy and must be continuously directed toward the achievement of national aims. Foreign information activities and related facilities of all departments and agencies of the U.S. Government comprise the essential elements of a national foreign information program in time of peace and the essential nucleus for psychological warfare in periods of national emergency and the initial stages of war.

2. To achieve continuity between peacetime and wartime plans and programs and to provide for the strengthening and coordination of all foreign information activities in time of peace and psychological warfare activities in time of national emergency and the initial stages of war:

a. The Secretary of State shall be responsible for:

(1) The formulation of policies and plans for a national foreign information program in time of peace. This program shall include all foreign information activities conducted by departments and agencies of the U. S. Government.

(2) The formulation of national psychological warfare policy in time of national emergency and the initial stages of war.

(3) The coordination of policies and plans for the national foreign information program and for overt psychological warfare with the Department of Defense, with other appropriate departments and agencies of the U. S. Government, and with related planning under the NSC–10 series.²

b. All departments and agencies of the U.S. Government shall formulate detailed plans in support of the overall plans, and shall insure the most effective coordination and utilization of their appropriate activities and facilities for the implementation of approved plans, policies, and programs.

3. There shall be established within the Department of State an organization to:

a. Initiate and develop interdepartmental plans, make recommendations, and otherwise advise and assist the Secretary of State in discharging his responsibilities for the national foreign information program in time of peace.

b. Make plans for overt psychological warfare, including recommendations for preparations for national emergency and the initial stages of war. Such plans shall be continuously coordinated with joint war plans through the planning agencies of the Department of Defense and where such plans have a direct impact on war plans they shall be subject to the concurrence of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

4. Plans prepared by this organization for overt psychological warfare in time of national emergency or the initial stages of war shall provide for:

a. Coordination of overt psychological warfare with:

(1) Covert psychological warfare.

(2) Censorship.

(3) Domestic information.

b. The employment and expansion, insofar as is feasible, of the activities and facilities which compose the national foreign information program in time of peace, in order to assure rapid transition to operations in time of national emergency or war.

c. Control of the execution of approved plans and policies by:

(1) the Department of Defense in theaters of military operations;

(2) the Department of State in areas other than theaters of military operations.

d. Transmittal of approved psychological warfare plans and policies to theater commanders through the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

5. The organization provided for in paragraph 3 above shall consist of:

a. A Director appointed by the Secretary of State after consultation with other departments and agencies represented on the National Security Council.

b. Policy consultants representing the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the National Security Resources Board.

c. A consultant representing the Director of Central Intelligence for matters relating to coordination with planning under the NSC–10 series.

d. A consultant representing the Joint Chiefs of Staff on NSC 59 and NSC 10/2 matters.

e. A staff composed of full-time personnel representing the Department of State, the Department of Defense, and the Central Intelligence Agency.

f. A liaison representative to the staff from the National Security Resources Board and such liaison representation or staff membership from other departments and agencies of the government as may be determined by the Director after consultation with the consultants.

6. The Department of State shall provide necessary space, secretarial staff, and such other administrative services as may be required for this organization.³

7. The NSC–4 and the NSC–43 series are hereby rescinded.⁴

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S–NSC Files: Lot 66 D 148, Psychological Warfare. Secret. NSC Action No. 283 recorded that the Council approved NSC 59 as amended by memorandum action of March 9. The report in its approved form (printed here) was circulated as NSC 59/1 under cover of a March 9 note from Lay and submitted to the President for consideration. NSC Action No. 283 is ibid., S/S–NSC Files: Lot 66 D 95, Records of Action by the National Security Council. A memorandum from Lay to the National Security Council, March 10, indicates that the President approved NSC 59/1 on March 10. (Ibid., S/P–NSC Files: Lot 62 D 1, 1935–62, Box 115)
2. For the NSC 10 series, see Foreign Relations, 1945–1950, Emergence of the Intelligence Establishment, Documents 283 ff.
3. See Document 17.
4. The NSC 43 series, “Planning for Wartime Conduct of Overt Psychlogical Warfare,” is in National Archives, RG 59, S/S–NSC Files: Lot 63 D 351, National Security Council Files. For text of NSC 4–A, December 9, 1947, see Foreign Relations, 1945–1950, Emergence of the Intelligence Establishment, Document 253. NSC 4, December 17, 1947, is ibid., Document 252.