PPS Files: Lot 64 D 563: Germany
Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Webb) to the Executive Secretary of the National Security Council (Lay)1
NSC 70/1
Subject: NSC 70, “May Day and Whitsuntide Youth Rallies in Berlin.”
In connection with the scheduled discussion of NSC 70 at the May 4 meeting of the Council, it is requested that you make the following comments of the Secretary of State available to the members in advance of the meeting:
The course of action outlined in Mr. Pace’s memorandum seems quite proper and I believe the Council should take note of and approve the general line taken. However, this action should in no way preclude our taking such additional steps as may prove necessary in the light of new developments. In line with this, I think we should not attempt to adhere to a rigid plan but should permit our people in the field a good measure of flexibility in dealing with the situation.
I believe the recommendation that our information media should in the future stress the primary responsibility of the Germans in maintaining law and order is a good one. As a matter of fact, we are orienting our propaganda output along these lines, and we shall continue to do so.
The following is a summary of the propaganda counter-attractions arranged by the Office of the United States High Commissioner for the time of the rally and immediately thereafter. These counter-attractions are designed to detract from the preparations made by the Communists and turn the rally into a United States propaganda advantage;
1. Exhibits and Cultural Events
- a)
- An Automobile Show is now scheduled for West Berlin to run from May 27 to June 4. So far eight major U.S. automobile manufacturers have agreed to participate, including Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. Arrangements for the sale of exhibition models are also being discussed. Six European manufacturers have already agreed to participate.
- b)
- UNESCO Rights of Man exhibit in West Berlin has been scheduled for May.
- c)
- A Cultural Congress has been arranged for June under the direction of Mr. Lasky.
- d)
- Other cultural events such as Theater Week, Motion Picture Week, et cetera, are scheduled to run from the middle of May to the middle of September. In this connection, the Executive Office of the White House has promised publicity assistance through the Advertising Council of America.
The Council’s first suggestion, which has already been adopted, was to refer to the Western Sectors of Berlin in the future as “Free Berlin”. In addition, the Advertising Council has instituted a campaign to solicit additional CARE packages for Western Berlin, and the distribution of special relief items through CRALOG* is being planned.
2. Activities of the U. S. Overt Media The U. S. overt media in Berlin and Western Germany have been preparing to support such counter-attractions as will be established and are being guided in this effort by a special guidance forwarded to them by the Department. At the present time we are making every effort to show, on the one hand, that the West will take a determined stand in Berlin and, on the other, that the Soviet Union is attempting to exploit German youth to foster its own ends. This propaganda line is intended to instill fear in Soviet Zone parents so that they may prevent their children from participating in the rally. Intelligence reports to date show that this line has been fairly successful.
Soviet disavowals of violent intentions are noted with caution. Media have been instructed to emphasize the defensive aspects of our preparations stating that the U. S. would be only too glad if the Whitsuntide weekend passes without any major disturbances and our preparations prove unnecessary.2
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- Attached to the source text was a memorandum by Lay, not printed, transmitting Webb’s memorandum to the National Security Council for discussion at its meeting on May 4.↩
- Council of Relief Agencies Licensed For Operation In Germany [Footnote in the source text.]↩
- There is no record in the Department of State files of any action by the National Security Council on NSC 70/1. The paper appears to have been disposed of by NSC Action No. 297.↩