Office of the Historian

254. Memorandum for the Record1

Washington, April 28, 1967.

SUBJECT

  • Minutes of the Meeting of the 303 Committee, 28 April 1967

PRESENT

  • Mr. Rostow, Mr. Thomas Hughes, Mr. Vance, and Mr. Helms
  • Mr. William Colby was present for Items 3 and 4
  • [Here follows discussion of unrelated subjects.]

3. Communist China—Covert Action Program

a.
Mr. Colby presented the group with a briefing2 of the expectations and accomplishments of the covert action program against China. He made no claims of major successes but was able to indicate specific results and improvement in [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] broadcasts at a time when Chinese on the mainland were more open to alternatives than at any time in their recent history.
b.
One instance was the statement by the Chinese musician defector which showed that one of a series of [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] broadcasts of which he was aware was actually believed by him and some of his circle to emanate from within China.
c.
In this connection, Mr. Colby pointed to the requested approval of an enlargement of this thrust by the addition of [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] broadcasts [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] from a 50 kilowatt transmitter which would have the advantage of being independent of GRC and would reach a larger audience. This was expected to constitute less than $300,000 of the total $1,084,700 requested.
d.
There was further discussion of coordinating themes and endeavouring to strike a suitable chord in such a fluid situation. The members approved the proposal in total although reserving some skepticism as to the measurability of its effect.
e.
In answer to a question from Mr. Vance, Mr. Colby briefly summarized collection problems [2 lines of source text not declassified] since the last presentation on 12 November 1964.

[Here follows discussion of unrelated subjects.]

Peter Jessup
  1. Source: Department of State, INR Historical Files, 303 Committee Files, 303 c.49, April 28, 1967. Secret; Eyes Only. Copies were sent to Kohler, Vance, and Helms. Prepared by Jessup on May 1.↩
  2. A copy of a CIA memorandum to the 303 Committee, April 14, on the subject “Covert Action Program Against Communist China,” is attached but not printed.↩