Office of the Historian

State–PSB files, lot 62 D 333, “PSB Documents”

No. 572
Paper Approved by the Psychological Strategy Board1

top secret
PSB D 40/1
[Washington,] March 19, 1953.

Staff Support for PSB Implementation of NSC Action 734 d (3)

It is recommended that the Board establish an Interdepartmental Working Group along the following lines:

A.
Title: Working Group (Stalin). Symbol, WGS.
B.
Composition: One member each will be designated by the agencies represented on the Psychological Strategy Board: State, Defense, CIA and ODM. (Each should serve as the personal representative of the Board member from his agency and enjoy ready access to his principal for policy guidance and resolution of interdepartmental differences.) The Director of the PSB Staff or one of his senior assistants will act as Mr. Jackson’s representative and will serve as chairman of the Group. Ad hoc participation, as needed, will be sought from the Treasury, Commerce and Justice Departments, and the Bureau of the Budget. Other agencies may be added from time to time at the discretion of the Chairman of PSB. These agencies will be requested to designate a high-level officer to serve with the WGS as appropriate.
C.
Terms of Reference:
1.
The basic purpose of WGS will be to assist the Board in arranging “a coordinated and sustained emphasis and follow-up on the President’s address2 by all appropriate departments and agencies, both at home and abroad.”
2.
It will do this by serving as a continuous channel by which action on the psychological exploitation of the situation is coordinated and expedited.
3.
In addition to the President’s address, WGS will be guided by the outline plan, “Psychological Exploitation of Stalin’s Death” (if and when approved in revised form by the Board),3 but also will constantly review this plan in the light of the developing situation and propose changes when needed.
a.
WGS will supervise preparation and coordination of supporting psychological plans and projects for operations implementing the strategic concept set forth in Part I.
b.
WGS will recommend political, military and economic actions of psychological importance in support of the overall program.
c.
WGS will arrange for adequate intelligence support to permit timely and well-phased execution or revision of plans.
4.
While WGS will not have authority to give orders to anyone, it should serve as a useful catalyst in securing action by regular agency channels. Matters of major importance will of course be referred by it to the Board.
D.
Reporting: The Chairman of WGS will report formally to the Chairman of PSB, twice monthly, on the development and implementation of the whole program.

  1. Approved by the PSB at its informal meeting on Mar. 19; see supra.↩
  2. See Document 583.↩
  3. The plan was approved and subsequently circulated as PSB D–40, Apr. 23. (PSB files lot 62 D 333, “PSB Documents”)↩