One of the most interesting memoranda, from George Kennan--a key figure in the development of US Cold War policy. What role did the "father of containment" envision for the newly founded CIA? |
269. Policy Planning Staff Memorandum
Washington, May 4, 1948.
//Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 273, Records of the
National Security Council,
NSC 10/2. Top Secret. No drafting information appears on the source text. An
earlier, similar version, April 30,
is ibid., RG 59, Records of the Department of State, Policy Planning Staff Files
1944-47: Lot 64 D 563, Box
11. The Policy Planning Staff minutes for May 3 state: "There was a
discussion of the Planning Staff
Memorandum of April 30, 1948 on the inauguration of organized political warfare.
This paper was generally
approved and Mr. Kennan will present it tomorrow for discussion at a meeting of
NSC consultants." (Ibid., Box
32)
The Problem
The inauguration of organized political warfare.
Analysis
1. Political warfare is the logical application of Clausewitz's doctrine in time
of peace. In broadest definition,
political warfare is the employment of all the means at a nation's command,
short of war, to achieve its national
objectives. Such operations are both overt and covert. They range from such
overt actions as political alliances, economic measures (as ERP--the Marshall
Plan), and "white" propaganda to such covert operations as
clandestine support of "friendly" foreign elements, "black"
psychological warfare and even encouragement of underground resistance in
hostile states.
2. The creation, success, and survival of the British Empire has been due in
part to the British understanding and application of the principles of political
warfare. Lenin so synthesized the teachings of Marx and Clausewitz that the
Kremlin's conduct of political warfare has become the most refined and effective
of any in history. We have been handicapped however by a popular attachment to
the concept of a basic difference between peace and war, by a tendency to view
war as a sort of sporting context outside of all political context, by a
national tendency to seek for a political cure-all, and by a reluctance to
recognize the realities of international relations--the perpetual rhythm of
struggle, in and out of war.
3. This Government has, of course, in part consciously and in part
unconsciously, been conducting political
warfare. Aggressive Soviet political warfare has driven us overtly first to the
Truman Doctrine, next to ERP, then to sponsorship of Western Union [1-1/2 lines
of source text not declassified]. This was all political warfare
and should be recognized as such.
4. Understanding the concept of political warfare, we should also recognize that
there are two major types of
political warfare--one overt and the other covert. Both, from their basic
nature, should be directed and
coordinated by the Department of State. Overt operations are, of course, the
traditional policy activities of any
foreign office enjoying positive leadership, whether or not they are recognized
as political warfare. Covert
operations are traditional in many European chancelleries but are relatively
unfamiliar to this Government.
5. Having assumed greater international responsibilities than ever before in our
history and having been engaged by the full might of the Kremlin's political
warfare, we cannot afford to leave unmobilized our resources for covert
political warfare. We cannot afford in the future, in perhaps more serious
political crises, to scramble into impromptu covert operations [1 line of source
text not declassified].
6. It was with all of the foregoing in mind that the Policy Planning Staff began
some three months ago/2/ a
consideration of specific projects in the field of covert operations, where they
should be fitted into the structure
of this Government, and how the Department of State should exercise direction
and coordination.
/2/Although the following page of the source text indicates that 3 lines were
missing from the bottom of the
previous page, a comparison with the April 30 version of the memorandum cited in
the source note above finds that no words were missing.
7. There are listed below projects which have been or are now being suggested by
the Staff:
a. Liberation Committees.
Purpose: To encourage the formation of a public American organization which will
sponsor selected political
refugee committees so that they may (a) act as foci of national hope and revive
a sense of purpose among
political refugees from the Soviet World; (b) provide an inspiration for
continuing popular resistance within the
countries of the Soviet World; and (c) serve as a potential nucleus for all-out
liberation movements in the event
of war.
Description: This is primarily an overt operation which, however, should receive
covert guidance and possibly
assistance from the Government. It is proposed that trusted private American
citizens be encouraged to establish a public committee which would give support
and guidance in U.S. interests to national movements (many of them now in
existence) publicly led by outstanding political refugees from the Soviet World,
such as Mikolajczyk and Nagy [of Poland and Hungary, respectively]. The
American Committee should be so selected and organized as to cooperate closely
with this Government. The functions of the American Committee should be limited
to enabling selected refugee leaders [to keep alive as public figures with
access to printing presses and microphones. It should not engage in underground
activities.]/3/
/3/The words in brackets were taken from the April 30 version; see footnote 1
above.
What is proposed here is an operation in the traditional American form:
organized public support of resistance to tyranny in foreign countries.
Throughout our history, private American citizens have banded together to
champion the cause of freedom for people suffering under oppression. (The
Communists and Zionists have exploited this tradition to the extreme, to their
own ends and to our national detriment, as witness the Abraham Lincoln brigade
during the Spanish Civil War and the current illegal Zionist activities.) Our
proposal is that this tradition be revived specifically to further American
national interests in the present crisis.
[1 heading and 2 paragraphs (21-1/2 lines of source text) not declassified]
c. Support of Indigenous Anti-Communist Elements in Threatened Countries of the
Free World.
Purpose: To strengthen indigenous forces combating communism in countries where
Soviet political warfare is a threat to our national security.
Description: This is a covert operation again utilizing private intermediaries.
To insure cover, the private
American organizations conducting the operation should be separate from the
organizations mentioned in
previous projects. [3 lines of source text not declassified] This project is a
matter of urgency because the
communists are reported to be planning the disruption of ERP through labor
disturbances in France. [2 lines of
source text not declassified]
d. Preventive Direct Action in Free Countries.
Purpose: Only in cases of critical necessity, to resort to direct action to
prevent vital installations, other material, or personnel from being (1)
sabotaged or liquidated or (2) captured intact by Kremlin agents or agencies.
Description: This covert operation involves, for example, (1) control over
anti-sabotage activities in the
Venezuelan oil fields, (2) American sabotage of Near Eastern oil installations
on the verge of Soviet capture, and (3) designation of key individuals
threatened by the Kremlin who should be protected or removed elsewhere.
8. It would seem that the time is now fully ripe for the creation of a covert
political warfare operations directorate within the Government. If we are to
engage in such operations, they must be under unified direction. One man must be
boss. And he must, as those responsible for the overt phases of political
warfare, be answerable to the Secretary of State, who directs the whole in
coordination.
9. [6-1/2 lines of source text not declassified]
10. The National Security Council Secretariat would seem to provide the best
possible cover for such a
directorate. Such cover would also permit a direct chain of command from the
Secretary of State and be a
natural meeting ground for close collaboration with the military establishment.
Recommendations
11. There should promptly be established, under the cover of the National
Security Council Secretariat, a
directorate of political warfare operations to be known as the Consultative (or
Evaluation) Board of the National Security Council.
12. The Director should be designated by the Secretary of State and should be
responsible to him.
13. The Director should have initially a staff of 4 officers designated by the
Department of State and 4 officers
designated by the Secretary of National Defense.
14. The Board should have complete authority over covert political warfare
operations conducted by this
Government. It should have the authority to initiate new operations and to bring
under its control or abolish
existing covert political warfare activities.
15. Specifically, (a) the four projects mentioned in paragraph 7 above should be
activated by the Board and (b) covert political warfare now under CIA and
theater commanders abroad should be brought under the authority of the Board.
16. The coordination of the above covert operations with the overt conduct of
foreign policy should, of course,
be accomplished through the offices of the Secretary and Under Secretary of
State.