Foreign Relations of the United States, 1917–1972, Volume VIII, Public Diplomacy, 1969-1972

54. Note From the Special Assistant to the Associate Director and Deputy Associate Director, Research and Assessment, United States Information Agency (Krill) to the Associate Director, Research and Assessment (Strasburg)¹

Washington, December 4, 1969

SUBJECT

• IPS Output on Massacre Story²

IPS is concentrating on official statements of the U.S. Government. The White House statement, along with those of Secretaries Rogers, Laird and Resor have been stressed. They also carried the initial DOD announcement of DOD’s plans to investigate the case and to court marshal Lt. Calley.

IPS emphasis has been on official statements, following IOP policy guidance which pushes the line that this is an abhorrent act, the U.S. doesn’t condone it and is seeking the people responsible who will be punished. They are also picking up “selected” editorial comment which supports the U.S. Government line.

They haven’t treated the developing viewpoint that this should be considered as a normal “act of war.”

They have picked up some foreign editorials pointing out that only in America, which is an open society, could such a story become a public issue.

RFK

1. Source: National Archives, RG 306, Office of Research and Evaluation, Office of the Associate Director, Program Files, 1969–1978, Entry P–119, INF–IAF Alleged My Lai Massacre. No classification marking. Strasburg wrote “good” in the top right-hand corner of the note.
2. Reference is to the March 1968 massacre of more than a hundred Vietnamese civilians by a U.S. Army unit. In November 1969, the House and Senate Armed Services Committees held closed hearings concerning the unit’s actions. (Congress and the Nation, vol. III, 1969–1972, pp. 201–202) For additional information, see Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. VI, Vietnam, January 1969–July 1970, Documents 113 and 155.