Project Candor

Project Candor or Operation Candor was a public relations campaign run by the administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower. The thought behind the campaign was to inform the U.S. public of the facts as to the armaments race and the government's official analysis of those facts.[1] The goal the government wanted to achieve from Project Candor was to have an "informed and careful public", which would also still support necessary actions of their government.[1] The project set up a series of 6-minute nationwide Radio-TV talks that were to be held by administration officials. The talks' introduction and conclusion were to be held by the President. The planning of the campaign began in the spring of 1953.

Background

The background for Project Candor was that Eisenhower's administration found out of the nuclear weapons capabilities of the Soviet Union. When informed of their massive capabilities, Eisenhower became convinced that the U.S. public had a right to understand the dangers the US confronted in the USSR.[2] This coincided with the January 1953 report of the State Department Panel of Consultants on Disarmament, which recommended that the U.S. government practice less secrecy and more honesty towards the American people about these realities. Eisenhower liked this recommendation of the report and it led directly to Operation Candor being formed.[3]

In addition, Eisenhower needed U.S. public support on the great expenditure going to the government's nuclear arms race against the USSR. These talks would create understanding as to why the U.S. had to spend vast amounts on nuclear armament. Furthermore, by giving enough details regarding the huge arsenal of U.S. atomic weapons, Eisenhower and his administration hoped to deter the government in USSR and to reassure friendly nations of their security.[4] Project Candor was planned to be a series of 6-minute, nationwide Radio-TV talks introduced and concluded by the President, entitled: "The Age of Peril"[5] During these talks prominent political figures (for instance Eisenhower himself) and government officials would discuss topics such as: "The nature of Communism", "The threat to the United States" and "Communism at home".[6] There was disagreement within the administration as to both the message and timing of being "candid". Secretary of Treasury George Humphrey stated fear regarding: "telling the American people these grim facts before we[the government] were in a position to state concretely what steps the Government would take in building a defense against atomic attack."[7] On top of that, an operation called "candid" would imply that the government had been less candid earlier. Eisenhower's response revealed a somewhat idealistic approach to the project by claiming that a free government requires a well-informed public.[7]

Similar projects

The Atoms for Peace campaign was a part of Project Candor. Whereas Project Candor was more aimed at the U.S. public, the Atoms for Peace program was a global campaign aimed at convincing the world opinion that the U.S. was more interested in peace than in war.

See also

References
  1. Report to the National Security Council by the NSC Planning Board Washington, May 8, 1953
  2. Alsop, Stewart (September 21, 1953). "Eisenhower Pushes Operation Candor" (PDF). Eisenhower Presidential Library. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.
  3. Bernstein, Barton J. (Fall 1987). "Crossing the Rubicon: A Missed Opportunity to Stop the H-Bomb?". International Security. 14 (2): 154, 156. JSTOR 2538857.
  4. Cull, The United States Information Agency, 104
  5. Memorandum regarding "Operation Candor", White House Office, National Security Council Papers, 1953
  6. "Project "Candor" – to inform the public of the realities of the "Age of Peril"" (PDF). Eisenhower Presidential Library. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. July 22, 1953.
  7. Memorandum of Discussion at the 146th Meeting of the National Security Council, Wednesday, May 27, 1953
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