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Carter, John F. - Nazi Psychology and Seven Years War, January 1944
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Carter, John F. - Nazi Psychology and Seven Years War, January 1944
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PSF: Subject File
Carter, John Franklin
Naz, Psychology and the 7Yrs. War
1/19/84
PSF: 9.7 carter foccer
3-44 -
file
JOHN FRANKLIN CARTER
(Jay Franklin)
1210 NATIONAL PRESS BUILDING
WASHINGTON, D.C.
"The "We, Week the People" in Washington"
Metropolitan 4112
Metropolitan 4113
SHOREE
January 19, 1944.
REPORT ON NAZI PSYCHOLOGY AND THE SEVEN YEARS WAR.
I thought you might be interested in the attached report on Putzi's
reaction to a State Department study of the Seven Years War. Goebbels has
recently been using this as the theme for his domestic propaganda in the Reich.
JJC.
J.F.C.
DECLASSIFIED
By Deputy Archivist of the U.S.
By W. J. Stewart Date MAY 1 1972
PART XLIV
January 13, 1944
I delivered to Dr. S. yesterday afternoon a study
of the Seven Years War. This study was apparently pre-
pared with the idea that it might suggest to the Doctor
some way of attacking or refuting the German Frederickian
propaganda. I had an opportunity to read this memorandum
only once and the Doctor during my visit merely glanced
through it, remarking that it seemed very well done.
The memorandum itself expresses doubt that any
direct attack can be made on the Frederickian legend
and Dr. S. seemed yesterday, at least, of the same opinion.
He stated that in pointing out how German propaganda is
now drumming into the minds of the German people the
Frederickian legend of indomitable resistance in the face
of disaster, he did not intend to suggest that this propa-
ganda was susceptible of direct refutation. It was his
purpose in pointing out the use being made of the Seven
Years War by German propagandists to overcome the effects
of recent bombings and military defeats to focus atten-
tion on the frame of mind which German propaganda was
endeavoring to build up in the German people and to warn
us that it was unwise to assume by analogy from the last
war that present Germany would equally suddenly collapse.
REGRADED
UNCLASSIFIED
SECRET
- 2 -
As reported in an earlier memorandum, the Doctor points
out that the Kaiser's advisers did not have the same
personal experience of survival of disaster which is
shared by all the principal leaders of the Nazi party,
nor did the Kaiser have at his disposal a propaganda
machine, alert, determined, and conscious of its aims.
The Doctor feels that the only action which can be
taken to offset the Frederickian propaganda is for those
who control American propaganda to adopt an equally
serious and unified point of view. Our present propa-
ganda effort, in the Doctor's opinion, gives evidence
of lack of coordination of thought. We first build up
excessive optimism and are then compelled to preach
against that same optimism; authorities contradict each
other and the inevitable result, he feels, must be the
development of a spirit of skepticism with regard to all
official pronouncements. The Doctor, who as you know has
a son in the Pacific area, has been particularly irri-
tated by the publicity connected with the recent return
of Admiral Halsey. The Admiral's broadcasts making light
of Japanese opposition in the Pacific are qualified by
the Doctor as unworthy of even the most ordinary recruit-
ing sergeant and he considers the photographs of Halsey
beamingly surrounded by movie stars to be very bad
REGRADED
UNCLASSIFIED
SECRET
- 3 -
propaganda. He feels that Halsey's remarks must be re-
sented by the troops actually confronting the Japs and
must arouse considerable skepticism in the minds of the
public who read comment of an entirely different tenor in
the daily and weekly press.
The Doctor may, of course, have different ideas
after he has had an opportunity to give further study to
the Department's memorandum on the Seven Years War. His
first reaction, however, was that the Frederickian legend
cannot be directly attacked; we can only endeavor to off-
set it by building up in the American people an equally
resolute frame of mind by a seriously conceived and
properly coordinated propaganda program. Not being an
authority on American history he does not suggest what
episodes of our history could most appropriately be
played up to offset the Frederickian legend.
In addition to the foregoing I should like to ven-
ture a remark of my own with regard to the study on the
Seven Years War. On page 2 of this study it is stated
that the recovery of Silesia had become the prime point
I
in the foreign policy of Maria Theresa and Kaunitz, while
on page 14 it is stated that the military effort made by
Frederick was not successful enough to gain him anything
since the "Hubertusberg peace secured him in Silesia;
it granted him nothing beyond this."
REGRADED
UNCLASSIFIED
SECRET
- 4 -
Aside from the apparent inconsistency of the two
remarks, the latter seems to overlook the point that
the mere fact that Frederick was secured in Silesia was
of great ultimate consequence. Frederick gained no new
territory, to be sure, but he was confirmed in possession
of a very important previous conquest which later made it
necessary to c onsider him in the partition of Poland and
was also an important factor in the ultimate decline of
Austrian power.
Similarly, as was pointed out in a previous memo-
randum reporting the Doctor's remarks, it should not be
forgotten that Hitler, as a student of Frederick, may
well now be basing his plans on the belief that by hold-
ing out to the bitter end he may at least be able to
fight the war to a draw and this in the long run will
amount to a German victory.
REGRADED
UNCLASSIFIED
SECRET