Colonel WAGASKY. This is a similar question that the chief counsel asked previously, Senator. I cannot make an observation on Colonel Carter's statement as presented in your question. My office for the 2 years that I have been in Continental Air Command has been open to the services of the information officer. He has used me and the Intelligence Directorate and I am ready to help him again. Senator THURMOND. In other words, your services are available to him? Colonel WAGASKY. Yes, sir. WHETHER COMMAND IS KEPT ADVISED ABOUT LOCAL EXTREMISTS Senator THURMOND. Is your command kept advised by Air Force or other agency as to local extremists, their activities, and their effects on the military? Colonel WAGASKY. Yes, sir. Senator THURMOND. Is such information usually classified? Colonel WAGASKY. Yes, sir. Senator THURMOND. Colonel, have you had psychological warfare training or experience, and if so, would you briefly describe them? Colonel WAGASKY. No, sir. EVALUATION OF AIR FORCE MANUAL 205-5: "GUIDANCE FOR SECURITY INDOCTRINATION” Senator THURMOND. Colonel, I have here Air Force Manual 205-5, "Guidance for Security Indoctrination" dated May 1955. We are impressed by this document, it is hard hitting and leaves not a doubt as to the benefits of freedom and the dangers of communism. The art work is particularly good. Note the dramatic art work opposite pages 1 and 7. Colonel WAGASKY. Yes, sir. Senator THURMOND. You can peruse through and see some of the others. This book contains excellent, brief narrative treatment of the American social and economic system and of threat of communism and its role in subversion and propaganda. Excellent bibliographies are provided for reference reading. Pertinent questions and answers are provided on communism. Reliance is placed on officially authenticated materials, including the 100 questions and answers taken from the publication of the House Committee on Un-American Activities. There are included six lectures on enemy methods of operation in the United States and means to combat them. None of the materials included are classified. Guidance is provided for instructors in how to give the most effective presentation. This fine publication, I am sorry to say, is not now in circulation in the Air Force. This is the type of material I would like to see adopted by the Department of Defense. Colonel, are you familiar with this book and if so, where have you seen or used it, and what is your evaluation of it? Colonel WAGASKY. This is the first time I have seen M-205-5 May 1955. From a cursory glance, I agree with you wholeheartedly that what you say is true. It appears to be all that you say it is. DOD PAMPHLETS "KNOW YOUR COMMUNIST ENEMY” Senator THURMOND. This Air Force material is similar to the DOD pamphlets "Know Your Communist Enemy." These, too, were discontinued. Are you familiar with them? Colonel WAGASKY. Yes, sir, I recall these. Senator THURMOND. Colonel, now we have found some of what I call "Go easy on communism" publications. "Gateways to Security for 1962," is one of these. Colonel WAGASKY. I beg your pardon, sir. Are you finished with this "Know Your Communist Enemy"? You asked me if I was familiar with it. Senator THURMOND. I meant to ask you your opinion of these. Colonel WAGASKY. The same as the previous publication 205-5, sir. Senator THURMOND.__You feel that this is an excellent publication? Colonel WAGASKY. Yes, sir. DISCUSSION ON PAMPHLET "GATEWAYS TO SECURITY FOR 1962" Senator THURMOND. Now, going back to this "Gateways to Security for 1962," it is one of those types of pamphlets that I call "go easy on communism." It is an Air Force Intelligence publication, and its distribution included two to your command. From our point of view it seems superficial. It does not deal with Communist subversion and propaganda, a very significant omission, in my opinion. Can you tell us the source of this publication and whether you have reviewed or used it? Colonel WAGASKY. I do not know the source. I have not seen the publication, sir, although the distribution list indicates two for CONAC. Perusing the document, it does not have any credit line. Senator THURMOND. I will not ask you to take time to read through it all, unless you feel that you should. Colonel WAGASKY. I just happened to note "Prepared by the Director, OSI IG USAF" on one of the inner pages. This is the source. Senator THURMOND. You say you had not seen it before? Colonel WAGASKY. I had not, sir. Senator THURMOND. Further review of this publication shows very brief reference to local security educational materials, on pages 24 and 25, and a quarterly kit. Do you see the reference? Colonel WAGASKY. Yes, sir. Senator THURMOND. My point is that the training films on communism referred to are not pertinent to the subject. Some are out of date. This would have been an appropriate place for the film "Security Subversion" (TF 1-5316) and other pertinent films of equal effectiveness. My question is: How can you explain the omission of thorough treatment of infiltration, subversion and propaganda and omission of references to appropriate training aids in this publication, "Gateways to Security for 1962" Colonel WAGASKY. Will you repeat the question, please, sir? Senator THURMOND. I was just wondering if you could explain, but since you have not seen it, I do not guess you can, Colonel. Colonel WAGASKY. I cannot, sir. Senator THURMOND. It omitted treatment of infiltration, subversion, and propaganda, and omitted references to appropriate training films and so forth. Colonel WAGASKY. I understand. Senator THURMOND. Colonel, where may we look at the present time for training materials which would cover Communist subversion and propaganda for the lower echelons and personnel? Colonel WAGASKY. In CONAC we can look to the Air Intelligence Training Bulletin, as such, films and the news extracts that the information program puts out plus the troop information program as directed by Headquarters USAF. Senator THURMOND. Should this not have been included in "Gateways to Security for 1962," the one I showed you a few moments ago, that omitted the list of films and also omitted information on subversion and propaganda? Colonel WAGASKY. I do not understand the sequence, Senator. Senator THURMOND. A few moments ago I handed you the "Gateways to Security." Colonel WAGASKY. Yes. Senator THURMOND. This was a publication which I called "go easy on communism." Colonel WAGASKY. Yes, sir. Senator THURMOND. And it did not embrace information on infiltration, subversion and propaganda, and also omitted references to appropriate training aids. The question I asked then was about the training aids. Should there not have been reference to training aids in this, if it is going to be put out as a training publication? Colonel WAGASKY. Yes, sir. EVALUATION OF FILM "IRON CURTAIN LANDS" Senator THURMOND. Colonel, we have reviewed the Air Force film "Iron Curtain Lands," (TF 1-5266), and feel that the training film is not only innocuous but misleading in content. It is an extremely poor vehicle for orienting service personnel on the Communist threat. Have you see this film, do you know if it has been shown in your command, and could you give us your evaluation of it? Colonel WAGASKY. I dimly recall seeing this movie. I cannot give you an evaluation at this time, sir, and I do not know if it was shown to the troops. Senator THURMOND. Would you want to evalute that and give us your opinion of it, supply that for the record? Colonel WAGASKY. I do not recall it vividly enough to give an opinion at this time, sir. Senator THURMOND. I mean later could you arrange to see it and then give us your evaluation of it? Colonel WAGASKY. Yes, sir. Senator THURMOND. If you will just send that in to the committee so it can be included in the record. 80752-62-pt. 6- -5 (The information requested is as follows:) Colonel Wagasky reviewed the film TF 1-5266 "Iron Curtain Lands" on May 24, 1962. His personal opinion of the film is the same as that expressed by Senator Thurmond, namely that the film is innocuous and misleading in content, and that it is an extremely poor vehicle for orienting service personnel on the Communist threat. The Office of Information, Headquarters, Continental Air Command has stated that to the best of their knowledge this film has not been shown to troops in the Continental Air Command. EVALUATION OF AIR FORCE FILM "SECURITY SUBVERSION" Senator THURMOND. We have also reviewed the Air Force film "Security Subversion" (TF 1-5316), which was adopted from a Royal Canadian Air Force film. We found this a hard-hitting film, depicting a practical example of Communist subversion. I was wondering if you had seen this film. Colonel WAGASKY. I had seen the film, and I agree with the Senator's remarks. Senator THURMOND. Colonel, has that film been shown to Air Force reservists? Colonel WAGASKY. I do not know if they were shown the film, or to whom. EVALUATION OF "OPERATION ABOLITION” Senator THURMOND. Colonel, I believe you stated you had seen the film "Operation Abolition." Have you used that in your training? Colonel WAGASKY. To the best of my knowledge, it has not been used, as an accepted film on the training list. Senator THURMOND. It has been removed from the prescribed list of training films now. I was just wondering if you knew, prior to that, if it was used or not? Colonel WAGASKY. I do not know, sir. I do not know. Senator THURMOND. I believe you stated you considered it-or did you evaluate that film? If you did not, I would like you to evaluate it. Did you express your opinion on that? Colonel WAGASKY. As I stated before, sir, I thought it was an excellent film. Senator THURMOND. It actually shows the Communists at work? Senator THURMOND. In this country. Are you personally familiar with the many and varied Communistfront efforts to compromise the use of this film by making it controversial and questionable as to validity? Colonel WAGASKY. No, sir; I am not. Senator THURMOND. Do you know what specific Communist fronts have created the controversy over the film "Operation Abolition"? Colonel WAGASKY. No, sir; I do not. Senator THURMOND. Are you familiar with the committee for the Abolishment of the House Committee on Un-American Activities? Colonel WAGASKY. Only what the newspapers have stated, sir, but nothing officially. Senator THURMOND. Were you or your intelligence staff consulted as to content and accuracy of the film "Operation Abolition" before or after the restricting of its use as an authorized training film? Colonel WAGASKY. No, sir. ACTIVITIES OF "FAIR PLAY FOR CUBA" ORGANIZATION Senator THURMOND. Are you familiar with the organization "Fair Play for Cuba," and can you give us the key organizers of this proCastro agitational group? Colonel WAGASKY. I just know of the name, sir. I do not know the key organizers or any of its composition. Senator THURMOND. Were you aware of the fact that Frank Wilkinson, a well-known Communist who organized resistance against congressional inquiry into communism in California, recently served one year for contempt of court? Colonel WAGASKY. Reading it in the newspapers, sir, he and Gus Hall were in similar circumstances. Senator THURMOND. "Fair Play for Cuba" organized a Columbia student rally at St. Nicholas Arena in New York City to have Frank Wilkinson address some 2,000 students during April 1961. Do you feel enough is being done to acquaint the American military with these all-out Communist propaganda efforts? Colonel WAGASKY. Being in the intelligence field, Senator, a man would be foolish not to blow his own horn and move forward in this most important sphere. To me, not enough is being done. This is a personal opinion of mine as an intelligence officer. HOUSE COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES REPORT "COMMUNIST TARGET-YOUTH" Senator THURMOND. Have you seen the House Committee on UnAmerican Activities report "Communist Target-Youth," dated July 1960, Document No. 67564, published by the Government Printing Office? Colonel WAGASKY. Yes, sir. Senator THURMOND. Has any attempt been made to distribute this document through your channels to Air Force Reserve units? Colonel WAGASKY. No, sir. ATTACKS ON FILM "OPERATION ABOLITION" Senator THURMOND. Colonel, because of your former assignment at Mitchel Air Force Base in the New York metropolitan area, I should like to review with you the techniques used by Communist fronts and organizations sympathetic to current Communist propaganda objectives in the United States to negate the important message in the film "Operation Abolition." This film contains the type of information on Communist activities which I believe are important for intelligence officers in the services. They need to comprehend the techniques of subversion directed against the U.S. Government, our military forces, law, order, and justice. The all-out effort to create controversy about the film "Operation Abolition" began in about April 1961, shortly after the Department of Defense had decided to place a restriction on the use of "Operation Abolition" for troop information use. Are you familiar with this restriction? |