THE REPORT OF THE SPECIAL STUDY GROUP
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
To the convener of this Group:
Attached is the Report of the Special Study Group established by you in
August, 1963, 1) to consider the problems involved in the contingency of a
transition to a general condition of peace, and 2) to recommend procedures for
dealing with this contingency. For the convenience of nontechnical readers we
have elected to submit our statistical supporting data, totaling 604 exhibits,
separately, as well as a preliminary manual of the "peace games" method
devised during the course of our study.
We have completed our assignment to the best of our ability, subject to the
limitations of time and resources available to us. Our conclusions of fact and
our recommendations are unanimous; those of use who differ in certain
secondary respects from the findings set forth herein do not consider these
differences sufficient to warrant the filing of a minority report. It is our earnest
hope that the fruits of our deliberations will be of value to our government in its
efforts to provide leadership to the nation in solving the complex and far-
reaching problems we have examined, and that our recommendations for
subsequent Presidential action in this area will be adopted.
Because of the unusual circumstances surrounding the establishment of this
Group, and in view of the nature of its findings, we do not recommend that this
Report be released for publication. It is our affirmative judgment that such
action would not be in the public interest. The uncertain advantages of public
discussion of our conclusions and recommendations are, in our opinion, greatly
outweighed by the clear and predictable danger of a crisis in public confidence
which untimely publication of this Report might be expected to provoke. The
likelihood that a lay reader, unexposed to the exigencies of higher political or
military responsibility, will misconstrue the purpose of this project, and the
intent of its participants, seems obvious. We urge that circulation of this Report
be closely restricted to those whose responsibilities require that they be apprised
of its contents.
We deeply regret that the necessity of anonymity, a prerequisite to our Group's
unhindered pursuit of its objectives, precludes proper acknowledgment of our
gratitude to the many persons in and out of government who contributed so
greatly to our work.
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
To the convener of this Group:
Attached is the Report of the Special Study Group established by you in
August, 1963, 1) to consider the problems involved in the contingency of a
transition to a general condition of peace, and 2) to recommend procedures for
dealing with this contingency. For the convenience of nontechnical readers we
have elected to submit our statistical supporting data, totaling 604 exhibits,
separately, as well as a preliminary manual of the "peace games" method
devised during the course of our study.
We have completed our assignment to the best of our ability, subject to the
limitations of time and resources available to us. Our conclusions of fact and
our recommendations are unanimous; those of use who differ in certain
secondary respects from the findings set forth herein do not consider these
differences sufficient to warrant the filing of a minority report. It is our earnest
hope that the fruits of our deliberations will be of value to our government in its
efforts to provide leadership to the nation in solving the complex and far-
reaching problems we have examined, and that our recommendations for
subsequent Presidential action in this area will be adopted.
Because of the unusual circumstances surrounding the establishment of this
Group, and in view of the nature of its findings, we do not recommend that this
Report be released for publication. It is our affirmative judgment that such
action would not be in the public interest. The uncertain advantages of public
discussion of our conclusions and recommendations are, in our opinion, greatly
outweighed by the clear and predictable danger of a crisis in public confidence
which untimely publication of this Report might be expected to provoke. The
likelihood that a lay reader, unexposed to the exigencies of higher political or
military responsibility, will misconstrue the purpose of this project, and the
intent of its participants, seems obvious. We urge that circulation of this Report
be closely restricted to those whose responsibilities require that they be apprised
of its contents.
We deeply regret that the necessity of anonymity, a prerequisite to our Group's
unhindered pursuit of its objectives, precludes proper acknowledgment of our
gratitude to the many persons in and out of government who contributed so
greatly to our work.
