Newspaper Article on President Eisenhower’s Proposed “Operation Candor” (1953)

Date: September 21, 1953

Created By: Stewart Alsop

Original or Replica: Original

Era: The Cold War, The Presidency

Collection: Eisenhower Presidential Library

Citations: Charles Masterson Papers, Box 1, Operation Candor; NAID #12022743

This document is a newspaper article written by journalist Stewart Alsop and published in The Washington Post on September 21, 1953. The article examines President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s efforts to develop Operation Candor, a proposed public information campaign designed to educate the American people about the realities of the Cold War, the Soviet Union’s growing nuclear capabilities, and the need for a strong national defense.

According to Alsop, President Eisenhower believed Americans deserved a more honest discussion about the nation’s security challenges, particularly after the Soviet Union successfully tested a hydrogen bomb. The article describes Eisenhower’s personal involvement in drafting a major speech on the subject and explains how new intelligence concerning Soviet military and scientific advances convinced him that the United States needed to better inform the public about the dangers posed by the Cold War. Alsop also discusses resistance within the administration from officials who feared that candidly discussing Soviet capabilities might create political difficulties or undermine public confidence.

Operation Candor was President Eisenhower’s effort to encourage a more informed public debate about national security by presenting Americans with an honest assessment of the nuclear arms race and the challenges facing the United States.