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8184
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VIA LOX
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
WASHINGTON , D .C. 20506

November 10, 1983

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MEMORANDUM FOR JOHN D'AMECOURT
Chief of Operations Division
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Office of the Secretary of Defense (PA)
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SUBJECT;, . /Ir-
Attached is a recommended revision of the proposed guidance / £ ~ / ~
you sent me.
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~ Sirn
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Special Assistant to the
President and Director of
Public Affairs

Attachment
Revised Guidance
 DETERMINED TO BE
AN ADMINISTRATIVE MA;&:;
E.O. 1 • Sec. l.1 (
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FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY By NARA Dote O 7 .t-1

SUBJECT: Public Affairs Guidance - ABC TV film "The Day After"

1. Subject TV film will air on the ABC network, Sunday

evening, November 20. It portrays the aftermath of a
nuclear attack on the US suburban community, and is
realistic enough, despite technical discrepancies, to
have a strong emotional impact on viewers. Advance
publicity and controversy surrounding it will assure
a large national audience.

2. Strong interest is expected by local media in urban

areas with military installations. Media may want to
interview military commanders about the affect of such
an occurrence of the local area; the accuracy of film
content; and whether the USG is doing anything to lessen
threat of nuclear war.

3. Commanders, personnel in senior leadership positions and

public affairs officers are authorized to discuss same
with the following restrictions:

A. Before airing, decline comment on the film itself,

in as much as you have not seen it; and make no
attempt to discourage or encourage people, including
military personnel:,from viewing the film. (For your
information, some private organizations are urging
that children not view the film.)

B. You are encouraged to express confidence in USG

policies designed to prevent an occurrence the film
depicts from even happening, specifically deterrence
and our plan to lessen the threat of nuclear war
through mutual arms reductions.

C. Refrain from statements to the effect that the

occurrence the film depicts "could never happen."
Obviously, a key goal of our national security
policy is to prevent any such happening. Point
out that it is precisely because we know that nuclear
war would be horrible, t w~ eed a strong deterrent.

D. Refrain from criticism of the ABC TV network, the

film's producers, or the entertainment medium's role
in anti-nuclear activities.

E. Refrain from taking issue with the credibility of

the film's plot or its technical errors, e.g., war
fighting scenarios, civil defense procedures, and
exaggerations in the destruction depicted. (Any
 size nuclear war would be horrible, and nuclear war
can have no winners, only loosers.)

F. To avoid localizing the issue, refrain from comments

on how a nuclear attack might affect the local area,
or the chances of that area being a "target."

G. The United States government, through all Administr-

tions since World War II, has continually stressed the
horror of nuclear war. This U.S. concern is a major
part of the Administration's current efforts to
negotiate arms reductions with the Soviets.

H. Focus attention on steps already taken by the

Administration for example: confidence building
measures; recent agreement with NATO allies to
reduce number of warheads of NATO stockpile; proposal
to eliminate a whole class of missiles (INF) in
Europe; strategic arms reduction talks (START) in
Geneva.

I. Despair about the alleged inevitability of nuclear

war is not the answer. The vast majority of the
world's peoples genuinely want peace. Our basic
policies -- deterrence and arms reductions -- are
designed to preserve the peace and reduce tensions.
Deterrence has worked. f or nearly four decades,
America and its friends and allies have preserved
both peace and the fundamental values of personal
freedom, human dignity, democracy, and respect for
national independence and diversity.

4. Refer all queries concerning civil defense to Federal

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Washington, D.C. or local
offices.

5. Individuals asked to appear on TV to discuss film, or

issues in context of film, should decline to appear in debate
formats, and should inform OASD (PA) through public affairs
channels prior to appearing in other formats.

6. Addressees requiring further guidance, should contact the

OSD(PA) Operations Division, Autovon 225-3904/3907.
 .;

NSC/ S PROF ILE UNCLASSIFIED ID 8308184

RECEIVED 10 NOV 83 17

TO D'AMECOURT, J FROM SIMS DOCDATE 10 NOV 83

KEYWORDS . MEDIA INF

START START

SUBJECT . PUBLIC AFFAIRS GUIDANCE - THE DAY AFTER

ACTION ~ SIMS SGD MEMO DUE : STATUS C FILES WH

FOR ACTION FOR CONCURRENCE FOR INFO

SIMS

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