Scientology Critical Information Directory

This site is best viewed using a highly standards-compliant browser

The Brainwashing manual: Timeline

«We can brainwash faster than the Russians (20 secs to total amnesia against three years to slightly confused loyalty).» — L. Ron Hubbard, HCO Technical Bulletin of 22 July 1956

1951, May 14 "... notes I have on psychological warfare ..."
1954, September 20 "... will give you the word on Civil Defense Handbook very shortly ..."
1955, ? "What we need to put out is a manual of psych-military something or other...as coming from the communists and then put a lot of psychiatry in it."
1955, July 27 "... does not wish to have 'Civil Defense' published ..."
1955, July 29 L. Ron Hubbard 'priming' authorities on the idea that his organization is of high interest to Russia? Keep in mind that the "Russian Textbook on Psychopolitics" is released to authorities not long after this letter.
1955, September 4 "The general appearance should be like an Army training manual."
1955, September 6 "... we could run a second run of BRAINWASHING right along with the first run ..."
1955, September 7 "After three quiet years in the Phoenix area we forwarded to the Defense Department data on brain-washing."
1955, September 10 "You can print the additional 5,000 with the first or second run at your choice."
1955, September 30 In Professional Auditor's Bulletin # 62, Hubbard publicly declare war on psychiatry.
1955, ? "BRAIN-WASHING / A Synthesis of the Russian Textbook on Psychopolitics"
1955, December 13 "Some of the mystery concerning the manuscript on brainwashing which came into our hands in Phoenix was resolved. ..."
1955, December 16 "We are enclosing our printing of what appears to be a Communist manual on Psychopolitics."
1955, December 19 "BRAINWASHING MANUAL HISTORY ... in Phoenix there came into our hands two manuscripts on the subject. ..."
1956, January 4 "I'll let you know as soon as Ron writes the new Brain Washing Book."
1956, January 10 "... pamphlet giving forth the basic materials of brainwashing be circulated only amongst very trusted personnel in the organization and that it be withheld from general public release. ..."
1956, February 3 "Recently we received in the mail a copy of the pamphlet entitled Brain-Washing: A Synthesis of the Russian Textbook on Psychopolitics."
1956, April 17 "... authenticity of this booklet seems to be of a doubtful nature ... there are no quotations from well-known communist works ..."
1956, August 15 "I have scheduled here a book, hard cover, on Brainwashing. I have Pavlov's secret ms that was never before out of the Kremlin."
1956, September 10 "I have received your communication regarding the new brainwashing book on which I am working"
1956, October 27 "We received Ron's manuscript on Civil Defense, and shall be making up a schedule for that right away. In talking with Ron, don't forget to urge him along on the book on Psychopolitics."
1956, November "Thank you for helping us to cooperate with the government request that the text on Russian Brainwashing not be released publicly. ..."
1956, November 27 "How are you getting along with the Civil Defense Manual."
1957, September 4 "Charles Stickley, in his translation of 'The Russian Textbook on Brain-washing,' reveals the Kremlin's definition of 'Psychopolitics' as..."
1958, February 23 "I have before me a mimeographed copy complete... It is titled 'The Communist Manual of Psycho-Political Warfare'."
1963 "This is actually the 'Communist Manual of Instructions of Psychopolitical Warfare' which was discovered in use by Communist agents operating in the United States."
1964, January "At about the same time there appeared a booklet entitled Brainwashing—A Synthesis of a Russian Textbook on Psychopolitics, its 64 pages purporting ..."
Back to main page  

1951, May 14
The Hubbard Dianetic Foundation, Inc.
275 MORRIS AVENUE
P.O. BOX 502, ELIZABETH, N.J.
ELIZABETH [?]-2951

211 W. Douglas St.
Wichita, Kansas
May 14, 1951

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir:

[...]

If Russia possessed the notes I have on psychological warfare, she would be that much more potent.

[...]

I am applying to the Department of Defense for permission to deliver to them my work on psychological warfare. [...]

[Scan, HTML]

1954, September 20
Sept 20 — Manney — LR

We are appreciative of your letter of Sept 17.

We are indeed continuing Dianetics and we have asked you for several estimates.

We will give you the word on Civil Defense Handbook very shortly — Rest

Ron

[Scan @ Lermanet]

1955, ?
["Messiah or Madman? - The Brainwashing Manual" by Bent Corydon. Chapter 9.]

[...]

John Sanborne, who had been the editor of Hubbard's books since the early fifties, was there in 1955 at the manual's inception:

I suggested it. Just kidding around on his front porch. Slygo Avenue in Silver Springs, Maryland. Talking about how are we going to get these psychiatrists. I said, "What we need to do is take over their subject. What we need to put out is a manual of psych-military something or other...as coming from the communists and then put a lot of psychiatry in it." And we're sitting there, with our chairs tipped back on the front porch, tipped against the house, with our feet up on the railing, and all of a sudden he came down on his chair and he grabs me. And I thought, "I've had it!" And he said, "That's it!" Then he disappeared into the little front room which was sort of a bedroom and study, and you could hear him in there dictating this book.

[...]

[HTML]

1955, July 27
The Academy of Religious Arts and Sciences
1845 R Street, N. W.
Washington, D. C.
ADams 4-8529

Office of Mary Sue Hubbard

July 27, 1955

E. E. Manney
The Manney Company
1041 Isbell Road
Forth Worth 14, Texas

Dear Manney:

Ron has asked me to send this letter on to you. He does not wish to have "Civil Defense" published but is very concerned about "Dianetics: Evolution of a Science." Do you know if and when you will be finished with this publication? We do need it very much.

We were very pleased and very delighted with the "Creation of Human Ability" and think its a very fine and pretty book. Thank you ever so much. My best to you and Mrs. Manney.

My regards,
[signed]
Mary Sue Hubbard

MSH/cy

[Scan @ Lermanet]

1955, July 29
L. Ron Hubbard, D.D., Ph. D.

Box 242
Silver Spring, Md.
July 29, 1955

TO THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
   Communist Activities Division
Ref — my earlier correspondence.

Gentlemen:

[...]

The attack on HASI, like the attacks on the 1950 Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation found psychiatry and Communist connected personnel very much in evidence and both active with defamation and very unreasonable — and unsuccessful — attack. [...]

[...] I have received from an unimpeachable source an invitation to go to Russia. [...]

This is my third invitation to go to Russia. The first was extended to me by a member of Amtorg in New York in 1938 who knew of my work in the field of the mind. [...]

[...]

[signed]
L. Ron Hubbard

[Scan, HTML]

1955, September 4
Box 242
Silver Spring, Md.
Sept. 4, 1955

Wichita Publishing Co.
451 North Main St.
Wichita 2, Kansas

Dear Manney;

I enclose a manuscript which I need done into a book on a hurry-emergency basis.

I need only 2,000 copies for the first run. The ms. is short being only 87 pages. I want it in an economical size booklet (according to the best paper cut you can make) around 5x7 inches. A paper cover, very cheap. Saddle stitched of course. The general appearance should be like an Army training manual.

You will get half the cost at once and half on delivery. Delivery of 200 by fastest means, of the remaining 1,800 by cheapest transport. Delivery to Box 242 Silver Spring.

I don't want proofs. I have to have SPEED!

This ms. is pretty violent stuff. A copy of it has been sent to the F.B.I. of course and there's no risk in printing it. I need it for circulation to various government agencies. By the time I get through I may need tens of thousands of them so save the type. However, in printing it I wouldn't let it get shown around as the government may want to get it classified.

You wire me the total cost and I'll zip half of that to you and we're on our way.

So glad you're in communication from there again. I have so much work to be done that it worries me that you aren't available to do it. Sure hope you are now.

Best to Mrs. Manney —

Ron

[Scan @ Lermanet]

1955, September 4
L. Ron Hubbard, D.D., Ph. D.

Box 242
Silver Spring, Md.
Sept. 4, 1955

Dear Manney;

Under separate cover I am airmailing an ms to you. Its letter explains it.

On Dianetics, Evolution of a Science, please ship at once by fast means about 200. Ship the balance by cheap transport. Glad it finally came to light. We can sure use it here in the East.

We are out of Phoenix — too slow, too hot. We now have three buildings in Washington DC and everything is going fine.

I sure hope you can do work for us. We have been averaging about $1,000 a month for printing. I have three new books coming up soon.

The job I am sending is a hope that you really mean it on speed and production because we sure could use it.

Glad to hear you and Mrs. Manney are well and in there pitching.

Mrs. Hubbard sends her best.

[Signed]
Ron

[Scan @ Lermanet]

1955, September 6
Box 242
Silver Spring, Md.
Sept. 6, 1955

Dear Manney;

Here is the linotype ms of this do-in-ahurry book.

It has been proofed and smoothed out for typesetting.

Please send me back soon the unproofed ms I sent you for estimate as I want the original of it clean.

Also please salvage and return to me when completed this linotype copy of the ms. There is a degree of security involved with the work and we don't want this copy of the ms to get lost or any copies to go astray.

I have several pieces of work to do for submission to the government so lets get this one out of the way FAST so we can get on with the show.

If it wouldn't be much more we could run a second run of BRAINWASHING right along with the first run making another 5,000 or 7,000 in all.

Best
Ron

[Scan @ Lermanet]

1955, September 7
L. RON HUBBARD, D.D, PH.D.

Box 242
Silver Spring, Md.
Sept. 7, 1955

TO THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Communist Activities

Gentlemen:

[...]

In 1950 the Dianetics Foundations were violently attacked and discredited. The 200 Foundation employees, when screened, yielded 35 Communist-connected persons. That done the commotion stopped. After three quiet years in the Phoenix area we forwarded to the Defense Department data on brain-washing. Instantly we became the subject of violence. Four people were seized by psychiatrists in that area to date and to this day so far as I know are still being held, their sanity shattered.

After we so informed the Defense Department about brain-washing technologies in our hands and offered them, we have been in a state of siege. Understand that we accuse the D.D. of nothing.

[...]

I am getting additional copies of the material which we offered to the Defense Department since the agency has not acknowledged or returned anything shipped to it about brain-washing and when I have these copies I will send one to you for this is the only starting place I know of for this outbreak [...]

[Scan, HTML]

1955, September 10
Box 242
Silver Spring Md.
Sept. 10, 1955

Dear Manney:

Enclosed please find a check from the Hubbard Association of Scientologists International for $328.00 as the first payment on the book.

I am VERY glad you are back swinging. And I am glad you'll have this book done so quickly as we certainly can use it.

Hope Mrs. Manney is very well.

Best,
Ron

You can print the additional 5,000 with the first or second run at your choice. Consider it ordered.

[Scan @ Lermanet]

1955, September 30

In Professional Auditor's Bulletin # 62, Hubbard publicly declare war on psychiatry:

  • Scientology the "only Anglo-Saxon development in the field of the mind and spirit."
  • An auditor can no more cooperate with a psychiatrist than "do business with Hitler."
  • "nearly all the backlash...has a common source - the psychiatrist-psychologist-psychoanalyst clique...I could tell you about three actual murders...the public utterly loathes psychiatry...[it] stands in the public mind for ineffectiveness, lies, and human brutality."
    (Hubbard, Professional Auditor's Bulletin # 62, September 30, 1955)

[Chris Owen's Scientology vs. Psychiatry: The origins of Scientology's hostility to psychiatry;
Dr. Stephen Wiseman's "Scientology's War Against Psychiatry"]

1955
 Cover page with a seal from "RLF"

BRAIN-WASHING

A Synthesis of the Russian Textbook on Psychopolitics

PSYCHOPOLITICS — the art and science of asserting and maintaining dominion over the thoughts and loyalties of individuals, officers, bureaus, and masses, and the effecting of the conquest of enemy nations through "mental healing."

[Full scans from Mark O. Plummer: Front, back. Also, from an anonymous source, scan of a cover page with a seal “RLF”.]

1955, December 13

HUBBARD COMMUNICATION OFFICE
1 Brunswick House
83 Palace Gardens Terrace,
London, W.8.
BAY 5780

OPERATIONAL BULLETIN NO. 8

13 December 1955

[...]

BRAINWASHING MANUAL

The brainwashing manual which came into our possession so mysteriously is being released, not with any intent to unmock psychiatry, but as a necessary piece of information for auditors who are confronted with the problems of brainwashing. Some of these cases are now turning up, and unless the basic philosophy of the brainwasher is understood, they are more difficult to handle. SLP Issue 6 or 7 will very undoubtedly handle brainwashing 7 by the way is not yet released, but 6 will do until it comes along. Therefore there is no point in writing an additional manual to handle this as a specific problem.

Some of the mystery concerning the manuscript on brainwashing which came into our hands in Phoenix was resolved when it was discovered that a book called Psychopolitics (spelled with a K) is in the Library of Congress. It is in German. It was written by a man named Paul Fadkeller, and was published in Berlin in 1947. Although I may be misinformed, and I definitely do not read German, this book is probably the Russian translation.

It is simply our intention to make the book available for 50 cents a copy to people in Dianetics and Scientology so that they can be informed as to the actual character of brainwashing and the mechanics of it. To that degree it is a technical book. There is no intention of handing it around into official quarters since I am sure official quarters must know about it since the book is apparently on file at the Library of Congress, and naturally if it is on file at the Library of Congress, officialdom must know about it. Thus there is no point in beating the drum concerning it.

If I am asked by press or persons in authority concerning our release of this, which I may well be, I will have to reassure them that there is no political significance attached to it. We couldn't be less interested, but brainwashing happens to be a facet of the human mind and it has been necessary to make available to our own people any and all texts which exist on the subject. We probably should get hold of the book at the Library of Congress and translate it in full, but we do not have the money or the time to do this just now. Thus Don has been asked to mail a copy of the manual as printed to our various professional members, and to make other copies of it available through Box 242, Silver Spring, Maryland, for 50 cents a copy. This is certainly reasonable enough. I don't think there is any point of any kind in placing it in official hands, as I have said, since even the U. S. Army and Air Force must be fully cognizant of brainwashing, since, as I have noted, a copy of it is on file at the Library of Congress. It could also be noted at the same time that there is a general movement among psychiatry to correct their own profession and to do something to those psychiatrists in it who are hurting and killing people with electric shock and surgery, and thus this is no concern of ours.

I repeat, our interest in this is professional not political. Brainwashing has become so much of a subject that it is very well for anybody having to do with the field of the human mind to be able to understand the intentions behind it and how it is done. This is the only work we have on the subject. If there are any political repercussions to be expected by us, I would consider that we are being very self-conscious, since obviously if there were any political repercussions to be expected, they would have come before this since, as I say, this book has evidently been in very wide circulation already and is on file at the Library of Congress so far as we know. I think the general reaction of the public is that they couldn't care less.

[...]

[Source: Ingo Heinemann, transcription + scan of first page]

1955, December 16
The Hubbard Association of Scientology's International
[...]

16th December, 1955

Federal Bureau of Investigation,
Constitution Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, D.C.,
U.S.A.

Gentlemen:

We are enclosing our printing of what appears to be a Communist manual on Psychopolitics.

This was compiled from Communist sources for use of our research department and people.

It may be that we will also use this in anti-Communist campaigns.

As there is evidently a copy of Psychopolitics in full view in the Library of Congress, you evidently do not classify this subject.

We have been seriously hurt by Communists and Communism and we see nothing wrong in our using their tactics against them.

Should you run into this manual on how to brainwash people you will now be able to recognize it as printed and distributed by an anti-Communist group for their research.

Yours very truly,
[signed]
L. Ron Hubbard

[Scan]

1955, December 19

HUBBARD COMMUNICATION OFFICE
1 Brunswick House
83 Palace Gardens Terrace,
London, W.8.
BAY 5780

OPERATIONAL BULLETIN NO. 9

19 December 1955

[...]

BRAINWASHING MANUAL
HISTORY

In our studies of brainwashing it has been necessary to procure what information existed on the subject. Fortuitously, in Phoenix there came into our hands two manuscripts on the subject; as well as I can recollect, they were left there at the front desk with the request that they be mailed back to their owner. We are not sure exactly from whom these came, but we understand now that this is unimportant since the subject is broadly rather well known in a book on Psychopolitics. It is to be found in the Library of Congress. It is in German, but we suppose it is the same manual. As we needed this material for research, we read it off onto a tape, compiling the two manuals and removing from them some of their very verbose nomenclature, substituting for it more common English terms, and we have had a few copies of this struck off for use in our research.

It is necessary if one is confronted by a case of brainwashing to understand the motives and general procedures of the people who did it. I must say an inspection of this manual does not make for much respect for the motives of people who brainwash other people. In the early pages of this manual, there is a letter from the person who purportedly gave these manuals to the organization, "Charles #StickleyStickley", supposed to be a professor at Columbia University in New York City. This letter, included in the manuals as printed, makes it definitely and adequately clear that these manuals were reprinted for study by research workers. However, in handing out a copy of one of these manuals to one of our own people who had not heard of it, he made several wrong estimates of the manual itself. At first he thought it was a piece of communist propaganda. Then he thought it was something the organization had composed. Then on further inspection, he did not know what to think and it had to be pointed out to him very specifically that this was a synthesis of a Russian instruction book on the subject of brainwashing, and it had to be pointed out to him that it was reprinted for the benefit of people working to remedy and heal brainwashing. It had to be pointed out to him additionally that there was a cover letter in it which explained these things. Thus if you have one of these copies and it gets away from you which it might, you may find it necessary to explain exactly what it is.

We certainly have the right to have in our possession materials covering something as intimately connected to mental research as brainwashing. We have the right to know why and where and who. Furthermore, this material is evidently well known to various governments and is not classified, since the subject "Psychopolitics" (which is the technical name for brainwashing) is to be found in the major libraries of the world.

In the original text of this book there was a warning to psychopolitical operatives that they must stamp out Dianetics, Christian Science, and practical psychology, as these alone represented a menace to the brainwashing programmes. This reference in the text to Dianetics (which has been known to the Russians since 1938) makes the matter very much our business, quite aside from research. Yet if most of the vagaries and upsets from which we have been suffering have stemmed from a desire on the part of some political group attempting to accomplish a political coup and in the road of which we have been standing, then we certainly have the right to know why we have been knocked around by press and governments to the degree that we have been. Hardly a word uttered against Dianetics and Scientology has had any truth in it. The prevalent official but not the public opinion regarding Dianetics and Scientology is that they are phony sciences, tricked up to hoodwink people. Contrast this with the fact that in Dianetics and Scientology alone in all the world of mental healing lie the answers to increased intelligence and ability, and not very incidentally, in Dianetics and Scientology and in Dianetics in particular, we have the total antidote for the eradication of brainwashing. In other words we could unbrainwash them with Dianetics as fast as they are being brainwashed, given enough staff. Furthermore we can put troops and persons in a condition where they cannot be brainwashed. This we can do in Scientology.

Thus if brainwashing is being counted upon heavily to accomplish a great deal inside and outside the nations under attack, there would be only one organization which would be standing thoroughly in the road of that programme, and if that programme inside a country had advanced to a point where officials could be influenced, then you would discover of course this odd official opinion of Dianetics and Scientology, that they are quack sciences.

We are not planning to use this reprinted manual for purposes of propaganda. However, to prevent any misunderstanding from occurring, the highest police in England and America have both received copies and have been told that this is a reprint manual, and that we do not wish to cause them any extra labour in case another one of them falls into their hands. Actually, however, it is my belief that they have had the original, which is to say the communist version of these manuals, in their possession for years, and have simply been unable to credit it or unable to do anything about it. Thus our reprinted version should come as no shock to them

It has been my experience with Anglo-Saxon governments that where idea propaganda line attacks were concerned they couldn't care less. They do not believe that propaganda is effective. Otherwise they would themselves engage in more propaganda activities. The Anglo-Saxon traditionally depends upon force in order to accomplish his ends

This is one of the reasons why communism has made such vast progress across the face of the world. It is an idea advancing against arms, and the arms of course will never be able to stop an idea. An idea will be necessary to stop the idea. We may very unfortunately be those persons in possession of the idea that will stop the other idea. Certainly the way things are going, if we don't use our ideas to stop the incoming ideas across the face of earth, we are going to wind up one of these days in the middle of a total communism, living in a totally brainwashed society, the way I look at it

[...]

[Source: Ingo Heinemann, transcription + scan of first page]

1956, January 4
The Distribution Center, Inc.
Box 242
Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.A.

J Uniper 5-0855

January 4, 1956

E. E. Manney
1041 Isbell Road
Fort Worth, Texas

Dear Mr. Manney,

I hope that you have recovered from the flu now and I am supposing that it did not get any better because you did not send me the Problems of Work as you stated that you were when I called you the Monday before Christmas.

I hope, however, that you will get those Problems of Work to me just as soon as you can and if they are not printed, please put a big $1.00 on the cover of them, that's the front cover, so that we can start getting them out on to news stands and drug stores.

I also need a few thousand more Scientology, the Fundamentals of Thought and I would like the large "$1.00" on them also so we can get them on the news stands.

As you can tell by now, I haven't been able to get that money for you for Dianetics 55! but the Congress was fairly successful and I'll have some money for you very soon on those.

I guess that's all for this time, Mr. Manney. Please get for me those two books in quantity as soon as you can, particularly The Problems of Work. I need it right away. I have a man taking 800 to put on, who has a delivery route for newstands. And things are starting to get into high gear here now. How are you doing with the Defence Manual? I'll let you know as soon as Ron writes the new Brain Washing Book.

My best regards,
[signed]
Kenneth D. Barret

KDB/mr

[Scan @ Lermanet]

1956, January 10

HUBBARD COMMUNICATION OFFICE
1 Brunswick House
83 Palace Gardens Terrace,
London, W.8.
BAY 5780

OPERATIONAL BULLETIN NO. 12

10 January 1956

[...]

BRAINWASHING BOOKS RECALLED

It is the friendly opinion of the government that the pamphlet giving forth the basic materials of brainwashing be circulated only amongst very trusted personnel in the organization and that it be withheld from general public release. You understand that this is not an official order on the part of the government, but the government appears to be very well satisfied with us and is only afraid, I suppose, of the commotion which would be caused by the broad and general release of the brain-washing booklet.

Certainly the materials in it described by the government representative as "noxious" would bring a considerable upset into the public sphere. We are quite satisfied that the material has been placed on proper communication lines and has been communicated to the proper authorities. This having been done our basic interest in the booklet, that it be used by us in order to research the entire field of brainwashing and its healing and eradication, be resumed and that we withhold from public distribution any and all of these books. There is as an incidental point an error in the printing of the booklet, in that it does not carry the name of the printer. Any copy handed around should be signed out to the person and should be accounted for by the person and should be handed back to the organization, and copies Thould only be handed to personnel actually interested in research and development in eradicating brainwashing and its possible threat to western culture. An order has gone out from this office to Washington, D.C., requesting that all copies of the brainwashing pamphiet be called back. Any large number of these pamphlets now in existence in the United States should be carefully stored so that they will not fall into improper hands.

[...]

[Source: Ingo Heinemann, transcription + scan of first page]

1956, February 3
[LETTERHEAD INFO BLACKED OUT]

[ADDRESS BLOCK BLACKED OUT]

February 3, 1956

Federal Bureau of Investigation
Department of Justice
Pennsylvania Avenue at 9th NW
Washington, D.C.

Gentlemen:

Recently we received in the mail a copy of the pamphlet entitled Brain-Washing: A Synthesis of the Russian Textbook on Psychopolitics. This was sent to us by an organization entitled The Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation, Box 242, Silver Spring, Md.

According to a letter received from the same organization, a copy of the pamphlet had been sent to the FBI, and this resulted in an urgent "governmental request" that all copies of the pamphlet be recalled. A subsequent letter stated that "authorization" had now been received to release the book to "trusted members" for "research purposes."

This Church has no connection with the above-named foundation or with the subject known as "Dianetics", nor have we had any prior knowledge of this publication. We note that among its contents are various references to Christian Science, but we have no means of evaluating the contents of the book beyond judging it as any well-informed, intelligent citizen might do. We never heard of the "editor, Charles Stickley.

It occurs to us that, since the name of your organization has been invoked by the Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation, you might wish to have the above information. If you can do so with propriety, we should be glad to receive any information from you that would throw light on the authenticity or lack of authenticity of this alleged document. This would be especially helpful inasmuch as it is possible that we may have future inquiries about it, in view of the references to Christian Science it contains.

Very truly yours,

[SIGNATURE BLOCK BLACKED OUT]

[Scan, HTML]

1956, April 17
SAC, Los Angeles
April 17, 1956

Director, FBI

COMMUNIST STRATEGY
"BRAIN-WASHING, A Synthesis of the Russian Textbook on Psychopolitics"
INTERNAL SECURITY - C

Reurlet dated April 6, 1956.

Captioned booklet has been read and reviewed by the Central Research Section. Several copies of this booklet have been previously received at the Bureau from various individuals, including L. Ron Hubbard, author of "Dianetics, The Modern Science of Mental Health."

[...]

The authenticity of this booklet seems to be of a doubtful nature since it lacks documentation of source material and communist words and phrases. Also, there are no quotations from well-known communist works as normally would be used in a synthesis of communist writings. In addition, the author himself admits that he cannot vouch for the authenticity of this booklet.

[...]

[Scan]

1956, August 15
Mr. Manney,
Manney Co.,
1041 Isbell Road,
Forth Worth, 14,
TEXAS,
U.S.A.

Sender's name and address: L. Ron Hubbard,
HCO, 217[?] Kensington High Street,
LONDON, W. S., ENGLAND.

I have scheduled here a book, hard cover, on Brainwashing. I have Pavlov's secret ms that was never before out of the Kremlin. Would you like to publish it as publisher? Also one on Atomic Fission by myself and a leading English M.D. Will send further data. All well here. Best to Mrs. Manney — Regards - L. Ron Hubbard

[Scan @ Lermanet]

1956, September 10
SCIENTOLOGY, UNITED STATES
The Founding Church of Washington

September 10, 1956

E. E. Maney
1041 Isbell Road
Fort Worth, Texas

Dear Mr. Maney:

Don Breeding has communicated to me your willingness to publish various manuscripts that I might have. I do have a manuscript of considerable importance to the United States, which I withheld from publication about two years ago.

As you may or may not know, I am a trained officer in civilian affairs at the Princeton School of Government, and was trained by the U. S. Navy to take care of disaster relief in Asia. Therefore, into my hands came an enormous amount of material which has, for some reason or other, never been released by the United States government. This material formed in such a way as to make an independent American action has been placed in a manual, and this manual would definitely have good circulation. I think that it would be of benefit if you released it at this time.

My very best regards to you and your lady,
[signed]
L. Ron Hubbard

LRH:dt
cc: R. F. Steves

[Scan @ Lermanet]

1956, September 10
SCIENTOLOGY, UNITED STATES
The Founding Church of Washington

September 10, 1956

E. E. Maney
1041 Isbell Road
Fort Worth, Texas

Dear Mr. Maney:

I have received your communication regarding the new brainwashing book on which I am working, and wish to inform you that on my return to England I will complete this book, and send it to you so that you can publish it, if you wish.

Besr regards,
[signed]
L. Ron Hubbard

LRH/dt

[Scan @ Lermanet]

1956, October 27
Mr. Don Breeding
P. O. Box 242
Silver Spring, Md

Dear Don:

It was simply impossible for me to get everything processed this past week, but I am going to work in the office this week-end, and try to make a little more headway.

Therefore, I cannot give you much of a report today, other then to state that we are striving to get all the loose ends pulled together. I should be able to know a lot more by Monday.

The manuscript, "The Problems of Work," came through in good time, addressed to our box. You were worrying about it before it had had time to reach us. It was mailed on October 22, and came through in about three day.

We have also received a couple of letter, from Donovan G. Crandell. (who is a new men in the picture to us) and we are giving immediate attention to his inquiry and to his instructions about some of the work.

We received Ron's manuscript on Civil Defense, and shall be making up a schedule for that right away.

In talking with Ron, don't forget to urge him along on the book on Psychopolitics.

Will report again on Monday. Regards to all the gang.

Sincerely yours,
[signed]
E. E. Manney

[Scan @ Lermanet]

1956, November

THE HUBBARD DIANETIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION
BOX 242, SILVER SPRING, MD., U.S.A.

Dear Member,

Thank you for helping us to cooperate with the government request that the text on Russian Brainwashing not be released publicly. Almost all of the previously released copies have been recovered.

Our most trusted members may retain copies for research work to cure effects of brainwashing. For this purpose we are issuing this volume to you.

Note that SLP Issue Eight provides the fastest cure of brainwashing. Anyone who has been fully and correctly audited on SLP Issue Eight can not be brainwashed.

Very best regards,

H.D.R.F.

No. 101L 1M

Eugene A. Showalter
1231 Chartres St.
New Orleans, Louisiana

SSM
11/56

[Scan provided by an anonymous source.]

1956, November 27
SCIENTOLOGY, UNITED STATES
The Distribution Center of Dianetics and Scientology

November 27, 1956

Dear

Mr. Manney:

How are you getting along with the Civil Defense Manual.

How about letting us put a post-card in it sewed into the binding or something. We would use your address to so we don't get tangled up with the book and all the politics... Dianetics and Scientology have enough trouble with a direct connection with politics...

However, these cards would make a very good mailing list for Constitutional Administration Party as well as Dianetics and Scientology... Also, later work on Radiation......

Are you going to press with this yet? Let me know...

My best
[signed Kenneth D. Barret]

[Scan @ Lermanet]

1957, September 4
[The Lima News, Lima, OH, p. 14]

It is doubtful if the Soviets ever can be induced to curtail their development of nuclear weapons. But they have another more deadly weapon, in case they do. This is BRAINWASHING or PSYCHOPOLITICS. Charles Stickley, in his translation of "The Russian Textbook on Brain-washing," reveals the Kremlin's definition of "Psychopolitics" as "The art and science of asserting and maintaining DOMINATION OVER THE THOUGHTS AND LOYALTIES of individuals, officers, bureaus and masses and effecting the conquest of enemy nations through 'MENTAL HEALING'" Unfortunately, we've developed no techniques for coping with this secret weapon. Sometimes it seems that we are rushing to embrace it and to submit to it.

JACK MOFFITT

[Scan]

1958, February 23
[The Valley News, Van Nuys, CA, p. 20A]

THE PUBLIC FORUM
[...]

Psycho-Analysis and Mental Health Propaganda

[...]

Accordingly, they have turned their attention to plaguing the country in the field of Mental Health as an effective means to accomplish the "coup de grace," namely the ultimate perversion of our citizens and the subversion of our Christian American ideals.

I have before me a mimeographed copy complete — text-book purported to be used by the students at the Lenin University in Moscow. The pages of this book are most frightening to read. It is titled "The Communist Manual of Psycho-Political Warfare".

On the first page, there appears a speech delivered by Commissar Laventri Beria (formerly head of the Soviet Secret Police) welcoming a group of American students at the University. Portions of Beria's speech are as follows:

[...]

JACKSON ADAMS

[Scan]

1963
Now, by arrangement with the publishers
The DISTRIBUTION CENTER, INC., BOX 242, SIVLER SPRING
MARYLAND has available the book —

BRAINWASHING

This is actually the "Communist Manual of Instructions of Psychopolitical Warfare" which was discovered in use by Communist agents operating in the United States.

The following is a portion of the 'Editorial note' taken from the text:

"on the following pages you will read a synthesis of the Communist Manual of Instructions of Psychopolitical Warfare. This is the art of applying psychology to politics. Testimony, under oath, of Mr. Kenneth Goff, before the House Un-American Committee (1) tells of this manual being used as a textbook not only in the Soviet Union, but right here in the United States......"

We urge you to acquire and read a copy of this book. It will serve to educate you in the tactics of the enemy as well as to alert you to the dangers of these tactics to America.

Price $1.25 plus 10˘ Postage

[Scan @ Lermanet]

1964, January
[...]

The contents of the article have been reproduced in countless other “anti-Communist” publications and have been repeated ad infinitum and ad nauseam.

At about the same time there appeared a booklet entitled Brainwashing—A Synthesis of a Russian Textbook on Psychopolitics, its 64 pages purporting to hold the text of a talk given by Lavrenti Beria, former head of the Soviet Secret Police, to American students attending classes in “psychopolitics” at Lenin University. It contained some of the most bald-faced lies ever directed against the psychiatric profession. The book has had a tremendous circulation and has been cited at great length. Quotes crop up in publications of the Daughters of the American Revolution and in brochures such as “Lifelines,” “Common Sense,” “Freedom Builders of America,” and “Freedom Forum.” In each it is stated unequivocally that under the “false name of ‘mental health’” a Communist master plan is being put into operation in hundreds of American cities, and that mental-health groups are being used to further the goal of Communist conquest of the mind.

[...]

[Full article]


Home > Scientology practices and beliefs