Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.
This executive order, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 1943-03-09, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Defining the Foreign Information Activities of the Office of War Information." It is a direct, concise executive instruction delivering focused administrative or military commands to department leadership.
Constitutional Assessment: Scrutinized through Article II, Section 2, this action exercises the President's constitutional role as Commander in Chief. Early Framers recognized broad executive discretion in commanding military forces during conflict, provided it remains bounded by congressional declarations and respects civilian domestic courts.
Key Directives & Operative Actions
▪The program for foreign propaganda in areas of actual or projected military operations will be coordinated with military plans through the planning agencies of the War and Navy Departments, and shall be subject to the approval of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
▪The authority, functions, and duties of the Office of War Information shall not extend to the Western Hemisphere, exclusive of the United States and Canada.
▪The military order of June 13, 1942, establishing the Office of Strategic Services, is hereby modified to the extent necessary to make this Order effective.
Exec. Order No. 9312, Franklin D. Roosevelt (Mar 9, 1943). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-9312-defining-the-foreign-information-activities-the-office-war.
Official Document Text
Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)
Under and by virtue of the authority vested in me by Title I of the First War Powers Act, 1941, approved December 18, 1941 (Public Law 354—77th Congress), and as Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy and as President of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows: 1. The Office of War Information will plan, develop, and execute all phases of the Federal program of radio, press, publication, and related foreign propaganda activities involving the dissemination of information. The program for foreign propaganda in areas of actual or projected military operations will be coordinated with military plans through the planning agencies of the War and Navy Departments, and shall be subject to the approval of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Parts of the foreign propaganda program which are to be executed in a theater of military operations will be subject to the control of the theater commander. The authority, functions, and duties of the Office of War Information shall not extend to the Western Hemisphere, exclusive of the United States and Canada. 2. The military order of June 13, 1942, establishing the Office of Strategic Services, is hereby modified to the extent necessary to make this Order effective. FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT The White House, March 9, 1943.
