May 25, 1942
 
FOR GENERAL W. B. SMITH ON "Flare Signal Pistol"
 
     The President made the following statement in a speech:-
 
     January 7, 1942. "And our overwhelming superiority of arma-
ment must be adequate to put weapons of war at the proper time in-
to the hands of those men in the conquered nations who stand ready 
to seize the first opportunity to revolt against their German and 
Japanese oppressors, and against the traitors in their own ranks, 
known by the already infamous name of "Quislings". As we get guns 
to the patriots in those lands, they too will fire shots heard 
 round the world".
 
          The Joint Psychological Warfare Committee studied the ques-
tion and came to the conclusion that because of the limitations 
of weight,  size and usability, only a pistol be used for this pur-
pose.  The Army Ordinance, at our request, produced this one pound 
pistol made of stamping for regulation .45 caliber ammunition. 
The total weight of pistol and 20 rounds of ammunition is 2 lbs.
 
          This is a revolutionary type of weapon in its method of manu-
facture by stamping.
 
     The pistol was O.K'ed by General Eisenhower, General Somer-
vell and Assistant Secretary Patterson. Dies are being made and 
one million have been ordered and will be produced by the end of 
July.- After that the rate can be stepped up to 2 million per 
week if necessary.
 
          It is the opinion of the J.P.W.C. that this pistol should be 
used only in case of invasion of the continent and possibly for a 
general revolution. In either case, the dissemination of this 
weapon must be a decision of the Combined Chiefs of Staff.
 
          In case of invasion, the dissemination of pistols by planes 
to cell units of agents for distribution to loyal people must be 
carefully organized and well-timed.  Much work on this has been 
done by the British S.O.E.   We are working with the S.O.E. on 
this proposition.  A hundred miles or more along the coast to be 
invaded should have a belt 40 mile deep of its people prepared 
and organized by agents for arming so that the given time 
shootings of Gestapo, soldiers, etc., demolitions of bridges, 
railroads, yards, and power plants, etc., with the general chaos