Catalogue Number
NMLH.2022.273
Object Name
Postcard
Title
European Dummies Gene La Rocque postcard
Date
1980
Description
Postcard with white border, and red text. The writing on the postcard reads "We fought World War I in Europe, we fought World War II in Europe and if you dummies will let us, we will fight World War III in Europe..." US Rear Admiral Gene La Rocque, former strategic planner at the pentagon." The reverse side of the postcard has an address and a title for the postcard which reads "European Dummies, Gene La Rocque, former pentagon strategic planner, is now an active opponent of the preparations for nuclear war." This postcard was created by the European Nuclear Disarmament. Eugene Robert La Rocque (June 29, 1918 â October 31, 2016) was a rear admiral of the US Navy. He founded the Center for Defense Information in 1971. He retired in 1972 and was disillusioned over the Vietnam War. La Rocque and his colleagues testified before the US Congress, frequently appeared in the media, and consulted many national and international political leaders.
In the 1980s, La Rocque founded a weekly public affairs television program, America's Defense Monitor. In 1974, he stated that in his experience, any ship that is capable of carrying nuclear weapons carries them and does not off-load them in foreign ports. That statement directly conflicted with the US Department of Defense's policy that it would "neither confirm nor deny" (NC/ND) on such weapons and sparked controversy in Japan, which has had a non-nuclear policy since World War II.
He was elected to the Common Cause National Governing Board in 1982.
