Memo reviewed by, Guido Torres, HKS NSF, Manual Ortiz-Senior, HKS MPA/MC, and Shivani Gupta, HKS MPA/ID

The memo titled ‘Next Steps on Suicide Prevention’ serves to address the critical concern of suicides within the Department of Defense. The memo effectively grabs the reader's attention. It emphasizes the importance of the Department's most precious resource - its people. However, the content and writing of the memo could use some work.... Read more about Memo from the Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, "Next Steps on Suicide Prevention in the Military," 03/16/2023

Memo Review by Alex Dubin, HKS MPP

In this 1967 policy memo, Secretary of State Dean Rusk writes a concise and compelling memo to President Lyndon Johnson, which includes talking points for an upcoming meeting during a tense period just before the Six Day War. Although Rusk’s solution ultimately did not prevent the outbreak of the war, his writing is an excellent example of understanding and supporting an audience composed solely of a critical decisionmaker.... Read more about LBJ's Conversation with Israeli Foreign Minister Abba Eban: Memo to President Johnson from Secretary of State Rusk, 05/26/1967

Memo Review by Alex Dubin, HKS MPP

President Gerald Ford and National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft. The U.S. National Archives

The Space Race began in October 1957 when the Soviets shocked the United States by launching Sputnik 1 into orbit. The U.S. soon followed with a satellite of its own, eventually overtaking and beating the Soviets by landing humans on the Moon in 1969. The Space Age, however, was beginning to create a nascent infrastructure of satellites in space, the capabilities of which the U.S. and world were increasingly relying on.... Read more about U.S. and Soviet Anti-Satellite Capabilities: Memo to President Ford from National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft, 07/24/1976

Memo Review by Anna Lipscomb, HKS MPP

On November 4, 1979, a group of Iranian college students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and seized over 50 U.S. hostages. This ...