This is a file in the correspondence of Thomas Merton under the heading: "Crane, Robert D.".
Dr. Robert Crane was a Research Associate with the Center for Strategic Studies and was later with the Hudson Institute for National Security and International Order in Croton-on-Hudson, New York. He was involved in Republican Party functions and conservative-leaning think-tanks on national and international security and outer space security.
If the person in correspondence with Merton has full text records in the Merton Center Digital Collections, there will be a numeric link to them below.
This Record Sub-Group is not divided into Series and is arranged chronologically.
Click icons for links: ✓="Published | Library Record", ✉="Scanned" | 🗷="Scanned, Viewable Only at Merton Center"
| # | Date | From/To | First Lines | Pub ✓ | Notes |
| | y/m/d | Merton | | Scan ✉ | |
| 1. |
1962/08/01 |
TAL[c] to Merton |
Thank you very much for writing your latest book "Disputed Questions" to help people, like me, |
|
[handwritten note specifies that the letter was sent in October - Crane sends his articles "Law and Strategy in Space" and "Soviet Attitude Toward International Space Law"]
«detailed view» |
| 2. |
1962/10/26 |
TLS from Merton |
Thanks for your kindness in sending the interesting offprints of your articles on "Law and Strategy |
|
international law, the United Nations, and the role of the Soviets or the US in trying to impose its own policies as international law / Cuban nuclear missile crisis
«detailed view» |
| 3. |
1963/07/05 |
TAL[x] to Merton |
Thank you for your wise words of comment on the two articles I sent you last year on Soviet |
|
[sends his article from Orbis, entitled "Moral Guidelines for the American Strategy Debate"] differing viewpoint to participants in Breakthrough to Peace - spiritual orientation of Pacem in Terris
«detailed view» |
| 4. |
1964/05/02 |
TL[c] to Merton |
As an amateur strategist and would-be specialist in the moral-theological framework of strategic |
|
sending "40 page analysis of Soviet-U.S. negotiations in the U.N. disarmament and space committees" and speech entitled "Moral Guidelines for the American Strategy Debate" / recommending Merton for the Conway Testimonial Committee (Father Edward A. Conway, S.J.)
«detailed view» |
| 5. |
1964/05/21 (#01) |
TALS from Merton |
Many thanks for your letter and for the enclosed documents, the very interesting material |
|
morality of total war - incompatibility with Catholic idea of just war / Soviet political and military strategy / thinks Crane's institute is too narrowly centered on strategy to be free to propose meaningful moral principles in keeping to pragmatic responses to Soviet strategy / Pacem in Terris and international law
«detailed view» |
| 6. |
1964/05/21 (#02) |
TAL[c] from Merton |
Many thanks for your letter and for the enclosed documents, the very interesting material |
|
morality of total war - incompatibility with Catholic idea of just war / Soviet political and military strategy / thinks Crane's institute is too narrowly centered on strategy to be free to propose meaningful moral principles in keeping to pragmatic responses to Soviet strategy / Pacem in Terris and international law
«detailed view» |
| 7. |
1964/11/09 |
TALS to Merton |
In response to your last letter, which I do not presently have at hand, I would like to emphasize |
|
Crane's plans to write a book, entitled The Management and Resolution of Conflict: A Comparative Analysis of Competing Strategies
«detailed view» |
| 8. |
1964/12/14 (#01) |
TLS from Merton |
Your letter of November 9th and the two articles reached me safely. If I have not replied sooner, |
|
responses to Crane's book in light of modern nuclear missile technology and the Second Vatican Council's Schema 13
«detailed view» |
| 9. |
1964/12/14 (#02) |
TL[c] from Merton |
Your letter of November 9th and the two articles reached me safely. If I have not replied sooner, |
|
responses to Crane's book in light of modern nuclear missile technology and the Second Vatican Council's Schema 13
«detailed view» |
| 10. |
1965/01/28 |
TAL[x] to Merton |
Thank you very much for the copy of your book and your paper for the chapter meeting. |
|
Dean Rusk and the "new isolationism" - Communist successes causing retreat into "fortress America"
«detailed view» |
| 11. |
1965/03/01 |
HLS to Merton |
After reading the rest of your book, the Seeds of Destruction, I see that you have already answered |
|
Seeds of Destruction / Crane's days in a Communist prison and his conversion to Catholicism
«detailed view» |
| 12. |
1965/03/03 |
TL[x] to Merton |
Just a note to follow-up my last letter. Enclosed is a copy of an article by Eric Voegelin |
|
[sending his memorandum to Admiral Burke advocating a war of liberation in Vietnam and his article on "The Gnostic Mass Movements of Our Time"] Professor Voegelin
«detailed view» |
| 13. |
1965/03/09 (#01) |
TALS from Merton |
Thanks for your letter and the two most interesting enclosures. I will pass over the Voegelin |
|
Vietnam War - opposition on ethical principles and the oversimplification of the situation on the part of US policy makers / support for Pope's position in advocating negotiation - thinks Vietnam could be "one of the bloodiest, dirtiest, filthiest pieces of savagery man has yet perpetrated"
«detailed view» |
| 14. |
1965/03/09 (#02) |
TL[c] from Merton |
Thanks for your letter and the two most interesting enclosures. I will pass over the Voegelin |
|
Vietnam War - opposition on ethical principles and the oversimplification of the situation on the part of US policy makers / support for Pope's position in advocating negotiation - thinks Vietnam could be "one of the bloodiest, dirtiest, filthiest pieces of savagery man has yet perpetrated"
«detailed view» |
| 15. |
1965/03/24 |
TL[c] to Merton |
Your great concern about my proposal for a national liberation war in Vietnam I think may have |
|
thinks Merton misunderstood "proposal for a national liberation war in Vietnam" - advocates a strictly guerrilla war / encloses talk delivered to Republican Party in Northern Virginia - parts on Civil Rights might be misinterpreted because he tries not to offend segregationalists in the party
«detailed view» |
| 16. |
1967/09/01 |
TLS to Merton |
Two and a half years ago I sent you a memo of mine condemning the American military approach |
|
admits that Merton was right about Vietnam War / similar situation in Nagaland with the Nagas of India
«detailed view» |
| 17. |
1967/10/03 (#01) |
TLS from Merton |
It was good to hear from you again and I hope you forgive my delay in replying. You can imagine how |
|
the Nagas people - connection to American Baptists / political activity and prayer / involvement in Asia - Vietnam
«detailed view» |
| 18. |
1967/10/03 (#02) |
TL[c] from Merton |
It was good to hear from you again and I hope you forgive my delay in replying. You can imagine how |
|
the Nagas people - connection to American Baptists / political activity and prayer / involvement in Asia - Vietnam
«detailed view» |
| 19. |
1973/05/23 |
TALS from Crane, Robert / to Flavian Burns |
Some time ago the compiler of Thomas Merton's memorabilia asked me to send him the letters that |
|
«detailed view» |
| 20. |
1973/10/16 |
TL[c] from Center to Crane, Robert |
Let me introduce myself to you as one of the three Trustees of the Merton Legacy Trust, and the one |
|
«detailed view» |
| 21. |
1973/12/30 |
TLS to Center from Crane, Robert |
Again your letter concerning Thomas Merton's estate ended up at the bottom of my in-box, |
|
«detailed view» |
|