HISTORY OF THE CLANDESTINE SERVICES, A PRELIMINARY APPRAISAL OF THE PROBLEM

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP78-06202A000100100021-8
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
C
Document Page Count: 
4
Document Creation Date: 
December 9, 2016
Document Release Date: 
September 22, 2000
Sequence Number: 
21
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
May 14, 1964
Content Type: 
MF
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP78-06202A000100100021-8.pdf379.45 KB
Body: 
Approved For ease 200'f7-06202A0100100021-8 14 May 1064 MEMORANDUM FOR: Chief, Ili.swori-ce2 staff atOry c the Clc: de:t.ino Eorilicez, a Pr oiiz: l ^try A i) wissa1 of the Problem 1. This rnemorandui is ;~". 1dro ccd to the pro'ble of file research which would he required l or is e pre a ~a Lttzn c ~!n' oral history of the Cl..-Mde wine Ol4 rvices or as a oasis for my :sorer s;%=:cia.liwed historical study of a particular era, tun l:i.on or geographical area. it is ?k1. c 1 upon P. survoy, necezrarily into fete and Imprecise, of filo.-i material ava il:.ble for such rcz. oirch. 2. ,: uit? aside o v ovs factor in1iibitin ; the lfs "e' ;Mar tae of history ply cia.z!.ifiex?,? ?3'.i :MGR?? g.:f i ... .ct vi lies, a nw ber of other troubiccormo robbl ..j They -Lnclu;i F . The mould.-bu r yx:o: a ^ ' r la .y a ut t start from a ` S latioxn of nearly' w3 Y~!_..rz of virtual, 1cglect in 71 w h !i o ~a a a'"J f ; .:i:k 3r $ con no S,'r s pera,ic of 'ort, --,n %d vary g .2. C,t?. .. o .2 ::< cLL2 `''r I3rc utce or pre) re for :.i :' ! vtIc i of a history of Cl i-CIA secrot o_- of tF:"2e ray;zRni r_- t:l .:, 7nl compononts c t:: W ti to carry them oat. 1). Certain Of `~..o ol.anJestino co n; ronents hz.vo been treatcd in rice ri.cs of CIO -CIA through 1953, but w:?:," C, L, a1,:.-.--:7, in n z'r, c xts3 where .-g -;h z:cation was neccss;.:{ :' : fl or t 111 in a- is of other matters; prio ? sir, be Are d from dealing wit-11 the ti c :ire o` ^wvicc ,-~,~r se; sorio partial histoz ical z . ics have ben donoa* to r particular purposes b the-?i:: f: ?e of lii itcd value for serious historical rescl wch. c. For the 2 ost k '.:'t, .. _:/i+~i w~ w'~ c,.z`. o haph: artily organized and it qu "x::. ;r nd^zc ; t "Loy are x of archives in any accep' a:)le of that t -,L. 3. Throe general catc oriel of files arc- z~ C? andoos tine services histor; : (a) theca ilh ch hav, been purged of oxtra. Zc is ; Out not of papors) and retired to '~: o s Y tiro Division Records here or to t)pe (b-) :freci l~ Gq REV DATE eY L7l .4 .,. rv/RIfA - ..,- TYC:: !3 /+ { ?c^ [~ d from, autcn,,31N Q"~ .., SS FACES EY GL. SS ~_-'-C.-- y " e ! , MU ExcI-led ~, u,.uur r Z A JUST ?2 NEXT KEY O AUM HR 70.2 I Sr ading 2nd P .f.ssliicaticn pprove or Release 2001/08/31 : CIA-RDP7 - D2 ODaTD0100021-8 Approved FoQelease 2 0 1DE'7 t78-06209000100100021-8 purpose files intended for ready reference, and (c) files of whatever other doscription, not retired but hold in the pos- session of the several Clandestine Services components. 4. The first category is of most interest and potential usefulness for the hi;,torian concerned with the period prior to about 1 January 1961. It also poses the tnottiest prob- lems. The groat bulk of these files have boon thrown together by file clerks or junior officers with little ?nppnrcnt sub- stantive discrimination. A few ar-o wolf or..:;:ani;.od and of uniformly good quality. Moat contain some useful papers inter- mingled with a prepon erance of f/o.o a ra junk from start to finish. The indc.~in (or cb.e1-: -listin-) ranges from barely illuninatinu to outri;Iat misleading. a. Tton: A two?-inch-thic!: file folder "ICI- 1I Correspondoi2Ce" consi.s s almost entir':ly mutual platitudes. b. Iten: .nothor -wwo-i,nc.a folder la,~e led " LP Co ^re norO ce, " containing a eiul and uz-o1cus atrial in approximately Equal has boon put together totally without rofcxei._e to zubj ct it was retired from the O/DCI Executive Registry. c. Item: The riu on copy of a personally diw-tated and -interesting of conversation b3- twoon Allen Dulles and is filed 25X1A in the- senior representative folder, without relationship to anything el e therein. 25X1A d. Itot : Color niy entcnbed at are two folders labelled "Parking Peraits, 3030--57" (I couldn't bear to tool.). e. Item: Twenty-five (eiders are carefully sh if--lissted as "Corre -ondenco on T. rsonalitiew