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:
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
CIA-RDP78-06202A000100100021-8.pdf | 379.45 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