LETTER TO MR. THOMAS C. ERB FROM ALLEN W. DULLES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R003600050015-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2002
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: September 10, 1960
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release 2002/07/29 : CIA-RDP80BO1676R003600050015-4
ER 60-6656/a
10 SEP 1%U
TAT
Mr. meat C. !r~b
t
Dear Mr. Erb:
I have received and have read with clone attention your thoughtful
letter of 25 August concerning the U-2 incident.
I woul4 like to notice that power* was over a baud days in
solitary e nment without ac ess to family,' iris, his own legal
sdvis +, or axW U.S. Embassy representative prior to the trial, that
undoubtedly the Soviets had dad into his mind that they wished to
come out at the trial# and that this can be done and be effective even
short of the techniques of "brain wash .ng." I might add that in selecting
the pilots for such missions, individuals whose past tars3nicg and other
technical, mental and ideological aaetlook sewed to qualify then for the
job.. Were chosen on the basis of these qualifications and willing ess to
serve. Even though the trial itself is over, Po ers is still a prisoner
of the Soviet, and we sbould be careful in our comments that we do
nothing to make his own situation more difficult.
Your kind comments about me and the work of the CIA are indexed
reeciated.
Sincerely,
Allen W. Dulles
Director
STAT
DPD-DD/P:JAC:mg (2 Sept. 60)
Rewritten: O/DCI ak($ Sept. 60)
Distribution:
.
1 - AE -oved For Release 20/07/29 : CIA-RDP80BO1676R003600050015-4
1 - DPD,/RI
prig. - Addressee
1 - DCI
1~- ER -,/basic
1
 Approved For Release 2002/07/29 : CIA-RDP80BO1676R003600050015-4
STAT
August ,
STAT
Mr. Allen W. Dulles
Counter Intelligence Agency
Washington, D. C.
Dear Mr. Dulles:
Now that the highly overrated, over publicized, and
misunderstood U-2 incident is fading from the public
eye I want to congratulate you for a job well done in
handling the whole affair.
There is one thing on which I would like to comment
however - how in the world did you ever hire a man
like Powers for such an important job? You need to
drastically revise your recruiting program. I cannot
blame a man for wanting to save his life but at least
he should have blown up the plane to prevent secrets
from falling into enemy hands. I don't believe you
made the boy understand how important this struggle
is between United States and Russia.
I was surprised and quite pleased to know that our
government was conducting some aggresive espionage
of its own. It makes me feel a little more secure. I
believe the majority of the people feel the same way.
As far as Russia using the incident to wreck the summit
conference it was just as well. No one but the newspaper
writers, the so called intelligentia, and some misguided
leaders looking for reelection wanted it. I believe the
public realizes more than is thought that the ultimate
purpose of Russia is world domination and that any
meeting with them will be of no value to us or the rest
of the world. Generally they are to our disadvantage
because we give more than we receive and then the Russians
keep their agreement only as long as it is convenient to
them to do so.
When the U-2 incident came to light you were to be
commended for telling the truth about it. Even the most
uneducated and primitive people can respect the truth.
If you had lied about it the truth would not be recognized
later - for instance the RB47. It is a shame that so many
of our newspaper writers who wield such influence cannot
endorse the truth.
Congratulations for your good work. Keep it up.
Sincerely yoours,
f
Approved For Release 2002/07/29 : CIA-1676600050015-4
 Approved For Release 2002/07/29 : CIA-RDP80BO1676R003600050015-4
STAT
ER 60-6656/a
10 SEP 11
X have received and have reed with close attention your thoughtful
letter of 95 August oonceruing the U42 incident.
S would like to mention that Powers was over a hundred days in
solitary confinement without access to family, friends, his own legal
advisors, or any U.S. Embassy tentative prior to the trial, that
undoubtedly the Soviets had drtmied into his. wind what they wished to
come out at the trial, and that this can be dons and be effective even
short of the techniques of "brain washing." I might saki that in selecting
the pilots for such missions, individuals whose past training and other
technical, mental and ideological outlook seemed to ue-lify them for the
job, were seen on the basis of these qualifications and willingness to
verve. Xwen though the trial itself is over, Powers. is still a prisoner
of the a iet, and we 0042A be careful in our comments that we do
noth 'to make his own situation more difficult.
Your kind comments about me and the work of the CIA are indeed
appreciated.
Sincerely,
'$ . ED
Allen W. Dulles
Director
D-AD/P:JAC:mg (2 Sept. 60)
Eritten: O/DC ak(8 Sept. 60)
Distribution:
Orig. - Addressee
IX - DCI
1 - ER w/basic
1 - AA1A proved For Releas
-DPDRI