LETTER TO MR. DULLES FROM R. GEHLEN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01731R000500270029-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 11, 2002
• Sequence Number: 29
• Publication Date: May 12, 1953
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved ,eiease 2002/05/07: CIA-RDP80R0li R000500270029-1
CONEDEN` AL
Reinhard Gehlen Munich, May 12th, 1953
1A
I take the opportunity of Mr. trip to25X1A
the States to give along this letter. In this first letter
to you as to the new Chief of the US Intelligence Service
I may express my congratulations to your present position
and may wish you good luck. Your very well-known under-
standing for all German problems, especially proven during
the years just after the war, will guarantee also for the
future the necessary basis of confidence for the cooperation
in the intelligence field between the United States and
Germany.
Nearly seven years of close cooperation between the
US Intelligence Service and this organization have passed.
These years created a well-founded investment of good will
on both sides. They.gave us the feeling to have worked'
successfully in paving the basement of a future German In-
telligence Service. We are especially_sthankful.that_the
trend during the last months was to.-give us more freedom
and.responsib'ility`in_the. control ofour operations. You
know from your"-own long experience that too -muci paragraphs,
regulations, SOP's, and red tape mean the death of all in-
telligence activities. Therefore, I would welcome an in-
tensification of this tendency. I know that there have
been many reasons which did not make it possible to follow
this trend earlier. Therefore, I appreciate very much the
understanding and help of Mr. and his superiors25X1A
to create the presupposition for more self-responsibility
of our organization, which will increase our efficiency
considerably.
Mr. knows all about our present and
future problems, so that he is able to give you detailed
information. As soon as you should visit Europe again,
I would appreciate very much to have the opportunity for
a discussion with you yourself about some basic problems.
With best regards,
Sincerely yours,
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/c 4
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Approved For Release 2002/05/07 : CIA-RDP80R01731 R000500270029-1
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1'
30 December 1952
(handwritten) Dear General Gehlen
Thank you most sincerely for your letter, I appre-
ciate particularly your peral assurances of future
cooperation with this it ? ency.. An I told General
von Mellenthin, a few week^ ago, we look f onvard to fit:
inceasin , close workin ~ relatio=hip with Your i-
zation
an thorou,,,hly convinced a " as long
as we are confronted with a "cold war", our organizations
must work together closely in oxxe'r to achieve maximum
coverage of our mutual. -intelligence goals? and as I said to
you when you were here, the objective is sufficiently
difficult to demand the utmost of our united efforts. Ti
0are closer to the point of coact and as your organization
gains in strength and preetir.. I foresee your becoming-'the
spearhead of the main effort'n certain directions.
I have noted with particular interest your corente
on eoviet capabilities and intentions. These cc ents eseer*
very sound to us. I was also pleased to learn that you will
have answers to the questions in my previous letter in the
foreseeable future. I hope you gill continue to give me your
personal, comments and estimates. They are valued highly*
Faithfully,
(handwritten)
s/Bedell Smith
rermany
1 - DD w/orin tor for,vardinn to addressee
C/Fi
1 - EE/FI/Z
basic retained by 'CT
Approved For Release 2002/05/07 : CIA-RDP80R01731 R000500270029-1
Orig - Addressee
EE/FI/7.,: TG/mj s - 16. Dec 52
Rewritten 0/DCI:WBSmith/dr - 27 Dec 52
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