ESTABLISHMENT OF A CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE SERVICE UPON LIQUIDATION OF OSS.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-01034R000200090028-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 17, 2006
• Sequence Number: 28
• Publication Date: September 19, 1945
• Content Type: MEMO

9BI r ved For Release 2006/02/07 : CIA-RDP83-01034R000200090028-1
WASHINGTON 25, D.C.
19 September 1945
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF VM s
SECRETARY OF THE NAVYs
SUBJECTS 'tablishment of a oentral intelligence
service upon liquidation of 085.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff request that the Secretary of War and
the Secretary of the Navy forward the attached memorandum to the
President.
For the Joint Chiefs of Staffs
WILLIAM D. LEAHY
Fleet Admiral# U.S. Navy,
Chief of ltaff to the
Commander in Chief of the Army
and Navy,
This is a TEMPORARY DOCUMENT
only, for the use of DCI/HS.
The record copy has been
released to National Archives -
under the HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM.
Date,. 6L)6 9 ! HRP 9 ' Z._
~~ t? ~-,1 P ~ ~ o ~ D D CD~~ fl d y c e
Approved For Release 2006/02/07 : CIA-RDP83-01034R000200090028-1
 Approved For Release 2006/02/07 : CIA-RDP83-01034R000200090028-1
top secret
ENCLOSURE
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
A memorandum from the Director of Strategic Services on the
establishment of a central intelligence service was referred to the
Joint Chiefs of Staff on 22 November 1944'for their. command and recom-
mendation. The matter received careful study and consideration at
that time and the Joint Chiefs of Staff were prepared to recommend,
when opportune, the establishment of such an agency in three days,
namely:
1. An Executive Order setting up a National Intelligence
Authority (composed of the Secretaries of State, War and the
Navy, and a representative of the Joint Chiefs of Staff), a
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (appointed by the
President), and an Intelligence Advisory Board heads of the
principal military and civilian intelligence agencies).
2. Preparation and submission to the President by the above
group of a basic organizational plan for establishing the complete
intelligence system.
S. Establishing of this intelligence system by Presidential
directive and legislative action appropriate.
Since their first studies, the Joint Chiefs of Staff have had re-
ferred to them a letter from the Director of Strategic Services to the
Director, Bureau of the Budget, dated 25 August.194 5, renewing his pro-
posals on the subject.. Meanwhile,; the cessation of hostilities, certain
undecided questions regarding the--future organization of the military
establishment, and the development of new weapons present new factors
which require consideration.
The and of hostilities has tended to emphasize the importance of
proceeding without further delay to set up a central intelligence system.
The unsettled question as to post-war military organization does
not materially affect the matter, and certainly warrants no further
delay since a central intelligende agency can be fitted to whatever
organization or establishments are decided upon,,
Recent developments in the field of new weapons have advanced
the question of an efficient intelligence service to a position of
importance, vital to the security of the nation in a degree never at-
tained and never oaaitemplated in the past. It is now entirely possible
that failure to provide such a system might bring national disaster.
Approved For Release 2006/02/07 : CIA-RDP83-01034R000200090028-1
 Approved For Release 2006/02/07 : CIA-RDP83-01034R000200090028-1
The Joint Chiefs of Staff recognizes, as does the Director of
Strategic Services, the. desirability ofs
a. Further coordination of intelligence. activities related to
the national seourity;
b. The unification of such activities of co*mon concern as can
be more efficiently conducted by a common agency; and
c, The synthesis of departmental intelligence on the strategic
and national policy level.
They consider that these three functions may well be more effectively
carried on in a common intelligence agency, provided that suitable con-
ditions of responsibility to the departments primarily concerned with
national security are maintained. They believe, however, that the
specific proposals made by the Director of Strategic Services are open
to serious objection in that, without adequate compensating advantages,
they would over-centralize the national intelligence service andplaoe it
at such a high level that it would, control the operations. of departmental
intelligence agencies without're$pd sibility, either individually or
collectively, to the heads of the departments concerned.
In view of the above, the, Joint Chiefs of Staff append hereto an
alternative draft directive, which they b elieveretains the merits of
Oehes`al Donovan's proposals, while obviating the objection thereto.
The success of the proposed organization will depend largely on
the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. In the opinion of
the joint Chiefs of Staff, he should have considerable permanence in.
office, and to that end should be either a specially qualified civilian
or an Army or Navy officer of appropriate background and experience who
can be assigned for therequisite period of time. It is considered
absolutely essential, particularly in the case of the first director,
that he be in a position to exercise impartial 1 in the many
difficult problems of organization and cooperation which must be solved
before an effective working organization can be established.
Approved For Release 2006/02/07 : CIA-RDP83-01034R000200090028-1
 Approved For Release 2006/02/07 : CIA-RDP83-01034R000200090028-1
DIRECTIVE REGARDING THE COOREi NATION OF INTELLIGENCE
ACTIVITIES
In order to provide for the development and coordination of in-
telligence activities related to the national security:
1. A National Intelligence Authority composed of the Secretaries
of State, War and the Navy, and a representative of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff is hereby established and charged with responsibility for such
over-all intelligence planning and development, and such inspection and
coordination of all Federal intelligence activities, as to assure the
most effective accomplishment of the intelligence mission related to the
national security.
~,,'CHoary
2. To assist it in at task the National Intelligence Authority
shall establish a Central ntelligence Agency headed by a Director who
shall be appointed or rem d by the President on the recommendation of
the National Intelligence shall be responsible to the National
.Intelligence Authority) and shall sit as a ` nor -voting member thereof*
3. The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency shall be ad-
vised by an Intelligence Advisory Board consisting of the heads of the
principal military and civilian intelligence agencies having functions
related to the national security., as determined by the National Intelli-
gence Authority.
4. The first duty of the National Intelligence Authority, assisted
by the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and the Intelligence
Advisory Board, shall be to prepare and submit to the president for his
approval a basic organizational plan for implementing this directive in
This
accordance with the concept set ~or'~Fi-3n t&e followiniaaragaphs.
plan should include dra tip aI3 icuseas`a"y legislation.
5.. Subject to the direction and control of the National Intelli-
gence Authority, the Central Intelligence Agency shall:
a. Aooonpliah the synthesis of departmental intelligence re-
lating to the national security and the appropriate dissemination within
the government and of the resulting strategic and national policy intelli-
gence,
b. Plan for the ooordination of the activities of all intelli-
gence agencies of the government having functions related to the national
security, and recommend to the National Intelligence Authority the estab-
lishment of such over-all policies and objectives as will assure the
most effective accomplishment of the national intelligence mission.
Approved For Release 2006/02/07': CIA-RDP83-01034R000200090028-1
 Approved For Release 2006/02/07 : CIA-RDP83-01034R000200090028-1
c. Perform, for the benefit of departmental intelligence agencies,`,
such services of common concern as the National Intelligence Authority
determines can be more efficiently accomplished by a common agency, in-
oluding the direct procurement of intelligence*
d. Perform such other functions and duties related to intelligence
as the National Intelligence Authority may from time to time direct.
6. The Central Intelligence Agency shall have no police or law en-
forcement functions.
7. subject to coordination by the National Ihtelligenoe Authority,
the existing intelligence agencies of the government shall continue to
collect, evaluate, synthesize, and disseminate departmental operating
intelligence._ herein defined,.. - ...tha1~ intelligence rewired by the several
department and__independent agencies for the perf'?finenoe ot~ their 4rp
otions. Such departmental operating intelligence as designated by
the National Intelligence Authority shall be freely available to the
Central Intelligence Agency for synthesis. As approved by the Nstional
Intelligence Authority, the operations of the departmental intelligence
agencies shall be open to inspection by the Central Intelligence Agency
in connection with its planning function. In the interpretation of this
paragraph, the National Intelligence Authority and the Central Intelli-
gence Agency will be responsible for fully protecting intelligence
sources and methods which, due to their nature, have a direct andhhighly
important bearing on military operations.
8. Funds for the National Intelligence Authority shall be provided
by the departments participating in the National Intelligence authority
in amount andproportions to be agreed upon by the members of the Authority.
Within the limits of the funds made available to him, the Director of the
Central Intelligence Agency may employ necessary personnel and make provision
for necessary supplies, facilities and services. With the approval of
the National Intelligence Authority, he may call upon departments and
independent agencies to furnish such specialists as may be required for
supervisory and functional positions in the Central Intelligence Agency,
including the assignment of military and naval personnel
Approved For Release 2006/02/07 : CIA-RDP83-01034R000200090028-1
 po*/K CARD
SECRET (When Filled In)
se 2006/080 071 oKCIARDPB3-O1034R0002W@g10026-1
requesting that o an Memorandum of Joint Chiefs for Secretaries of War and Navy LOCATION:
forwarded. 5 pp. Item 5 and
HS/HC-31V
Item 21 ; F4
In the recommendation to the President the Joint Chiefs concur in the
proposal of the Director of Strategic Services which would establish a
national Intell Authority, a Director of a Central Intelligence Agency
and an Intelligence Advisory Board. A draft Directive on the coordination
of Intelligence Activities is attached.
(Source document for HS-1, Chapter II,,page 11.)
Approved For Release 2006/02/07 : CIA-RDP83-01034R000200090028-1
FORM 2 523 EDITIONS PREVIOUS (13.15)
q_gg HISTORICAL STAFF SOURCE INDEX SECRET