PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE OF INTELLIGENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84-00780R004200150005-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 20
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 23, 2002
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: July 29, 1971
• Content Type: MF

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USE ONLY
SECRET
ROUTINZ AND RECORD SHEET
SUBJECT: (Optional)
Public Understanding of the Role of Intelligence
FROM:
Director of Security
EXTENSION
NO.
DATE
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
building)
E
OFFICER'S
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
RECEIVED
FORWARDED
INITIALS
to whom. Draw a line across column after each comment.)
1? Acting Deputy Director
for Support
2.
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FORM 610 USE NS`V"? SECRETv?v ' CONFIDENTIAL ^
3-62 EDITIONS
^ UNCLASSIFIED
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29 JUL 1971
MEMORANDUM FOR: Acting Deputy Director for Support
SUBJECT : Public Understanding of the Role of
Intelligence
REFERENCE : Memorandum from the Executive Director-
Comptroller to the Deputy Directors, same
subject, dated 16 July 1971
1. This memorandum is submitted for your information only.
2. The attached are a collection of ideas from the various
components of this Office. They represent a number of approaches
to educating the public to the role of intelligence in today's world.
owar s rn
Director of Se rity
GROUP 1
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M 1
Observations of a CIA. Representative
at the Presidential Classroom for Young
Americans-and Other Comments
1. The need to keep the public informed concerning the
necessity and role of intelligence in a free society must be acted
on as a fluid and challenging process. A. total educational program
must be developed which will reorchestrate the ideas of the people
inside and outside the Agency concerning the role and function of
intelligence in the modern world. It is contended that many Agency
employees assist in creating the misconceptions which are mani-
fested in the general public. Furthermore, the failure of the Agency
to take steps to develop a more positive public image has occasionally
reinforced the public's skeptism and concern towards the integrity
of the Agency. The reason for stating the above is the result of the
contact with the nearly two thousand students when I represented the
Agency at the Presidential Classroom for Young Americans and
during a discussion sanctioned by the Agency at a local high school.
2. During all of the discussion with these students, several
factors were very prominent. First, they were under the impression
that the Agency was conducting domestic spying and maintaining files
on civilians. Second, they had no understanding or realization of the
outside checks on the Agency's activities and consequently, they
maintained that there were no controls on the Agency and it functioned
as an autonomous unit outside the governmental structure. Third, a
very real concept and belief among the students was the representation
of the Agency's total function as a group of "spies" running around
the country and the world assassinating left-wingers and overthrowing
governments who disagreed with the policy of the United States.
Finally, since they assumed that no one knows what the Agency
does or how it conducts its activities, they surmised that
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the Agency had developed its own inherent policy formulating
and directing body which need not answer to anyone outside the
Agency. Thus, since the need for dispelling the misnomers con-
cerning intelligence and an attempt to impress upon Americans
the need for intelligence is an extremely pressing problem, the
Agency could greatly assist this process by developing an educa-
tional program inside and outside the Agency, intensifying recruiting
in as many diverse regions of the country as possible and possibly
creating an office dealing with youth and students' affairs. Attached
is a copy of a report dealing in more details concerning the inquiries
by the Students of the Presidential Classroom.
security consciousness or in an at mpt to create an atmosphere of
importance around their job, s e "I cannot tell you because my job
is classified". While the sp ific duties of Agency employees clearly
cannot be discussed, the neral character of any job held by an overt
employee such as a cle , secretary, accountant, economists, analyst,
etc. , can be routinel described upon a serious and conscientious
inquiry. Thus, si a most employees receive their orientation at the
time they enter 7 duty and have no knowledge of the Agency, possibly
the orientatio program could be given in two parts or the employee
could be ca ed back for periodic briefings. Since the professional
employe eceives a great deal of training and his own background
3. I would like to relate an incident at the local high school
which throws light on how our own employees can create problems
because they fail to answer justified questions which is possibly
caused by the failure of the orientation program to explain the "whys"
as well as the "don'ts". After talking with a group of students, one
(about a 16 year old young lady) of them approached me and stated
that her father was an Agency employee. When I reett sted her name,
she said that she could not give it to me. During die brief discussion
she proceeded to ask me what her father does foEthe Agency in that
he works with computers and he said that he could not tell her. She
reiterated that she was not interested in the specific information
with which he deals but rather just what funct~.ons does the computer
serve in the government. This incidentnts to a very serious
problem that overt Agency employee /wither in displaying an over
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serves to reinforce his understanding of his job, more concentration
should be placed on the non-professional employees, so that they
will be witting of the importance of intelligence and the function
of the Agency.
4. The image of the Agency to the general public can be
greatly helped by a total educational effort to develop a program
which would both satisfy the curiosity of the public and inform them
of the role of intelligence in a free society while protecting the
sources and sensitivity of present intelligence effort. Furthermore,
it is believed that a conscientious effort should be made toward
creating a program which would develop the interests of the youth
in intelligence. While I fully realize that the Agency cannot open
itself as much as the State Departmentto public inquiries, I have
enclosed a pamphlet which discusses'the intensive effort of the State
Department to develop a dialogue,.mith the youth. They have initiated
campus liaison programs, schylardiplomat seminars, diplomats
in residence, radio and TV s-ervices, films, publications, briefings,
a collection of youth opinions, student services and conferences.
While some of these programs would prove costly and not be feasible
for this Agency, several of the programs could be readily applied
on a less intensive basis. Also, the Justice Department has teams
of lawyers who go to high schools and college campuses on request
to discuss with the students problems relating to their department.
V
who have a full understanding of the ed and role of intelligence in
a free society. Thus, through a rect contact many youths will
realize the positive purpose intelligence and might become motivated
towards an intelligence c eer. Most of the students with whom I
5. Since most people have had little or no contact With the
Agency or its personnel, trained overt employees co 1t(be sent to
high school, campus and community organizations upon request to
address the people. It is felt that the future ccess of the Agency
will be found in recruiting bright, youn innovative employees
talked had no idea as 6how to apply for a job ii.iiitelligence or what
background is needed. Also, since it has, in said that the Agency
could staff a university it would see easible that overt staff
employees in specific discipline5,o6uld be given sabbaticals and
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more, it is contend that the mere contact with Agency employees
can dispell muc f the glamour, mystery and misconceptions
centered arou, d the Agency.
and teaching aides which, ould be used on the high school level
for the teaching of th istory of intelligence. Educators play
an important part ' developing the future citizen and thus, to
provide the edu for with guidance in developing the tools which
would assist im in educating students concerning the role of
intelligenc_ in the rapidly changing world can better prepare
our young people to have a more complete understanding of the
function of intelligence in the decision making process. Also,
the new film on the Agency entitle - 'The Need to Know",
should be shown to younger t`oups after which an open dis-
cussion could take plat ed by an Agency employee. Further-
assigned to American u ersities and colleges which would so
request an Agenc affer in residence. While the concept of
intelligence ering is as old as the state,, -most people con-
sider intelligence as a twentieth cent phenomena brought
about by modern technology. In ation to -education _quite
possibly the Agency could de op a,curriculum, bibliography
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"...Students do not need proof
of our foreign policy expertise.
They want to see our willing-
ness to consider their views fairly
-a legitimate expectation."
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 Approved For Release 2003/02/27 : CIA-RDP84-00780R004200150QR;-?-Fhe Unending Struggle," a documentary
about the work of an American diplomatic -nis-
sion overseas, and "From Where I Sit," an, iti-
Guiry into the process of foreign policy
young people today are per-
haps the most "concerned" generation
in history: concerned about the indi-
vidual and about mankind; about the
poor, the cities, the environment; and
about the U.S. role in the world. They
are challenging established quidelines
that have governed the domestic and
foreign policy of previous generations.
Change and involvement are their
goals. -
The Department of State welcomes
:,eir concern; it seeks their involve-
ment. U.S. foreign relations will de-
pend a few years from now on their
leadership and actions. The doors are
?pen wide for a continuing dialogue
,etween young people Today and the
Department of State. Here are some of
!-.e programs currently in operation;
Young foreign service offi-
cers are visiting college campuses and com-
munities in increasing numbers on request to
talk with and listen to young people. This year
more than 200 officers will go to 600 or more
campuses on request, and without charge to
students.
making, illustrated by two current foreign policy
issues. The first of a new 3-part film series-in- __
color on the diplomatic history of the United
States will be released shortly.
Some of the Department's pub-
lications are youth oriented and designed for
classroom use or general information. These
include the "Issues In U.S. Foreign Policy" series,
which provides factual data on the basis of
which students can make their own policy judg-
ments; "Background Notes on the Countries of
the World;" and "International Organizations,
which provides basic facts about various inter-
national bodies of special interest.
Your The Department is seeking to in-
terest our
faculty members in small groups are invited to Y g people coming to Washington in
visiting the Department for informal talks or
spend a working week in the Department to ob- group briefings and discussions. Regular open
serve its operations and to work and talk with briefing sessions are held twice weekly in the
officers in the geographic and functional bureaus Department, and special sessions can be arranged
related to their own professional fields. To con-
tinue the dialogue, Department officers re- at any time upon advance request. Professors
pay are encouraged to bring their students to the
turn working visits to the faculty members on Department for colloquies and research projects
their campuses.
d
Under this program,
now 6 years old, senior Foreign Service Officers
are assigned for a year to American colleges and
universities. A total of 65 U.S. colleges have en-
rolled 51 senior officers. These officers accept
invitations to visit, speak, and meet with stu-
dents and faculty at other colleges as well, and
in this way are able to communicate with a
substantial portion of the American academic
community-approximate:.. 400 colleges have
been reached from the c. .;ginal 65.
The Department
participates in a 30-minute monthly radio pro-
gram, "Students and Diplomats," in which two
graduate or undergraduate students and two of-
ficials discuss timely foreign policy issues. More
than 100 campus stations are now receiving this
program, available free on request. A similar
series will be produced for TV broadcasting.
Several films on foreign policy are also
available for purchase or free loan. These black
uring the mid-term semester break.
Representative opinions of
young people are being collected and brought to
the attention of key DeparUrient officers.
These services, provided on
request, include supplying publications on cur-
rent foreign policy issues, and providing research
assistance where possible to student and aca-
demic publications.
The Department sends officers
to regional conferences which are organized by
students, educators, or youth leaders to speak-
on foreign policy or to engage in discussions or
open forums.
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eep controversy. (This panel
THE AGENCY VIS -A -VIS ACADEMIC
AND OPINION MAKER CIRCLES AND
THE BROAD BASED PUBLIC
1. The long-fostered academic image of the Agency is probably
the most desirable for continuation in reaching academic and "opinion
making" elements of our society. Infrequent public presentations by the
Director contribute to this image as long as response by the media is
generally favorable; saturation would be counterproductive and would
encourage press reaction of a negative nature. Other considerations
for approaching this image might be:
a. An Agency panel to review proposed publications
by overt Agency personnel to determine which are suffi-
ciently scholarly to make it desirable that the author be
identified as CIA on the jacket and ir1 reviews, This would
be an "exception" panel, selecting the high quality items
which would contribute favor 1E ly to Agency image, and
rejecting those which are,,6f lesser value, or which might
embroil the Agency in
would not supplant e
cedures; rather,
those procedur
Agency image
Agency.)
fisting pre -publication review pro-
would select from those "passing"
the works which would contribute to
by identification of the author with the
b. The "un-official" organization
"alumni" group, made up of former
employees (only). In this group w
politicians, leaders in the acad
ment officials, etc., all of w
ostensibly apart from the
organized voice to co
to give "controlled" c
to generally enhanc
'fan Agency
ency open
find journalists,
is field, govern-
om, if organized
gency, would prove an
ent favorably on the Agency,
ticism in times of trial, and
the Agency's image by noting the
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qualifications and acceptability of its leaders, all men who
made careers, in whole or in part, in the CIA. This orga-
nization would have the side effect of providing this Agency
with a roster of significant former employees, retirees, etc. ,
who are favorably oriented toward the Agency and whose sup-
port might be enlisted in periods when such support would be
of value to the Agency. It would, of course, be important to
assure that the leadership of the group does not fall into the
hands of former employees who are hostile to the Agency.
2. While the "opinion makers" are probably the most significant
area for extending the image of the Agency in favorable areas, it might
be also well to direct some effort toward enhancing the Agency image
with the broad-based American public, i.e., an attitudinal acceptance
by the "grass roots. " This type of image building would not tend toward
the academic, but rather would cautiously cultivate the "romantic" and
achievement-oriented image of espionage organizations and personnel
generally held by the public. Some ideas along this line might be:
a. Articles about the Agency in wide-circulation
publications, tending to be a bit morels nsational and
colorful than the general output inecognized magazines.
Such articles should be in both, ecognized magazines,
such as Readers Digest, amain specialized magazines,
such as the favorable col rage given in the past in pub-
lications of the Amer-* an Legion and other organizational
and trade journals. We recall the highly favorable article
in printing trade ournals about the Agency's development
of computeriz,e~' type-setting as such an example. Other
articles--fition, non-fiction or a melding of both--could
recount su cessful espionage efforts of the CIA, provided
they pro #e a point, i. e. , that they benefited the American
people by preventing war, diluting a crisis, prevented the
invo1,vement of fighting forces, etc. ("CIA as an Agency
for Peace, " no less. )
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b. More difficult would be enlisting TV production
of a CIA series similar to the FBI serf s but without the
overt government cooperation and'ontrols noted in that
series. Some cooperation ofiistorical" nature would
probably not draw severe iticism, and the resultant
work could be freely a et d on a fictional basis (much
like the FBI series , or be totally fictional--but favor-
able--such as t "Mission Impossible" and "It Takes a
Thief" series ave been. The important factor here
would be a eries showing the CIA doing something
colorful or specific advantage to the United States
and to tie public.
c. First person spy memoirs of a colorful nature
might be encouraged on a highly selective basis from
retirees and former employees. These could also be
self-serving, but would provide a counterforce to destruc-
tive, uncontrolled "leaks" by former employees. The
memoirs would be sterilized as necessary, even fabri-
cated in sensitive areas, as part of the Agency's "normal"
review processes. However, the Agency would not be
involved in the actual sale or distribution of the book,
other than making purchases of it in reasonable bulk
quantities as might be, expected of us in the case of a
"revealing" book, which would also assure some return
to the publisher iii guaranteed minimum sales. This
would require close monitoring to assure that the
Agency is continually in a position to deny involvement
in the preparation of the books, and the publisher need
not be made "witting" of any Agency interest other than
purchase of a certain number of the books for "train-
ing, " libraries, etc. Since the Agency traditionally
does not deny or confirm such stories, the same
policy could be applied to outside inquiries in regard
to these books, providing a "no comment" which would
perhaps validate desired fiction built around a grain of
truth.
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U:,- ht I
SHOULD THE AGENCY CONCERN ITSELF
WITH THE PUBLIC'S UNT,RRSTANDING OF
THE ROLE OF INTELLIGENCE?
1. The Director observed that after the "Ramparts" disclosures
via -a-via the National Student Association and the Agency, the negative
reaction to the Agency on U.S. college campuses was at a level which
made any reasoned approach to explaining the Agency's function impos-
sible at the time. When the Director spoke on 15 June, the first install-
ments of the "Pentagon Papers" had just been published in the Now York
Times. Since that time, the publication of the "Pentagon Papers" per sa
has been completed both in the press and in paperback. Commentary in
the media on the "Pentagon Paper." has been favorable to the Agency, but
has underscored that the "wisdom" of the Agency was not followed, leaving
the reading public with the thought "why a Central Intelligence Agency if
its collective wisdom is ignored? " It would be a most onerous task to go
back to ones alma mater (a possibility alluded to by the Director) to attempt
to explain, justify and convince any audience that the Agency has a role in
the decision-making processes of the Federal Government and is some-
thing the American taxpayer needs. Moreover, this task is doubly onerous
because one could not be candid or creditable under the strictures of "need-
to-know, " "protection-of-sources-and-methods, " and classification caveats.
At the time of the "Ramparts" disclosure, the Director observed that the
winds of the storm were blowing too strongly to be heard. It would seem
that the winds are blowing just as strongly now, from another direction as
a result of the "Pentagon Papers."
2. It is not clear as to whether the "Role of Intelligence" addresses
itself to "intelligence" in the broad community sense or "intelligence" in
the narrower Agency sense as being the thing Americans have to be con-
vinced they need. In the broader sense it would seem to be an extremely
difficult thing to do for the Federal Government has always had "intelli-
gence" in some form, good or bad, on which to base decisions. To con-
vince the public that they need "reliable, coordinated intelligence" is only
ce~jr t
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half the ;{ blem. The other hall would' be to convince them that this costly
product is indeed used. If "inteUlgence" in the narrower Agency sense is
meant, the situation in no better with the Agency commanding only some
I f the money in intelligence community activities. The Agency is just
the "tail on the dog" in the intelligence community.
3. The democratic tradition of the American people has made them
a curious people. It has given them a collective and individual possessive
pride in their country's achievements. As a result of their individuality,
they are collectively slow learners who begin to catch on through a process
of repetition. To win the American oplee over for the continued need for
a "Central Intelligence Agency, " it would seem that the Agency would need
a public exhibition hall where "intellig.ai a achievements" could be dis-
played, with eye-catching handouts for he public. One can see the suc-
cess of this approach by noting the strong public support the FBI has
developed and maintained in spite of criticism from special interest
groups.
4. After all is said and done, one can also ask whether the "intel-
ligence image" via is the American public is a problem with which the
Agency should be concerned. Intelligence in some form is a tool which
has and will continue to exist in some form in the Executive Branch of
Government. Since it is a tool of the ]Executive Branch, is it proper to
"go to the people" to justify its continued existence in the form it now
has? " Intelligence has no public function as does labor, agriculture,
welfare, or education. It does not provide any direct public service.
Its usefulness In. presenting the President with the beast information and
judgment available can only be maintained by carefully protecting "sources
and methods. " This vital protection can only suffer erosion by "going to
the public. " As long as "sources and methods" must continue to be fully
protected, it would seem doubtful that the Agency and its role can over be
creditably presented to the American public. Attempts to do so will con-
tinuously create situations challenging its creditability and repeatedly
reopen its "public image" issue.
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SHIFT IN EMPHASIS ON THE
ACTIVITIES OF THE AGENCY
1. The public should be made-more aware of the DDS &T and
DDI roles of this Agency rather-than the accomplishments or the work
performed by the DDP. _:T-heexpertise in these areas should be extolled.
2. The whole intelligence process=from the input of raw intelligence
reports to the final product presented to the President and the National
Security Council should be explaixied. Although this rule, that of gather-
ing intelligence, is not as exciting as the James Bond type operations such
as performed by the DDP. the people could more readily accept the
Agency's role. The greater the understanding of the American public of
what the Agency does, and why, the better accepted it will be.
3. The Agency should form a public relations group and train them
for the purpose of explaining to university students and other interested
groups the role that the CIA performs in the gathering of intelligence.
For example, college students today have come to accept the fact that
the U.S. has no right to be in Vietnam because they are not told that the
U.S. was invited by the South Vietnamese Government to come to their
assistance in order to prevent an overrun of their country by the Com-
munists. A well organized nucleus of trained public relation officers
could convert the next generation of students as to why intelligence is
necessary in the world today.
4. It appears today that the distrust on the part of the students and
the American public is a result of suspicions of the policies and practices
of the U.S. Government which carries over to the Agency although the
Agency has no role in the policy making and decisions of the Government.
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CCHEI
PRESIDENTIAL PUBLICITY FOR
CIA'S TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY
1. Historically, intelligence organizations do not seek publicity,
therefore, we do not feel the Agency should embark on a public relations
program as such. To do so would open Pandora's box so to speak and do
us more harm than good. By and large, the general public understands
the need for intelligence. What they are concerned about is whether we
(CIA) are doing a good job. We can't blow our own horn, therefore, if
they are to be convinced that we are, it will have to come from higher
authority or sources outside the Agency.
2. The Director's speech before the American Society of Newspaper
Editors explained the role of intelligence in an excellent way. His recent
trip to the Middle East on behalf of the President was a public expression
of the President's confidence in him and though not intentionally publicized,
it did get wide coverage in the world press.
3. In 1972, the Agency will celebrate its 25th anniversary. It
might be appropriate on that occasion to work toward some low key
publicity. A publically announ od visit by the President and a release
of his statement concerning the Agency might be appropriate as would
a statement by the Director. In fact, TV and radio coverage would not
be entirely out of order. We haver a year to prepare for it.
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