(Sanitized) HISTORY ON CIA S ORIGINS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84-00780R006400150004-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 39
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 2, 2003
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: October 1, 1975
• Content Type: MF

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- 1 OCT 1975
STAT
STAT
STAT
ST
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Administration
SUBJECT : I History on CIA's Origins
1. Following up on our discussion of 17 September
about history, I propose that we proceed immediately
to have a ra t text read by a panel of persons who might
advise as to its suitability for publication--initially in
its present classified form--its dissemination outside the
Agency, and possibly publication later on an unclassified
basis.
AT
2. As there are only three copies of the text at this
point, to facilitate this process of review and make it
available as background in OTR courses, I think it needs to
be reproduced, as was 0 earlier work, "COI and British
Intelligence." (This latter publication won the Sherman
Kent award of $500 this year and is, I believe, an indicator
of the high quality of history.) I am, therefore,
sending the text of the s ory, the footnotes, bibliography
etc. needed for a careful reading, to Printing and Photography
Division for limited reproduction. OTR has invested consider-
ably in this project, and I think that work--even in
its present draft form--merits an oppor uni y to be read by
an expert and objective group and to be available for reference
in OTR courses.
3. Upon return from PPD, I would like to farm it out
simultaneously to a number of readers. They might well be
drawn from persons on the following list: John Warner,
Angus Thuermer, L.K. White, Lawrence Houston Sherman Kent,
Hugh Cunningham, Walter Pforzheimer andi
I
would also, welcome any suggestions from you.
n oariguez
Director of Training
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STAT
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16 September 1975
History on the Origins of CIA
REFERENCE: Memo to Asst. to the Director
fr DDA, dtd 20 Aug 7 5 , (DD/A is-
1. j Deputy Director of Training, called
today to inquire o the status of the history. I read
to him Mr. Blake's 20 August memo addressed to
said he was unaware of this final piece
o correspondence.
2. Don feels the history is worth editing and cor-
recting and plans to discuss this with Messrs. Blake and
McMahon ometime in the near future.
Distribution:
/Orig - DDA Subject
1 - RFZ Chrono
EO-DDA)
Executive O&fAcer, DDA
(17 Sept 75)
STAT
STAT
STAT
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DIVA 75-3930
20 August 1975
MEMORMIDUM FOR: Assistant to the Director
1. I transmit to you as an attachment, a copy of
t'DONOVAN AND CIA- -A History of the Establishment of the
Central Intelligence Agency'', I have
attached to that document three ttemoran a:
(a) A memorandum to me from the
Director of Training recommending that
the history be published. I am not pre-
pared to approve that recommendation at
this time.
- ,(b) A critique of the history
ade by Dr. Jack B. Pfeiffer of the CIA
i.story Staff,
(c) A position paper on the
titter taken by Mr. Walt Elder.
cannot judge the merits of the. document and,
I.deq,&, .I have not even read it. It came to my attention
only yesterday. I am not sure if you are the proper
t
t
h
i
.
n
en
e
d1 vZdta1,to um-ertake the reviow in light of t
any event, I deposit it with you with
history of CIAjA01'OR8A?00150004-4
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13 August 1975
MEMORANDUM FOR: Walter Elder, Chief, CIA History Staff
F ROM
SUBJECT
REFERENCE
Publication of History on the Origins of CIA
Memorandum for DDA from DTR, 29 July 75,
same subject.
Background
1. Per your request to me of 1 August 1975, I have
examined Donovan and CIA: A History of the Establishment
of the Central Intelligence Agency It STAT
is unfortunate that the History Sta was no ca e on at
a much earlier stage to provide guidance on the topic because
a more "definitive" and certainly more professional history
on the Origins of CIA -- including generous and adequately
documented attributions to General William Donovan's contri-
butions -- has been available since 1953. In December of that
year The Central Intelligence Agency:
An Instrument of National Policy, to 1950 appeared qs the f' st
issuance under the aegis of the CIA History Staff. STAT
ten chapters cover 762 double-spaced pages, including footnotes;
and the bulk of the first five chapters (345 pages) -- covering
the wartime origins of the Agency through President Truman's
signature on the National Security Act on 26 July 1947 -- were
also published in five articles appearing in Studies in Intel-
ligence between the Spring issue of 1968 and the Winter issue
of 1969. Although psource references were not for-
warded for review, I am sure that he must be aware of the
I (history.
2. Whereas Q in his first 345 pages covers not
only the push by Donovan for the establishment of an independent
centralized intelligence agency but also provides considerable
substantial information about the estimative process during
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the immediate post-war period, the history consumes 557
single-spaced pages of text (excluding footnotes, appendixes,
and other materials) in a grimly detailed, daily diary type
of exposition of Donovan's every move in the organizational
evolution of this period.
STAT
3. Continued in its present form, it is improbable
(contrary to the belief expressed f OTR in the STAT
T
memo forwarding the history) that vo ume has "an ST
excellent chance to be the definitive wor on the subject'and
will earn the respect of all who read it." As objective history,
the work is notably biased. The author's admiration for Donovan
leads him to impute the motives of practically everyone who
opposed Donovan on any issue related to the objectives and
nature of the organization best suited to serve the nation's
intelligence needs; the author is so entranced with details
of Donovan's involvement that he has not separated the wheat
from the chaff -- each episode involving a "major" issue receives
equal treatment; and too frequently the author's personal
prejudices toward given individuals show through.
4. Editorially the history is a mess. Its use of dates
is consistently imprecise (of all things, the exact date on
which President Truman signed the National Security Act
(26 July 1947) is omitted in the textual discussion concerning
the actual signing); the quantity of minutae is almost unbearable the first 55 pages (possibly 65 pp.) would be fine for a Donovan
biogra y, but are at best marginal to CIA's origins; the work
is re iitious; and the numerous attempts to engage reader
inter t through the creation and destruction of straw men is
unprofessional to say the least. Considering the problems of
editing the text, one should look with fear and trepidation to
the review of footnotes, sources, and other material intended
for the "complete" version.
5. Both show that Donovan's
insistence on a separate, centralized intelligence activity
clearly made the function an integral part of US foreign policy
formulation, but has placed considerably more
emphasis on Donovan 's concern that the intelligence Director
receive "advice and assistance" from the representatives of the
Departments of State, Army, and Navy rather than "advice and
consent" of these representatives.
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6. One final general comment about the history is
that the Epilogue is very much out of place i a history which
could be construed by any stretch of the imagination as Agency-
related. By this time, the author's opinion of former President
Truman has already been made quite clear.
STAT
Recommendations
7. Based on the above comments, I would recommend that no
further work be done on the subject history. Three and a half
years on this particular topic -- and the work not yet complete,--
seems an inordinate waste of money. The source references,
footnotes, and other related data should be gathered together
and the complete package turned over to the CIA History Staff
for retention as a manuscript for background use. As already
mentioned, the bulk of the information in this history has
appeared in print in a widely circulated, reputable intelligence
publication, Studies in Intelligence. The pre-war background
of COI, the more intimate view of the Donovan character, and
details of the institutional infighting, can hardly be considered
as significant additions to the literature of intelligence,
particularly in view of the cost and effort which would be
required to ready this volume for publication.
8. If the recommendation in Par. 7, above, is not accept-
able to OTR and if that Office still wishes to publish'the
subject history then I would recommend that:
a. OTR negotiate a contract to turn the work over to
a very competent and experienced editor with instructions to
severely reduce the length, carefully check the documentation,
eliminate the obvious author biases, and make the history
conform to the standards and format established by the CIA
History Staff.
b. When completed and approved by the CIA History
Staff, the report should then be handled like any other of the
volumes in the Agency historical program. Considering the
availability and distribution of the already mentioned history
by it would appear that three to five Xerox copies
of the .istory would be adequate to meet the needs of the
Agency; an its dissemination should be restricted to the
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Agency. By no stretch of the imagination should the ensuing
volume be reproduced either by. printing or by. offset, nor
should distribution be made outside the Agency.
c. If the procedures above are followed, the
history will properly become a part of the official Agency
history program and, as such, no disclaimers regarding the
author's responsibility will be required.
9. To my knowledge, if available,
would be the most qualified editor for this task. I would
suggest that at least a three-month contract would be required
for this job. I or any other OTR editor should be
made directly responsible to the CIA History Staff.
10. As some indication of the need for thorough editing,
I have attached a list of typographical errors, sins of ommission
and commission, and other questions that were noted in a quick
review of the history.
Dr. Jack ei er
CIA History Staff
STAT
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Pp. 1-65. Practically all of this section should be deleted.
The high points of Donovan's exposure to the British
service should be incorporated in the subsequent discus-
sion.
In this same segment it is apparent that the paucity
of complete dates is going to plague the reader through
the remainder of the history. Phrases such as "that same
day," "two days later," and "the next night" appear in
this and subsequent segments of the text. Also the
spelling out of dates has been employed in numerous
instances for no apparent reason. The most certain and
positive assurance of correct dates is the format followed
by the History Staff (and the Agency) of day, month, and
year.
Page 70, par. 3. Loose and confusing paragraph referring to
the initial Stephenson-Donovan contact. The paragraph
refers to an incident detailed on p. 49 of this history,
concerning an event of 1944. The paragraph should be
rewritten and specific dates used. Also, if the comment
about a Donovan "No" does not concern the reader of
this history, when why introduce the issue?
Page 71, lines 1-2. " . . . asked by a CIA historian
Asked by a CIA historian in 1959?
Page 72, par. 1. "Big" and "Little" Bills -- who was which?
Page 72, par. 3, line 5. Refers to memorandum."
Specify which memorandum.
Page 75, par. beginning "But did Donovan ." Should line 6
read as it does, "early in life he had taken a military
bride"? Or should it read, "early in life he had taken
the military as a bride"?
Pages 78/79. Omission at end of page 78.
Page 79, line 12. Identify
STAT
STATINTL
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Page 79. Use numerals throughout for dates.
Page 87, 4th par., last sentence and 5th par. Since 4th par.
ends on speculation about the subject Stimpson had in
mind, the reference in the 5th par. to "talking over the
matter" is ambiguous. What matter? Also there is an
incomplete quote beginning in the first sentence of the
5th par.
Page 89, par. 3, line 1. "Still on the third . . .if This is
one of many examples of an incomplete and confusing date.
Page 115, line 5. Typo. "CIA" should be "CIAA."
Page 117, line 8 up. Refers to MacLeish as an "intermediary
between Donovan and Rockefeller." Has Rockefeller been
introduced to the reader prior to this?
Page 130, 1st complete par. Rather cavalier treatment of Mr.
Wallace Phillips. Needs some better explanation than
that the Brits "distrusted him."
Page 131, last sentence. This sounds like the "Perils of
Pauline." End the last sentence after the word "chapter."
Page 191, line 4. Why the "/ sic 7" following the word
"typing"?
Page 191, par. 3, line 1. Change from " . . . but nary a word"
to " . but without a word."
Page 211, last word. "practise" to "practice."
Page 220, par. 2, line 6. " . . . members did not become seized
of the subject." There have been innumerable seizures to this
point, and many more follow. Overworking the word.
Page 246, sec. 4, par. 1. Makes very positive statements about
Davis and Sherwood conversation with FDR, particularly in
light of the comment that "there is no account of the
discussion."
Pages 253-261. This reads like a daily diary for period from
16 February 1943 through 15 March 1943.
6
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Page 263. The subtitle, "P. S. 1 -- Another Revision" is
meaningless to the reader. What does P. S. 1 mean?
P. S. 2 (p. 266) ?
Page 266, last sentence subsection 7. The reference to the
Field Manual completely fails to indicate if this was
revised as recommended by the Joint Planners (p. 265)
or whether Donovan completely ignored the recommendation
in view of the revision of JCS 155/7/10.
Page 266, subsection 8, 1st sent. The date of the Donovan-
Eisenhower-Davis luncheon needs to be restated for the
benefit of the reader.
Page 270, pars. 1-4. Delete.
Page 282, line 1. Uses word "Bureau" to indicate Bureau of the
Budget. BOB is the standard short reference inasmuch as
most readers relate "Bureau" with the FBI.
Page 283, 2nd complete par. From "sumbitting" to "submitting."
Page 283, par. 3, lines 6-8. 1 makes a straw man to show STATINTL
"how" a Donovan memorandum evolved -- focuses STATINTL
more on "what" evolved.
Page 311, line 1. From "intelligen8e actifities" to "intelligence
activities."
Page 322, line 7 up. From "that and effort" to "that any effort"
Page 322, line 7 up. From "provoked" to "provoke."
STATINTL
Page 388, 2nd complete par., line 10. Is name
Page 388, last par., 1st sent. Delete phrase "whetting our
appetites.
Page 404, line 7. "Depreciated" or "deprecated"?
Page 409, 1st complete par., last sent. Delete phrase "Recovering
from the bouleversement."
Page 458. Another brief summary for the reader. If the history
were less cluttered with insignificant detail, perhaps these
frequent recapituations would be unnecessary.
7
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Page 469, par.
3, line
6.
If
the
author
believes
that Donovan
was ". .
. master
in
his
own
house,"
why did
he write
several hundred pages telling of Donovan's trials and
tribulations?
Page 470, par. 2, line 4. Reference to "Air Force" should
read "Army Air Force."
Pages 472-3. The reference to the time that the Daily Summary
was delivered to President Truman suggests that Arthur
Krock of the NYT was a more reliable source than Montague
who headed the Reports Staff. Suggest the author clarify
this for the reader.
Page 474, line 11. Another reference to what pleased Arthur
Krock. So what? Since the author is so interested in
the minutia of origins, does the fact that Krock was
commenting on classified publications indicate the origin
of the NYT access to classified government documents?
Page 497, subsection 4, par. 2. This is one of a number of
instances in which the author reverts to the newsman's
technique of suggesting ulterior motive by innuendo,
without evidence or indication of why such question is
posed. In the referenced paragraph, lines 7-9 provide
such an example with respect to a meeting on 8 January
1947 between Senator Vanderberg and Clark Clifford to
discuss statutory legislation establishing the NIA and
CIG. However, the facts subsequently reported by the
author (pp. 497-98) provide a straightforward explanation
of the Truman administration's position on the NIA-CIG
issue.
Page 553 ff. Delete Epilogue.
8
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Review Staff: 75/2500
19 August 1975
MEMORANDUM FOR: Associate Deputy Director for Administration
1. There is already a definitive history on the
origins of CIA. It is "The Central
Intelligence Agency: An instrument ot onal Policy,
to 1950." It has been available since 1953.
2. text is filled with admiration for
General onovan to the point where those who dared to
disagree are derogated. The material seems better suited
as a working draft for a biography of General Donovan.
Even if it were to become that, it would require rigorous
editing.
25X1
3. The "Epilogue" is entirely out of place in any-
thing purporting'to be Ageticy-related.
4. No Agency histories have been circulated outside
the Agency to date. This text does not even qualify for
internal dissemination.
5. Had the author come to the historian earlier, we
would-have offered him the following guidance: What are
you planning to do that has not done already?
Would you like a copy of our guide for format, etc.?
Please submit the draft (when finished) along with source
references, footnotes, and research data for editing.
Hopefully, rigorous editing might turn this into an assurance
as part of the Agency history program. As a practical matter,
the historian has no resources with which to work.
6. The historian cannot agree to the spending of
any more money on this project. If the material is turned
over to the historian, we shall make it available as back-
ground information.
Walter Elder
CIA Historian
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F TRANSM
A
AND
C
ITTT
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DOCUMENT RECEIPT
F
TO:
FROM: Intelligence Community Staff
x R. JACK PFEI = ER
1
Central Intelligence Agency
C/III ;TORY S TA
F
--
F
25
Washington, D.C. 20505
THE DOCUMENTS LISTED HEREON ARE FORWARDED FOR:
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I)O OVAN AP'D CIA A 1-TSTM4Y OF T13'-1
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L 1975
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Administration
FROM : Director of Training
SUBJECT : Publication of History on the Origins
of CIA
1. Action Re uested: has now completed the
text of h Ts paper "Donovan ana . A History of the
Establishment of the CIA." This memorandum requests your
approval to go forward with its publication in its classified
form and your concurrence as to method of reproduction,
number of copies, and their distribution as discussed below.
2. Background: For approximately three and one-half
years, as been working on this project, which was
worked out by to then Director of Training, Hugh Cunningham,
with the advice of Larry Houston and the approval of
Colonel White. The text runs to approximately 600 typed
pages, comprising sixteen chapters and an epilogue. It
consists of a narrative account of the high-echelon events
in the field of intelligence during the years 1940-47 that
culminated in the establishment of CIA. The volume will be
footnoted and will include an appendix of basic documents
on the establishment and definition of functions of COI,
OSS, NIA, CIG and CIA. It will be illustrated with charts
and photographs, and will include a chronology of major
events and a bibliography.
3. In undertaking this work, investigated the
documentary collections of government agencies, the Roosevelt
and Truman Libraries, and the private collections of
individuals such as General Donovan and Vice President
Rockefeller. He consulted a number of individuals who
played a key role in or had substantial insight into the
events covered in the account, including Adolf A. Berle, Jr.,
Archibald MacLeish, James Roosevelt, Sir William S. Stephenson,
General Louis J. Fortier, Ambassador David K.E. Bruce,
Mrs. William J. Donovan, several members of the Donovan: law
firm in New York, and John Lockwood, long time legal adviser
STA
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ST
to Mr. Rockefeller. Based on this research andi STAT
AT
ou
ability as a writer and historian as shown by his previ
publication--"COI and British Intelligence: An Essay on
Origins"--this paper stands, I believe, an excellent chance
to be the definitive work on the subject and will earn the
respect of all who read it.
4. Staff Position: Many of the documents cited in the
account were c assi ie-- at their time of origin, although
none is now higher than SECRET. Based upon the classification
of the source materials, the volume will have to be classified
SEC RT_ and am requesting in a separate memorandum authority
for to be eligible to classify at the TOP SECRET
level in or er that the exemption from downgrading of his
SECRET history can be determined by him.
S. The account will be of interest to defense and
foreign affairs agencies, as we as to the various elements
of the Intelligence Community. as received a great
deal of cooperation from the arcs vests and librarians of
other agencies who are interested in obtaining copies of the
finished work for their collections. Given this interest
and the nature of the work, I believe that it should be
distributed to government organizations which have a reasonable
interest and have arrangements for handling classified material
at the SECRET level. Similarily, copies should be sent to
the Roosevelt and Truman Libraries.
6. Given this distribution inside government, I believe
that we should handle the question of the Agency's sponsor-
ship of the work in the same way that the JCS does with its
histories. account is not an official history
produced by CIA, u gency support and sponsorship of it
would be obvious to any reader. Accordingly, we would propose
to preface the account with a statement of responsibility
and sponsorship as follows:
"This volume, though the product of
official research, is the work of its
author alone. It is to be construed
as descriptive only and not as con-
stituting the official position of the
Director of Central Intelligence or of
the Central Intelligence Agency."
STAT
7. There are two choices for reproducing the finished
account. PSD has informally indicated to that
printing would cost approximately $5,200 and the offset
STAT
STA
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and such classified repositories as may be appropriate.
method of reproduction approximately $800. Despite the
considerable variation in these two figures, I an in favor
of having it printed because it would be more enduring and
shorter, require fewer pages, and result in a more finished
appearance than would the offset method.
8. It is difficult to know how many copies should be
produced in order to meet the limited distribution discussed
above. The cost factor involved in either printing or off-
setting the work is not greatly affected by the number of
copies produced. Inasmuch as producing too few copies to
meet legitimate demands is much worse than ending up with a
larger reserve of undistributed copies than one would
normally prefer, I suggest that the producting run be set
at 500. For purposes of comparison, 3,000 copies of Studies
in Intelligence are currently being produced.
9. Recommendation: As discussed above, I recommend
that account on the origins of the Agency be
publ s e as a classified document, that it be reproduced in
SOO copies by OL/P&PD as a printed book, and that it be given
distribution to other agencies having legitimate interest
STAT
Director of Training
STAT
CONCUR:
ief, History
Deputy Director _for
Administration
DISAPPROVED:
Deputy Director for
Administration
Distribution:
0 - Adse (Ret. to DTR)
2 - DDA
1 - C/History Staff
2 - DTR
2 - OTR II -3-
OTR/II nd (25 July 75)
bate
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the immediate post-war period, the L_Jhistory consumes 557 STATINTL
single-spaced pages of text (excluding ootnotes, appendixes,
and other materials) in a grimly detailed, daily diary type
of exposition of Donovan's every move in the organizational
evolution of this period.
Discussion
3. Continued in its present form, it is improbable
(contrary to the belief expressed by lof OTR in the STAT
memo forwarding the history) that volume has "an STAT
excellent chance to be the definitive wor on the subject and
will earn the respect of all who read it." As objective history,
the work is notably biased. The author's admiration for Donovan
leads him to impute the motives of practically everyone who
opposed Donovan on any issue related to the objectives and
nature of the organization best suited to serve the nation's
intelligence needs; the author is so entranced with details
of Donovan's involvement that he has not separated the wheat
from the chaff -- each episode involving a "major" issue receives
equal treatment; and too frequently the author's personal
prejudices toward given individuals show through.
4. Editorially the history is a mess. Its use of dates
is consistently imprecise (of all things, the exact date on
which President Truman signed the National Security Act
(26 July 1947) is omitted in the textual discussion concerning
the actual signing); the quantity of minutae is almost unbearable the first 55 pages (possibly 65 pp.) would be fine for a Donovan
biography, but are at best marginal to CIA's origins; the work
is repititious; and the numerous attempts to engage reader
interest through the creation and destruction of straw men is
unprofessional to say the least. Considering the problems of
editing the text, one should look with fear and trepidation to
the review of footnotes, sources, and other material intended
for the "complete" version.
5. Both show that Donovan's
insistence on a separate, centralized intelligence activity
clearly made the function an integral part of US foreign policy
formulation, but has placed considerably more
emphasis on Donovan-s concern that the intelligence Director
receive "advice and assistance" from the representatives of the
Departments of State, Army, and Navy rather than "advice and
consent" of these representatives.
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6. One final general comment about the [----]history is
that the Epilogue is very much out of place in a history which
could be construed by any stretch of the imagination as Agency-
related. By this time, the author's opinion of former President
Truman has already been made quite clear.
STAT
Recommendations
7. Based on the above comments, I would recommend that no
further work be done on the subject history. Three and a half
years on this particular topic -- and the work not yet complete,--
seems an inordinate waste of money. The source references,
footnotes, and other related data should be gathered together
and the complete package turned over to the CIA History Staff
for retention as a manuscript for background use. As already
mentioned, the bulk of the information in this history has
appeared in print in a widely circulated, reputable intelligence
publication, Studies in Intelligence. The pre-war background
of COI, the more intimate view of the Donovan character, and
details of the institutional infighting, can hardly be considered
as significant additions to the literature of intelligence,
particularly in view of the cost and effort which would be
required to ready this volume for publication.
8. If the recommendation in Par. 7, above, is not accept-
able to OTR and if that Office still wishes to publish'.the
subject history then I would recommend that:
a. OTR negotiate a contract to turn the work over to
a very competent and experienced editor with instructions to
severely reduce the length, carefully check the documentation,
eliminate the obvious author biases, and make the history
conform to the standards and format established by the CIA
History Staff.
b. When completed and approved by the CIA History
Staff, the report should then be handled like any other of the
volumes in the Agency historical program. Considering the
availability and distribution of the already mentioned history
by it would appear that three to five Xerox copies
of the istory would be adequate to meet the needs of the
Agency; and its dissemination should be restricted to the
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Agency. By no stretch of the imagination should the ensuing
volume be reproduced either by. printing or by offset, nor
should distribution be made outside the Agency.
c. If the procedures above are followed, the
history will properly become a part of the official Agency
history program and, as such, no disclaimers regarding the
author's responsibility will be required.
9. To my knowledge, if available,
would be the most qualified editor for this task. I would
suggest that at least a three-month contract would be required
for this job. I or any other OTR editor should be
made directly response e to the CIA History Staff.
10. As some indication of the need for thorough editing,
I have attached a list of typographical errors, sins of ommission
and commission, and other questions that were noted in a quick
review of the history.
Dr. Jack ei er
CIA History Staff
STAT
STAT
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Pp. 1-65. Practically all of this section should be deleted.
The high points of Donovan's exposure to the British
service should be incorporated in the subsequent discus-
sion.
In this same segment it is apparent that the paucity
of complete dates is going to plague the reader through
the remainder of the history. Phrases such as "that same
day," "two days later," and "the next night" appear in
this and subsequent segments of the text. Also the
spelling out of dates has been employed in numerous
instances for no apparent reason. The most certain and
positive assurance of correct dates is the format followed
by the History Staff (and the Agency) of day, month, and
year.
Page 70, par. 3. Loose and confusing paragraph referring to
the initial Stephenson-Donovan contact. The paragraph
refers to an incident detailed on p. 49 of this history,
concerning an event of 1944. The paragraph should be
rewritten and specific dates used. Also, if the comment
about a Donovan "No" does not concern the reader of
this history, when why introduce the issue?
Page 71, lines 1-2. it . . . asked by a CIA historian
Asked by a CIA historian in 1959?
Page 72, par. 1. "Big" and "Little" Bills -- who was which?
Page 72, par. 3, line 5. Refers to emorandum."
Specify which memorandum.
Page 75, par. beginning "But did Donovan . ." Should line 6
read as it does, "early in life he had taken a military
bride"? Or should it read, "early in life he had taken
the military as a bride"?
Pages 78/79. Omission at end of page 78.
Page 79, line 12. Identify
STAT
STATINTL
5
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Page 79. Use numerals throughout for dates.
Page 87, 4th par., last sentence and 5th par. Since 4th par.
ends on speculation about the subject Stimpson had in
mind, the reference in the 5th par. to "talking over the
matter" is ambiguous. What matter? Also there is an
incomplete quote beginning in the first sentence of the
5th par.
Page 89, par. 3, line 1. "Still on the third . . ." This is
one of many examples of an incomplete and confusing date.
Page 115, line 5. Typo. "CIA" should be "CIAA."
Page 117, line 8 up. Refers to MacLeish as an "intermediary
between Donovan and Rockefeller." Has Rockefeller been
introduced to the reader prior to this?
Page 130, lst complete par. Rather cavalier treatment of Mr.
Wallace Phillips. Needs some better explanation than
that the Brits "distrusted him."
Page 131, last sentence. This sounds like the "Perils of
Pauline." End the last sentence after the word "chapter."
Page 191, line 4. Why the ",/ sic 7" following the word
"typing"?
Page 191, par. 3, line 1. Change from " . . . but nary a word"
to " . . but without a word."
Page 211, last word. "practise" to "practice."
Page 220, par. 2, line 6. " . . . members did not become seized
of the subject." There have been innumerable seizures to this
point, and many more follow. Overworking the word.
Page 246, sec. 4, par. 1. Makes very positive statements about
Davis and Sherwood conversation with FDR, particularly in
light of the comment that "there is no account of the
discussion."
Pages 253-261. This reads like a daily diary for period from
16 February 1943 through 15 March 1943.
6
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Page 263. The subtitle, "P. S. 1 -- Another Revision" is
meaningless to the reader. What does P. S. 1 mean?
P. S. 2 (p. 266) ?
Page 266, last sentence subsection 7. The reference to the
Field Manual completely fails to indicate if this was
revised as recommended by the Joint Planners (p. 265)
or whether Donovan completely ignored the recommendation
in view of the revision of JCS 155/7/10.
Page 266, subsection 8, 1st sent. The date of the Donovan-
Eisenhower-Davis luncheon needs to be restated for the
benefit of the reader.
Page 270, pars. 1-4. Delete.
Page 282, line 1. Uses word "Bureau" to indicate Bureau of the
Budget. BOB is the standard short reference inasmuch as
most readers relate "Bureau" with the FBI.
Page 283, 2nd complete par. From "sumbitting" to "submitting."
Page 283, par. 3, lines 6-8. Takes a straw man to show STATINTL
"how" a Donovan memorandum evolved -- ocuses STATINTL
more on "what" evolved.
Page 311, line 1. From "intelligen8e actifities" to "intelligence
activities."
Page 322, line 7 up. From "that and effort" to "that any effort"
Page 322, line 7 up. From "provoked" to "provoke."
Page 388, 2nd complete par., line 10. Is name
STATINTL
Page 388, last par., 1st sent. Delete phrase "whetting our
appetites-.".
Page 404, line 7. "Depreciated" or "deprecated"?
Page 409, 1st complete par., last sent. Delete phrase "Recovering
from the bouleversement."
Page 458. Another brief summary for the reader. If the history
were less cluttered with insignificant detail, perhaps these
frequent recapituations would be unnecessary.
7
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Page 469, par. 3, line 6. If the author believes that Donovan
was 11 . . . master in his own house," why did he write
several hundred pages telling of Donovan's trials and
tribulations?
Page 470, par. 2, line 4. Reference to "Air Force" should
read "Army Air Force."
Pages 472-3. The reference to the time that the Daily Summary
was delivered to President Truman suggests that Arthur
Krock of the NYT was a more reliable source than Montague
who headed the Reports Staff. Suggest the author clarify
this for the reader.
Page 474, line 11. Another reference to what pleased Arthur
Krock. So what? Since the author is so interested in
the minutia of origins, does the fact that Krock was
commenting on classified publications indicate the origin
of the NYT access to classified government documents?
Page 497, subsection 4, par. 2. This is one of a number of
instances in which the author reverts to the newsman's
technique of suggesting ulterior motive by innuendo,
without evidence or indication of why such question is
posed. In the referenced paragraph, lines 7-9 provide
such an example with respect to a meeting on 8 January
1947 between Senator Vanderberg and Clark Clifford to
discuss statutory legislation establishing the NIA and
CIG. However, the facts subsequently reported by the
author (pp. 497-98) provide a straightforward explanation
of the Truman administration's position on the NIA-CIG
issue.
Page 553 ff. Delete Epilogue.
8
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 Approved For Release 2003/ 44/~g IA- 7 0 @AQ
0150004-4 / ~5 ~
ADMINIS RA'~IV -- Pl g 3Q.
OTR Regktry
PROM
SUBJECT
fDi FOR: Deputy Director for Administration
Director of Training
Publication of History on the origins
of CIA
Action uested. has now completd
text of his g er,van and CIA: A History of the
Establishment of the CIA." This memorandum reTuests your
approval to go forward with its publication in Its classified
form and your concurrence as to method of reproduction,
number of copies, and their distribution as discussed below.
d: For approximately three and one-half
years, cas been working on this project, which was
worked out u a then Director of Training, Hugh Cunnt ghan,
with the advice of Larry Houston and the approval of
Colonel White. The text runs to approximately 60 0 t'ypi
pages, comprising sixteen chapters and an epilogue. I
consists of a narrative account of the high-echelon events
is the field of intelligence during the years 1940-47 that
culminated in the establishment of CIA. The volume will be
footnoted and will include an appendix of basic documents
on the establishment and definition of functions of COI,
OSSJ NIA, CIG and CIA. It will be illustrated with charts
and photographs, and will include a chronology of major
events and a bibliography.
Andertaking this work investigated the
such as General Donovan and Vice President
He consulted a number of individuals who
Libraries, and the private collections of
collections of overnment agenc es, the Roosevelt
akey role in or had substantial insight into the
Lbald MacLeish, James Roosevelt, Sir William S. Stephenson
*"rsl Louis J. Fortier, Ambassador David K. g. Bruce,
Mrs. William J. Donovan, several members of the Donovan law
firm in New York, and John Lockwood, long time legal adviser
A AABiS 't' iTi'.t. - 1NTZi tAL USE ONLY
STAT
STAt
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ADMINISTRATIVE -- 11vTERNAL U
to Mr. Rockefeller. Based on this research and
a writer and historian as shown by n2s pro
publication-"C01 and British Intelligence An Essay on
to be the do
respect of &I
a or Stands, I believe, an excel lent chance
tie work on the subject and will earn the
read i
4. Staff Position: Many of the documents cited in the
account wetO ci s freil at their time of origin, although
none is now higher than SECRET. Based upon the classification
of the source materials, the volume will have to be classified
SECRET and I an requesting in a separate memorandum authority
for to be eligible to classify at the TOP SECRET
level n or or that the exemption from downgrading of his
SECRET history can be determined by him.
The account will be of interest to defense and
foreign affairs agencies, as well as to the various eel0ments
of the Intelligence community. ~;; as received a great
deal of cooperation from the arc d librarians of
other agencies who are interested in obtaining copies of the
finished work for their collections. Given this interest
and the nature of the work, I believe that it s'aould be
distributed to government organizations which have a reasonable
interest and have arrangements for handling classified material
the SECRET level. Sinilarily, copies should be seat to
the Roosevelt and Truman Libraries.
6. Given this distribution inside government, I believe
ship of the work in the same way that the JCS does with its
histories. ccount is not an official history
produced b~* CIA, but ency support and. sponsorship of it
would be obvious to any reader. Accordingly, we would propose
to preface the account with a statement of responsibility
and sponsorship as follows:
"This volume, though the product
official research, is the work o
author alone. It is to be construed
as descriptive only and not as co
stituting the official position of the
Director of Central Intelligence or of
the Central Intelligence Agency."
7. There are two choices for reproducing the , finished.
informmally indicated to
printing would cost approximately $S,200 and the offset
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a Intelligence are currently being produce
SOO. For purposes of comparison, 3,000 copies of Studies
method of reproduction approximately $800. Despite the
considerable variation in these two figures, I an in favor
of having it printed because it would be more enduring and
shorter, require fewer pages, and result in a more finished
appearance than would the offset method.
1. It is difficult to know how many copies should be
produced in order to meet the limited distribution discussed
above. The cost factor involved in either printing or off-
setting the work is not greatly affected by the number of
copies produced. Inasmuch as producing too few copies to
mot legitimate demands is much worse than ending u with a
larger reserve of _ undistributed copies than one would
9. Recommendation: As discussed above, I recommend
a a i - - ._
ST
AT
STAT
purl s ea as a classified document, that it be reproduced in
SOO copies by OL/P4PD as a printed book, and that it be given
distribution to other agencies having legitimate interest
and such classified repositories ks may be aonrnyriatea.
onso - r guez
Director of Training
Att.
CONCUR.,
Chief, story to
puty Director for
Administration
DISAPPROVED; Deputy -rector or
Administration
Distribution.
0 - Adse (Ret. to DTR)
2 - DDA
1 - C/History Staff
2-DTR
2 - 4TR. I I - 3 -
0TR/II,1 nd (25 July 75)
Date
STAt
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