131. Instruction From the Assistant Secretary of State for Administration (Russell) to the Minister in Tangier (Alling)0
Sir:
SUBJECT
- Security Intelligence Coverage. Relationship Between Department of State and the National Intelligence Authority. Assignment of CIG Representatives to Foreign Service Establishments
Background:
The Secretary of State refers to Department of State Radio Bulletin No. 19 dated January 22, 1946. Within the White House Section, and under the heading Foreign Intelligence, is set forth a Presidential Directive creating the National Intelligence Authority consisting of the Secretaries of State, War and Navy, and a personal representative of the President. The Secretary of State is Chairman of the National Intelligence Authority (NIA). (The Presidential Directive is also contained in State Department Bulletin No. 334, dated February 3, 1946.)
Section Two (2) of the Directive provides for the formation of a Central Intelligence Group (CIG) consisting of persons and facilities assigned from State, War and Navy. Heading CIG is a Director of Central Intelligence, Lt. General Hoyt S. Vandenberg.
Under authority of the intelligence directive, the National Intelligence Authority has charged CIG with world-wide security intelligence coverage.
[Page 306]As will be recalled, during the past few years, there have been operating in a number of our missions and consulates, personnel of other government agencies who have been assisting with security intelligence—one of these organizations, the Strategic Services Unit (former OSS) of the War Department, was liquidated as of October 20, 1946. Another of the agencies, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, soon will withdraw its personnel from abroad. The new organization, CIG, will assume many of the duties previously performed by both organizations.
State Department Part in the New Security Intelligence Operations:
The member agencies of CIG (State, War and Navy) are each providing that organization with certain facilities as called for in Section Two (2) of the Presidential Directive of January 22, 1946.
[3 pages of source text not declassified]
Communications From Missions and Consulates to the Department:
This document is regarded as the basic instruction covering the relationship between the Department of State and CIG. It is not considered all-inclusive. As necessity requires, there will be other instructions. Missions and Consulates should feel free to request clarification on specific points, and bring to the attention of the Department any phase of the operation which appears to be distinctive to a particular post.
[2 paragraphs and 1 heading (12 lines of source text) not declassified]
Inasmuch as the Secretary of State is Chairman of the National Intelligence Authority (NIA) and the Department of State is a member of the Central Intelligence Group (CIG), much importance is placed in the Department’s responsibility as regards the Presidential Directive of January 22, 1946. The Acting Secretary, in a recent communication to the Director of Central Intelligence, stated: “I hope that the cooperation between the Department of State and your representatives abroad will result in efficient and cordial integration of our foreign intelligence.”1
The success of this counter-intelligence program depends upon the manner in which it is put into effect at the various posts. Care should be taken in the designation of the Mission’s representative who will coordinate the activities. Full responsibility is placed upon the Chief of Mission for implementing the plan; therefore, his personal attention should be given to its activation.
Very truly yours,
- Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Records of the Department of State, Decimal File 1945–49, 101.5/1–347. Top Secret. More or less identical instructions presumably were sent to other posts, but no other instructions or list of other addresses has been found.↩
- Not found.↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩