Office of the Historian

25. Director of Central Intelligence Directive No. 4/21

Washington, September 28, 1950.

PRIORITY LIST OF CRITICAL NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE OBJECTIVES

In accordance with DCI 4/1,2 paragraph 3, the following list of critical national intelligence objectives, with respect to the USSR, is established; so the highest priority shall be given to the collection of information and to the production of intelligence concerning Soviet capabilities and intentions for:

1.
taking direct military action against the Continental United States;
2.
taking direct military action, employing USSR Armed Forces, against vital U.S. possessions, areas peripheral to the Soviet Union, and Western Europe;
3.
interfering with U.S. strategic air attack;
4.
interfering with U.S. movement of men and material by water transport;
5.
production and stockpiling, including location of installations and facilities, of atomic and related weapons, other critical weapons and equipment, and critical transportation equipment;
6.
creating situations anywhere in the world dangerous to U.S. national security, short of commitment of Soviet Armed Forces, including foreign directed sabotage and espionage objectives;
7.
interfering with U.S. political, psychological, and economic courses of action for the achievement of critical U.S. aims and objectives.

R. H. Hillenkoetter

Rear Admiral, USN
Director of Central Intelligence
  1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Directorate of Operations, Job 78–04513R, Folder 35, Box 2. Secret.↩
  2. Not printed. (Ibid., History Staff, Job 84–B00389R, Box 4)↩