Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950–1955, The Intelligence Community, 1950–1955

41. Airgram From the Department of State to Certain Diplomatic Missions and Consulates¹

Washington, January 15, 1951, 2:15 p.m.

NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEYS (NIS)

Reference is made to the Department’s unnumbered circular instruction dated November 5, 1948 entitled “National Intelligence Studies”.² In the above instruction the general outline of the program for production of NIS was announced, and a brief description given, both of the purpose of NIS, and the responsibilities of the Department in its production. Since the issuance of this instruction, a number of chapters and sections of NIS relating to various countries have been completed. Copies of these portions have regularly been forwarded to the principal post in the area concerned under cover of Form DS–4.

The present international situation has emphasized and greatly increased our requirements of both current and basic intelligence. The present greater emphasis on current information is obviously in order, but it must not obscure and completely supplant the collection and reporting of needed basic information. Planning and the establishment of policy relative to national security require basic intelligence, too. Therefore, where at all possible, increased attention should be devoted to providing the basic information needed for the preparation of the NIS and to filling in and bringing up-to-date chapters and sections which have already been completed.

In preparing portions of NIS, every effort is made by the producing agency to utilize all pertinent information available in Washington. It has been and will continue to be necessary, however, to request additional data and information from Foreign Service posts. In some cases it will be expedient to forward to the post concerned preliminary drafts of sections for revision or correction and return to the Department.

It is, of course, very important that portions of NIS which have been produced be revised and kept up-to-date. In the preparation of occasional and voluntary reports, Foreign Service personnel are urged to consult available NIS material, and wherever possible, endeavor to augment the information contained therein. Each NIS section and subsection concludes with a paragraph entitled “Comments on Principal Sources”, which contains a brief survey of the information gaps and weaknesses in the preceding section. These comments are a valuable guide to the basic information which is currently not available in Washington and which should, if possible, be acquired and reported.

The Department, and the other agencies cooperating in the NIS program, welcome and request comments and suggestions from the field concerning NIS. It is requested that completed sections and subsections forwarded to posts be brought to the attention of all appropriate personnel at the post.

Acheson

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1950–54, 103.11/1–1551. Secret; R Distribution Only. Drafted on January 5 by OLI/IAD: Theodore M. Nordbeck. Cleared by R/NIS: John B. Appleton, EUR: John L. Barnard, FE: Cyrus Peake, NEA: Edwin M. Wright, ARA: Hobart A. Spalding, GER: John R. Kennedy. The airgram was sent to 66 Embassies and Legations and 10 Consulates.
2. Not printed. (Ibid., 101.61/11–548)