Foreign Relations of the United States, 1945–1950, Emergence of the Intelligence Establishment

268. Memorandum by the Chief of the Special Procedures Group, Central Intelligence Agency (Cassady)⁰

Washington, undated.

POLICY LIAISON FOR SPG ACTIVITIES

1. Since black propaganda activities may have a direct relationship to both the foreign policy of the U.S. and the responsibility of the Director of CIA for conducting operations consistent with such policy, it is recognized that close and continuing policy liaison must be maintained between SPG and the proper foreign policy authority of the U.S. Government. For its day-to-day activities, it is recommended that SPG rely on the Department of State as the primary outside source for policy direction and guidance. In addition, it is possible that the National Security Council may, from time to time, request CIA, through SPG, to undertake certain programs and activities which may not have originated exclusively at the suggestion of the State Department. However, any such programs or activities would necessarily have to be consistent with foreign policy of the U.S. as established by the State Department. Therefore, it would seem that the primary source and authority for foreign policy and, consequently for policy direction for SPG activities, is the Department of State.

2. Regarding the question of how policy direction from the proper level at the Department of State can be transmitted to SPG, it is believed that this could be effectively achieved by the following arrangement:

a. Foreign policy of the U.S. Government, as reflected and expressed in the overseas informational program of the U.S., is already currently stated in policy directives issued by the CIE (Voice of America) in the State Department to its foreign informational offices throughout the world. It is understood that these directives are issued on a weekly, and sometimes on a daily, basis. They specifically state what the U.S. Government seeks to achieve through its overseas informational program in terms of our foreign policy and general objectives. They are, therefore, both an expression of foreign policy and an indication of how foreign policy is to be promoted through the overseas informational media available to the U.S. Government. It is recommended, therefore, that these informational directives of CIE be likewise made available to SPG for policy guidance in connection with its black propaganda activities. In making these directives available to SPG, the State Department would be free to modify the directives, if necessary, so as to adapt them better to the needs of black propaganda.

3. As a channel for communicating these directives, and any additional appropriate comment, from the State Department to SPG, it is proposed that SPG appoint a liaison officer for the purpose of effecting the necessary liaison with the State Department in this particular field. It is believed that liaison within the Department of State should be made with a high ranking staff officer attached to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. The rank and position of this State Department officer should be such as to enable him to obtain prompt and authoritative action on all policy matters affecting SPG activities. He should likewise be in a position to assist SPG in obtaining information, data, material, etc., from OIE and from other branches of the State Department which might be helpful to SPG. In this connection, the OIE has undoubtedly accumulated much information and data concerning the overseas informational picture which would be of direct interest to SPG, and this latter Group should be in a position to draw freely on this material for its black propaganda operations.

4. In addition to the current directives issued by the State Department for the foreign offices of OIE, it is conceivable that the Department of State, through the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, will wish to transmit to SPG supplemental propaganda themes and lines, and possibly even general target objectives. In such cases, SPG would likewise be guided by such supplemental directives and, to the extent possible within its limitations, endeavor to implement such directives operationally.

5. Moreover, general programs and general capabilities of the SPG would, under this liaison arrangement, be brought by the SPG Liaison Officer to the attention of his opposite number in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. The SPG Liaison Officer would also bring to the attention of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, for State Department consideration, any suggested propaganda themes and general programs which might be originated by SPG and which are not covered by the directives received from the Department of State. SPG would not, however, reveal to the Department of State operational methods and techniques, or other classified operational details, involved in the conduct of black propaganda activities. There is no objection to revealing to the State Department the broad, general character of SPG programs and the general capabilities of SPG, but such specific operational details as to how, by whom and specifically where and through what channelsSPG activities will be conducted should not be revealed in our liaison arrangement with State, primarily because (1) of the highly secret nature of such operations and (2)because the State Department, for its own protection, should remain in ignorance of such details so as to be in a position to deny knowledge thereof and thereby avoid possible diplomatic embarrassment.

6. Summed up, the foregoing liaison arrangement is one which can be effected quickly and simply. U.S. foreign policy, as reflected in the informational program of the U.S. Government, is already being currently established in connection with the activities of OIE. This policy, in the form of OIE directives, is specifically stated on a day-to-day and week-to-week basis. It would be a simple matter, through proper liaison with the Office of Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, to transmit such directives, with any additional appropriate comment, to SPG for its basic policy direction. SPG would thereby be receiving approved foreign policy directives of the U.S. Government which have been authorized and issued at the proper policy making levels of the State Department. This entire matter of policy liaison and direction for black propaganda activities of SPG is just that simple in its essence and solution.

TG Cassady

0. Source: Central Intelligence Agency Historical Files, HS/CSG–909, Job 83–00036, Box 6, Folder 11. Secret. No addressee is indicated on the source text. A handwritten note on the source text reads: “Approximate Date—1 May 48.”