103.918/7–1044: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Gauss)
Washington, July 14,
1944—7 p.m.
958. Department is disturbed by implications contained in your telegram 1191, July 10, 4 p.m.34 and would appreciate recommendations regarding IDC work and personnel if you are familiar with the situation.
Hull
- Not printed. This telegram spoke of the IDC, also known as INDEC (Interdepartmental Committee for the Acquisition of Foreign Publications) in Chungking as follows: “It is now in danger of becoming prey to rival ambitions and delays in decision are regrettably weakening its position. If given to OSS outright … it must further wholly lose Embassy connection …” The main purpose of the IDC was to obtain printed intelligence to aid in the prosecution of the war. It collected newspapers, periodicals, books, trade and technical journals, etc., for distribution to various American Government agencies. The IDC headquarters office in Washington was part of the Office of Strategic Services but its Chungking office operated as a civilian agency under the Embassy.↩