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

104. Central Intelligence Group Directive No. 1⁰

Washington, February 19, 1946.

SURVEY OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE STRATEGIC SERVICES UNIT

Memorandum by the Director of Central Intelligence, with the unanimous concurrence of the Intelligence Advisory Board

1. a. The President’s letter of 20 September 1945, referring to functions of the Office of Strategic Services which were transferred to the War Department, stated: “The Secretary of War shall, whenever he deems it compatible with the national interest, discontinue and wind up all affairs relating thereto.” At a meeting of intelligence representatives held in the War Department on 8 February,¹ it was generally agreed that an authoritative group should promptly make a study to determine which functions and facilities of the Strategic Services Unit should be preserved for permanent peacetime purposes after the liquidation of SSU. It was further agreed that prompt decisions should be reached as to which preserved functions should be operated by CIG, and which by departments or existing agencies.

b. The Central Intelligence Group is preparing a separate action for the purpose of initiating a comprehensive survey of existing facilities for the collection of foreign intelligence information by clandestine methods. However, that survey will be a long-range matter requiring the services of permanent personnel not yet assigned to CIG, whereas the disposition of SSU raises urgent questions which should be studied immediately. Therefore, an interdepartmental committee should be organized at once to undertake the study.

2. By unanimous approval of the Director of Central Intelligence and the Intelligence Advisory Board an ad hoc committee is hereby established, to consist of five members, one representing the Director of Central Intelligence and one representing each permanent member of the Intelligence Advisory Board.² This committee will promptly make a detailed study of SSU facilities, resources and operations, and will recommend:

a. Which resources, facilities and operating functions should be continued in the national interest after the SSU is liquidated.

b. What disposition should be made of the preserved resources and facilities, and what assignments should be made of responsibility for conducting the preserved operating functions.

c. What budgetary arrangements should be made.

The committee will submit a report of findings, conclusions and recommendations to the Director of Central Intelligence, who will then prepare suitable recommendations to be submitted to the National Intelligence Authority after concurrence or comment by the Intelligence Advisory Board. The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation will be invited to sit as a member of the Advisory Board for consideration of these recommendations.

3. The CIG representative on the committee will be steering member. The members of the Advisory Board will have their respective committee members report to the Director of Central Intelligence for instructions. Stenographic assistance and office space will be furnished by the War Department, as arranged by Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2.

0. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 218, Records of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Leahy Papers, No. 130. Top Secret.
1. No record of this meeting has been found.
2. The study group established by this directive was informally known as the Fortier Committee after its chairman, Brigadier General Louis J. Fortier of the CIG. (Darling, The Central Intelligence Agency, pp. 96–98) The committee began its work on February 19. (Minutes; Central Intelligence Agency Files, Job 83–00036R, Box 1, Folder 6) The committee issued its report on March 14; Document 105. The February 19 minutes are in the Supplement.