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

326. Memorandum From the Secretary of State’s Acting Special Assistant for Research and Intelligence (Armstrong) to Acting Secretary of State Lovett⁰

Washington, October 28, 1947.

SUBJECT

• Withdrawal of State representation from the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) and the Joint Intelligence Staff (JIS)

As I indicated orally several weeks ago, the reorganization of the Staff of the Joint Chiefs was expected to provide for representation on the JIC of the armed services only. On October 22, 1947, the Joint Chiefs of Staff approved the organization and functions which had been proposed by General Gruenther, the Director (Designate) of the Joint Staff, and which limit the membership of the JIC as anticipated.

Inasmuch as the National Security Act of 1947 establishes duties and responsibilities for the Director of Central Intelligence substantially analogous to those heretofore performed by State representatives on the JIC and the JIS, it appears appropriate for the Department to look to the Director of Central Intelligence and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as the channel for communicating the civilian intelligence viewpoint to the armed services and, reciprocally, for obtaining from them the military intelligence viewpoint as required. Accordingly, it is recommended that the Department now withdraw from the JIC and the JIS. This step has been discussed with Admiral Souers, Executive Secretary of the National Security Council, and with Admiral Hillenkoetter, the Director of Central Intelligence, both of whom concur in the proposed action.

The Department’s representatives on the JIC and the JIS will hold themselves available for informal liaison and coordination with the JIC and the JIS until such time as channels through the CIA are in full operation. An announcement of these arrangements will be made to the interested officers of the Department as soon as the Joint Chiefs of Staff have had an opportunity to acknowledge the notification of withdrawal, which is appended for your signature.

W. Park Armstrong, Jr. ¹

Attachment²

Washington, October 31, 1947.

Memorandum From Acting Secretary of State Lovett to the Secretary of joint Chiefs of Staff (McFarland)

The Department of State has noted the organization and functions of the Joint Staff described in the Memorandum of the Director (Designate), Joint Staff (JCS 1794/4), approved by the Joint Chiefs of Staff on October 22, 1947 (JCS 1794/6).³ Further, the National Security Act of 1947 established a Central Intelligence Agency headed by a Director of Central Intelligence whose duties, under the direction of the National Security Council as provided for in Section 102(d) of the said Act, are believed, among other things, to supersede the duties heretofore delegated to Department of State representatives on the Joint Intelligence Committee and the Joint Intelligence Staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Director of Central Intelligence took the oath of office on September 26, 1947, and the Central Intelligence Agency has been activated under the law.

The Department of State, therefore, herewith withdraws its formal representation from the Joint Intelligence Committee and the Joint Intelligence Staff. Pending the establishment of other channels, the Department’s representatives will continue to perform such liaison and coordinating activities as may be desired.

Robert A. Lovett ⁴

0. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Records of the Department of State, Records of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research: Lot 58 D 776, JIS, JIC, JCS. Restricted.
1. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.
2. Restricted. Memorandum From Acting Secretary of State Lovett to the Secretary of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (McFarland)
3. Neither found.
4. Printed from a copy that indicates Lovett signed the original.