The Intelligence Community: Investigation and Reorganization
1. Memorandum From the Chairman of the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board (Anderson) to President Nixon
Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Schlesinger Papers, Box 15, PFIAB. Top Secret; Sensitive. An attached cover sheet, hand-dated February 20, reads “DCI/Eyes Only.”
2. Conversation Between President Nixon and the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Oval Office, Conversation No. 864–7. Secret. The editor transcribed the portion of the conversation printed here specifically for this volume. The transcription is part of a larger conversation, 4:37–5:19 p.m., among Nixon, Kissinger, and Richard Helms.
3. National Security Study Memorandum 178
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–241, Policy Papers, 1969–1974, National Security Decision Memoranda, NSDM 224. Secret.
4. Memorandum From the Assistant Deputy Director for Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency (Walsh) to the Executive Secretary of the Central Intelligence Agency Management Committee (Colby)
[Source: Central Intelligence Agency, OPI 122, NIC, Job 80B01495R, Box 6, Office of Economic Research 1973. Secret. 1 page not declassified.]
5. Memorandum From the Secretary of the Treasury’s Special Assistant for National Security (Hart) to Director of Central Intelligence Schlesinger
[Source: Central Intelligence Agency, OPI 122, NIC, Job 80B01495, Box 6, Office of Economic Research 1973. Secret. 5 pages not declassified.]
6. Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence Schlesinger to All Central Intelligence Agency Employees
Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Schlesinger Papers, Box 18, CIA. Administrative; Internal Use Only.
7. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Central Intelligence Agency Management Committee (Colby) to All Central Intelligence Agency Employees
Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Schlesinger Papers, Box 18, CIA. Administrative; Internal Use Only. Approved by Schlesinger. In his memoirs, Colby recalled that the memorandum was issued after he was informed that Watergate defendant James McCord had sent letters to the CIA containing “veiled allegations that an attempt was being made in the White House to pin the blame for Watergate on the Agency.” According to Colby, the existence of the letters had been revealed to Schlesingerand himself only after the DCI’s May 9 directive (Document 6) had been issued. (Colby, Honorable Men, p. 339) A timeline of events attached to the memorandum states that Schlesinger was informed of the letters on May 22.
8. National Security Decision Memorandum 224
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–241, Policy Papers, 1969–1974, National Security Decision Memoranda, NSDM 224. Secret. A copy was sent to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
9. Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence Colby to President Nixon
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Agency Files, Box 209, CIA, Vol. VI, 1973 [1 of 2]. Secret. Attached to a September 13 memorandum from Marshall and Kennedy to Kissinger, on which Scowcroft initialed his concurrence with Colby’s objectives. Colby’s memorandum responds to an April 18 memorandum from Nixon to Schlesinger requesting an outline of major goals and objectives for the CIA in the coming year. (Ibid.) Colby was sworn in as DCI on September 4.
10. Memorandum From Andrew W. Marshall of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Agency Files, Box 209, CIA, Vol. VI, 1973 [1 of 2]. Confidential. Sent for information. An attached undated handwritten note from Scowcroft to Kissinger reads: “Here is Andy Marshall’s analysis of Colby’s reorganization proposals. Pretty thin, but I guess we can assume Colby knows what he is doing. Even change for change sake in this case might be good for the product.”
11. Memorandum From the Chairman of the U.S. Intelligence Board (Colby) to U.S. Intelligence Board Principals
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, OPI 10, Executive Registry, Job 79M00467A, Box 13, Reorganization of IC 010476–300476. Confidential. Under Nixon’s November 5, 1971, directive reorganizing the Intelligence Community, the USIB was reconstituted under the chairmanship of the DCI and included as members the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (Vice Chairman); the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research; the Director of the National Security Agency; the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency; and representatives of the Secretary of the Treasury, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Atomic Energy Commission. For Nixon’s directive, see Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. II, Organization and Management of U.S. Foreign Policy, 1969–1972, Document 242.
12. National Security Decision Memorandum 239
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–243, Policy Papers, 1969–1974, National Security Decision Memoranda, NSDM 239. Confidential. A copy was sent to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
13. National Security Decision Memorandum 253
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–246, Policy Papers, 1969–74, National Security Decision Memoranda, NSDM 253. Secret.
14. Memorandum From President Ford to Director of Central Intelligence Colby
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Agency Files, Box 2, CIA, 5/2/74–10/17/74. No classification marking. On October 8, Kissinger and Ash forwarded a draft of the memorandum to Ford for his signature, explaining in a covering memorandum: “Personal Presidential letters that recognize the DCI’s role as the President’s principal intelligence advisor and reiterate his responsibility for coordinating U.S. intelligence activities have been customary with the last three Presidents.” Moreover, as the latter responsibility was “expanded and emphasized” by Nixon’s November 1, 1971, letter to DCI Helms and the President’s memorandum of November 5, 1971, on intelligence organization, it was “particularly important that the DCI and the other members of the Intelligence Community, particularly those in the Department of Defense, are aware that these reforms of intelligence management remain in effect and have your personal endorsement.” The November 1, 1971, letter and the Presidential memorandum of November 5, 1971, are printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. II, Organization and Management of U.S. Foreign Policy, 1969–1972, Documents 240 and 242. Gerald R. Ford was sworn in as President August 9, 1974. See Document 199.
15. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversations, 1973–1977, Box 7, November 11, 1974, Ford, John McCone (Former DCI). Secret; Sensitive. The meeting was held in the Oval Office. McCone served as DCI from 1961 to 1965.
16. Letter From Director of Central Intelligence Colby to President Ford
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Outside the System Chronological File, Box 1, 12/31/74. No classification marking.
18. Memorandum From the President’s Counselor (Marsh) to President Ford
Source: Ford Library, Richard B. Cheney Files, Box 7, General Subject File, Intelligence Subseries, Rockefeller Commission—General. Top Secret; Eyes Only. A handwritten notation at the top of the pages reads “Secret.” Sent through Rumsfeld. Forwarded on December 24 by Cheney to Rumsfeld, who was with the President in Vail.
19. Letter From Director of Central Intelligence Colby to President Ford
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, OPI 10, Executive Registry, Job 80M01044A, Box 5, Bush Files (Eyes Only) Report to the President Regarding Seymour Hersh Article on 22 Dec. No classification marking. The text printed here is a copy sent to DCI-designate George H.W. Bush by E.H. Knoche on December 23, 1975. Kissinger forwarded to Ford a summary of Colby’s report on December 25, 1974, adding that he had discussed with Colby “other activities ‘in the history of the Agency’,” both legal and illegal, “which though unconnected with the New York Times article, are also open to question.” Kissinger also recommended that the proposed Blue Ribbon Panel focus initially on Colby’s report. “Once that work is completed,” he added, “you can decide whether the Commission should be asked to expand its activities.” (Ford Library, Richard B. Cheney Files, Box 5, General Subject File, Intelligence—Colby Report)
20. Memorandum for the File Prepared by the Associate Deputy Attorney General (Wilderotter)
Source: Ford Library, Richard B. Cheney Files, Box 7, General Subject File, Intelligence—President’s Meeting with Richard Helms. Secret.
21. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversations, Box 8, January 3, 1975, Ford, Schlesinger, Marsh, Buchen. Secret. The meeting was held in the Oval Office.
22. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversations, Box 8, January 3, 1975, Ford, Colby, Buchen, Marsh. Top Secret; Sensitive; Nodis. All brackets are in the original. The meeting was held in the Oval Office.
23. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversations, Box 8, January 4, 1975, Ford, Kissinger. Secret; Nodis. All brackets are in the original. The meeting was held in the Oval Office.
24. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversations, Box 8, January 4, 1975, Ford, Former CIA Director Richard Helms. Secret. The meeting was held in the Oval Office.
25. Note From the Secretary of State’s Executive Assistant (Eagleburger) to Secretary of State Kissinger
Source: Department of State, Files of Lawrence S. Eagleburger: Lot 84 D 204, Chron—January 1975. Secret; Sensitive.
26. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Ford
Source: National Security Council, Nixon Administration Intelligence Files, The 40 Committee and Predecessors, General Information, Jul 1961–Nov 1975. No classification marking; Outside System. Sent for action. Ford initialed the memorandum.
27. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the 40 Committee (Ratliff) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Sisco)
[Source: Department of State, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, INR/IL Historical Files, Pres. Rept.–40 Cmte. Act. 1/10/75. Secret (with Top Secret; Sensitive Attachment). 5 pages not declassified.]
29. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversations, Box 8, January 17, 1975, Ford, Kissinger. Secret; Nodis. The meeting was held in the Oval Office.
30. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversations, Box 8, January 23, 1975, Ford, Kissinger. Secret; Nodis. The meeting was held in the Oval Office.