The Suez Canal, completed in 1869, serves as a key transport route between Europe and Asia and is considered one of the world’s most important waterways. Initially owned by a French and British company, the canal was of great importance to the economic development of both France and Britain and was considered by them to be vital to their national security.

In the 1950s, however, it became entangled in broader Cold War politics, diverging Western strategic aims, and the painful transition to a postcolonial world. The ensuing crisis would also demonstrate the power of emerging intelligence technology.

As the West and the Soviet Bloc jockeyed for geopolitical dominance in the wake of World War II, each saw the support of Egypt as a key factor in that strategic battle. The United States and Britain, however, valued Egypt for different — and often conflicting — reasons:

• The United States was pursuing anti-Communist and anti-imperialist polices, and
• Britain, though anti-Communist, was equally determined to retain its status and influence as an imperial power, particularly in the oil-rich Middle East.

France, too, was struggling to retain its colonial possessions, and it saw the hand of Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser in a revolt against French control in Algeria.

Nasser, an Arab nationalist who had seized power in 1954, was willing to play these competing powers against one another in his goal of transforming Egypt into an independent and modern state. A major component of his program was the construction of the Aswan Dam, and U.S. and British commitments to fund its construction were calculated to woo Nasser into the Western camp. At the same time, however, the Egyptian leader incurred U.S. and British disapproval by recognizing Communist China and accepting Soviet Bloc arms in exchange for Egyptian cotton.

On July 26, 1956, following a U.S. and British decision to retaliate by withdrawing funding for the dam, Nasser announced the nationalization of the Suez Canal Company — a move that gave him access to the millions of dollars collected from transiting vessels.

The takeover stunned French and British shareholders and precipitated an international crisis. The struggle for control of the canal was underway, and the U-2 — CIA’s new reconnaissance aircraft — would offer Washington’s most reliable window on developments.

 

The West Divided

As tensions built, French and British leaders formed a covert alliance with Israel, which had been denied use of the canal by the Egyptians and was also deeply concerned by Egypt’s arms purchases. Even as the leaders of the three nations were deliberately misleading their U.S. counterparts, however, U.S. intelligence was developing a very clear picture of the changing disposition of British, French, and Israeli forces in the region.

“I don’t like to do this to my friends, but I will G-2 [spy on] them if I have to,” said President Dwight Eisenhower, on whose orders CIA’s U-2 had begun making almost daily flights over the region more than a month before the invasion.

On October 27, a U-2 photographed British bases in Cyprus. The imagery revealed large numbers of British and French bombers and transport planes parked beside the runways. Another U-2 passing over an Israeli airfield showed a squadron of French fighter-bombers.

While the imagery indicated some unusual activity, it could not address the question of intentions, and, until the day before the Israeli assault, Eisenhower and his top advisers continued to interpret the U-2 imagery in light of the allied disinformation.

 

The Plot Unfolds

On the afternoon of October 29, Israeli forces launched a full-scale invasion of the Sinai peninsula. The attack came as no surprise to British Prime Minister Anthony Eden and French Prime Minister Guy Mollet. They knew that the Israeli assault was the opening move in a tripartite scheme calculated to enable London to regain control of the canal and its revenues.

As planned, Britain and France approached Nasser and offered to “separate” the warring Israeli and Egyptian forces, confident — and correct — in their assumption that Nasser would reject the offer. They then moved on to the next phase of their plan: bomb Egypt and force the reopening of the canal.

 

The U-2 Proves Its Worth

Perhaps the most impressive display of the U-2’s capabilities came as the British and French began their bombing campaign. On November 1, a U-2 flew over the Almaza Airbase near Cairo; on its return pass 20 minutes later, it snapped images of smoldering aircraft. During the interval, an Anglo-French air armada had attacked the base.

Art Lundahl, who headed CIA’s photographic intelligence center, showed the before-and-after photos to President Dwight Eisenhower at the White House the following day. Impressed, Eisenhower exclaimed, “Ten-minute reconnaissance, now that’s a goal to shoot for!” The success strengthened Eisenhower’s belief in the U-2 program and gave him the confidence to take serious risks with the aircraft.

The Suez Crisis was also a major turning point in how the U-2 was used. Before the crisis, its mission had been to collect strategic intelligence over the Soviet Union, with high-quality results considered more important than speedy processing and analysis of imagery. As a result of the crisis, it was expected to perform like a tactical reconnaissance unit, developing film immediately after landing for instant interpretation and passage to policymakers in Washington.

 

Top: Almaza Airbase before the bombing campaign. Bottom: Almaza Airbase photographed 20 minutes later during the return pass of the U-2.

 

A Watershed Event

The brief Suez war eventually sputtered to an end, overshadowed internationally by the Soviet Union’s ruthless squelching of a revolt in Hungary. Although Britain had temporarily achieved its aim of regaining control of the canal zone, the United States — working through the UN — forced a ceasefire and an eventual withdrawal of French and British forces.

Britain and France saw their hopes of retaining imperial status begin to evaporate. By contrast, Nasser retained control of the canal, although he agreed not to restrict shipping, and his pan-Arab credentials emerged stronger than ever. Soviet engagement in the Middle East was also enhanced, as was that of the UN, which deployed the first of what would become its many multinational peacekeeping forces in the region.

 

Related Stories and Links:

• The Central Intelligence Agency and Overhead Reconnaissance: The U-2 and Oxcart programs, 1954-1974, by Gregory Pedlow and Donald Welzenbach
• “The Musketeer’s Cloak: Strategic Deception During the Suez Crisis of 1956,” Studies in Intelligence, Vol. 51, Number 2 (March 2007)
• A Look Back … OXCART: "The Bird Should Leave Its Nest"
• Remembering CIA’s Heroes: Agency Pilots in the U-2 Program

With the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the United States entered World War II. In June 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt created the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) – the forerunner of today’s CIA — to collect and analyze strategic information and to conduct espionage and special operations. For the first time in U.S. history, the nation had in the OSS a single intelligence service engaged in all basic secret activities: espionage, covert action, propaganda, and counterintelligence.

The following article is the first in a series that will explore the different branches of the Officer of Strategic Services. This article focuses on the Secret Intelligence Branch.

 

*     *     *

 

The Secret Intelligence Branch

When the OSS was created in 1942, its leader Gen. William J. Donovan had not intended for it to be an organization of spies. Donovan originally wanted OSS to support military operations in the field. However, he soon realized the value of clandestine human reporting. The OSS was modeled after British intelligence organizations and consisted of three branches:

• Secret Intelligence (SI) Branch
• Special Operations (SO) Branch
• Morale Operations (MO) Branch

The Secret Intelligence Branch was established to:

• Open field stations,
• Train case officers,
• Run agent operations, and
• Process reports in Washington.

Since the SI Branch was modeled after the Britain’s intelligence services, Donovan sent new OSS agents to the United Kingdom to learn about espionage techniques, covert communications, and secret codes.

Beginning in 1943, Whitney H. Shepardson directed the SI Branch. Under his leadership, the branch created stations in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, as well as liaison contacts and a growing body of operational guidelines.

 

Allen Dulles in Switzerland

One SI station that made some significant contributions to the war was that created by Allen Dulles in Bern, Switzerland, in November 1942 on “Hitler’s doorstep.”

It did not take Dulles very long to learn about the difficulties and dangers of sending Allied agents into Nazi Germany to gather intelligence; many were quickly apprehended by the Gestapo. However, Dulles found travel restrictions between the Reich and Switzerland much less stringent and began arranging meetings in Switzerland with a variety of Germans. He soon established a wide network composed of German émigrés and resistance figures willing to serve the Allied cause.

Through his various contacts, Dulles learned about the 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler and the development of Hitler’s V-1 and V-2 missiles. He also had contact with German Foreign Ministry officials who fed him information about Nazi foreign policy and military matters.

 

Operation Sunrise

Perhaps Dulles’ greatest contribution to the war was “Operation Sunrise.” With defeat looming for Nazi Germany, growing unrest among high-ranking German officials prompted some to seek secret contacts with American and British officials to negotiate peace proposals.

At first, American intelligence officers hesitated to enter into such talks due to President Franklin Roosevelt’s “unconditional surrender” policy established during the Casablanca Conference in 1943. They were also reluctant to make a move that might provoke Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, who feared abandonment by the Western Allies.

In spite of these fears, higher authorities in Washington gave Dulles permission to meet with Nazi Gen. Karl Wolff to secretly arrange for the surrender of German troops in Italy. Thus began weeks of secret negotiations. Tension between the West and the Soviet Union complicated the peace talks, while Wolff and other German officials stalled the discussions because they feared discovery and Hitler’s wrath for betraying Nazi Germany.

Finally, on May 2, 1945 — just five days before the collapse of the Axis powers in Europe — German troops in Italy surrendered as a result of the Dulles-Wolff meetings. “Operation Sunrise” was a success, bringing about the end of the Italian campaign and saving thousands of lives.

 

Related Stories and Links:

• The Office of Strategic Services: The Forerunner of Today’s CIA
• A Look Back … The Office of Strategic Services: Training in the Forest
• Salvage and Liquidation, 1945
• The Office of Strategic Services: America's First Intelligence Agency

This is a part of our series about CIA employees who have died in the line of duty, making the ultimate sacrifice for the United States of America.

Currently, there are 90 stars carved into the marble of the CIA memorial wall. The wall stands as a silent, simple memorial to those employees “who gave their lives in the service of their country”. The CIA has released the names of 55 employees; the names of the remaining 35 officers must remain secret, even in death.

Action. Responsibility. Leadership. These are words Johnny Micheal “Mike” Spann used to describe himself in his application to the CIA. He took these traits with him when he deployed in the fall of 2001 to Afghanistan as part of the government’s response to the terrorist attacks of September 11th. Mike was conducting initial interviews of extremists held in Qali-Jangi fortress at Mazar-e Sharif when hundreds of prisoners revolted and he was attacked. His last act, just before he was killed by those who had supposedly surrendered, was to warn an Agency colleague of the imminent danger. Mike was the first American killed in combat in Afghanistan. His life was taken on November 25, eight years ago today. His actions in the six weeks he was in the country made a major contribution to the battle against the Taliban and al-Qaeda forces in north-central Afghanistan.

 

From Alabama to Washington

The son of Johnny and Gail Spann, Mike grew up in Winfield, Alabama. He played both wide receiver and running back for the Winfield High School Pirates football team. Mike attended Auburn University, where he graduated with a degree in criminal justice in 1992. In December 1991, while still at Auburn, he joined the Marine Corps as an artillery specialist. He spent eight years in the Marines, rising to the rank of captain.

Mike joined CIA in 1999 as a paramilitary officer. He graduated from the basic training program of the National Clandestine Service just a year before his death. Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet described Mike as “quiet, serious, and absolutely unflappable … [his] stoicism concealed a dry sense of humor and a heart of gold.”

At Mike’s funeral at Arlington National Cemetery in December 2001, Director Tenet had this to say:

“It was in the quest for right that Mike at his country’s call went to Afghanistan. To that place of danger and terror, he sought to bring justice and freedom. And to our nation — which he held so close to his heart — he sought to bring a still greater measure of strength and security. For Mike understood that it is not enough simply to dream of a better, safer world. He understood that it has to be built — with passion and dedication, in the face of obstacles, in the face of evil.”

Johnny Micheal Spann’s star is the 79th carved on the Agency’s Memorial Wall and his name appears in the CIA Book of Honor. He is remembered for his courage and dedication. Mike received the Intelligence Star and the Exceptional Service Medallion posthumously.

Note: “Micheal” is spelled correctly.

 

Related Stories:

• The Stars on the Wall
• An Agency Tradition: Remembering Fallen Officers
• Remembering CIA's Heroes: Raymond L. Seaborg
• Remembering CIA's Heroes: Chiyoki Ikeda
• Remembering CIA's Heroes: Rachel A. Dean
• Remembering CIA's Heroes:John Gregory Anthony Celli, III

The CIA and the nation lost a legendary figure with the death of James R. Lilley on 12 November. During his 25 years with the CIA, Lilley became known as an exceptional intelligence officer.

CIA colleagues remember Lilley for being blunt, outspoken, even brutally frank—arguably just as an intelligence officer should be. For CIA officers—especially leaders of East Asia operations—Lilley was a mentor, a teacher, and an example of an intelligence professional of recognized and respected expertise who rose to the top of his field and beyond it—all for love of his country and out of his lifelong fascination with China.

 

Using His Background

Born in Qingdao, China, where his father worked for Standard Oil, Lilley spent his childhood immersed in Chinese language and culture. When his family returned to the United States, Lilley worked on being as American as he could and for a time turned his back on his Chinese childhood.

When Lilley entered Yale University in 1947, planning to serve his country overseas, he focused on the major Cold War threat and took Russian, intending not to work on Asian studies. But when the Korean War broke out in June 1950, Lilley changed his mind, deciding that taking advantage of his Chinese experience would be the best way to serve.

One of his professors, a China scholar and CIA talent spotter, asked Lilley, “Have you ever thought of the intelligence business?” He became one of many Yale graduates of the class of 1951 who joined CIA.

 

A Life of Service

Lilley participated in many operations during his career in East and Southeast Asia and developed a reputation for initiative, imagination, and courage. He also went to school again, attending Columbia and the National War College.

Through his work for the CIA in Asia, Lilley got to know a future CIA director then serving as the top U.S. envoy to the People’s Republic of China, George H.W. Bush.

Lilley capped his intelligence career by serving as the National Intelligence Officer for East Asia, but greater glory as a “China hand” came after he retired. Vice President Bush recruited Lilley to serve on President Reagan’s National Security Council staff, which led to his selection as head of the U.S. mission in Taiwan.

In his next assignment, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for a year before going to South Korea as ambassador. His subsequent appointment, as ambassador to Beijing, coincided with the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown and massacre. Lilley was praised for his reporting on the crisis and for other actions he undertook—including housing a wanted Chinese dissident in the Embassy for a year before the Chinese government agreed to let him leave the country.

Lilley recounts his remarkable career in his memoir China Hands (2004). Many historians agree that it is one of the best books on a life in intelligence, and an insightful treatment both of China and US-China relations.

Jim Lilley was a consummate intelligence practitioner first and foremost, an able and accomplished diplomat who was also a tough customer, and a leading China expert, respected by the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan alike. Professionals like him do not grace our lives often, and he will be missed.

 

Related Stories and Links:

• Two CIA Prisoners in China, 1952-73
• The Intelligence Officer’s Bookshelf, China Hands review by Hayden Peake
• Russell Jack Smith, Giant of CIA Analysis, Dies at 95

The CIA Museum is home to many interesting artifacts associated with the Central Intelligence Agency’s predecessor, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS); foreign intelligence organizations; and the CIA itself. The following article is the third in a series that will explore the Agency’s amazing history through the artifacts in the CIA Museum. This article focuses on the Fairbairn-Sykes OSS Stiletto.

*     *     *     *     *

Perhaps one of the most well-known artifacts from the Agency’s past is the Fairbairn-Sykes OSS Stiletto, issued to some OSS agents serving overseas during World War II. The OSS Stiletto was designed to be light, versatile, and effective for slashing and penetrating from any angle. OSS agents received special close combat training from Lt. Col. William E. Fairbairn, one of the knife’s designers.

 

William E. Fairbairn

Fairbairn was a British officer who served with the Royal Marine Light Infantry beginning in 1901. In 1907, Fairbairn joined the Shanghai Municipal Police. At that time, Shanghai was considered to be the most dangerous city in the world. Fairbairn had many close calls with gang members in the streets of Shanghai.

After a particularly close brush with death, Fairbairn decided to study martial arts and hand-to-hand combat. For the next 30 years, he worked as the training officer for the Shanghai Municipal Police. Fairbairn’s years of experience made him an expert in hand-to-hand combat and boosting the confidence of fighting units.

 

Fairbairn’s Combat Training Program

Fairbairn teamed up with a fellow British officer in the Shanghai Municipal Police, Eric Anthony Sykes, to develop a combat training program and design the Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife.

With the beginning of World War II in 1939, Fairbairn was recruited to train British Commandos in hand-to-hand combat. The British Commandos were issued a Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife and received training from Fairbairn himself.

President Roosevelt established the Coordinator of Information (COI) in 1941 in response to a need for strategic information during World War II. As a result of the attack on Pearl harbor, COI was reorganized, and on June 13, 1942 it was renamed the Office of Strategic Services. When the OSS began training agents for overseas operations, Fairbairn was recruited to develop and provide a close-combat training program — including the use of his fighting knife.

Fairbairn trained some future Directors of Central Intelligence, including Richard Helms and William Casey, at the camps located in the national parks of Maryland and Virginia.

During Fairbairn’s training program, he warned his students to avoid engaging in a knife fight if at all possible. In fact, Fairbairn names the knife as the most deadly weapon in his training manual titled “Get Tough”:

“In close-quarters fighting there is no more deadly weapon than the knife. An entirely unarmed man has no certain defense against it, and, further, merely the sudden flashing of a knife is frequently enough to strike fear into your opponent, causing him to lose confidence and surrender.”

 

This special version of the Fairbairn-Sykes knife known as the OSS Stiletto, with its distinctive pancake flapper sheath, became standard issue in 1943. The stiletto shown here belonged to OSS Jedburgh Capt. William H. Pietsch, Jr., who parachuted in to France in August 1944.

Fairbairn-Sykes OSS Stiletto

Fairbairn and Sykes based their knife design on a classic dagger design, but focused on making it lighter and thinner than existing blades. They designed the knife to have both a sharp stabbing point and good cutting edges. The sharp point and edges ensured a clean wound, which would bleed freely and quickly. Fairbairn and Sykes also designed the knife to be thin enough to slide between the ribs, and long and strong enough to penetrate through many layers of clothing and gear.

By the summer of 1942, housewares and hardware manufacturers Landers, Frary and Clark of New Britain, Conn., began producing the Fairbairn-Sykes OSS Stiletto. The knife was manufactured using lightweight steel. A finished knife measured 11.25 inches in length and weighed seven ounces.

The knives were issued with an unusual “pancake flapper” sheath with an O-ring to hold the knife in place. The slots in the “pancake flapper” made it easy for belts of different widths to be woven through the sheath. At the time, Landers, Frary and Clark were the largest producers of kitchen utensils in America. Apparently the same molds the company used to make its pancake flappers were also used to make the sheath for the Fairbairn-Sykes OSS Stiletto.

Since World War II, the Fairbairn-Sykes knife has been reproduced in many different variations. Today, there are more than 200 knives based on the Fairbairn-Sykes knife.

The CIA Museum currently has a Fairbairn-Sykes OSS Stiletto on display in the Afghan Gallery next to the knife carried into Afghanistan by CIA’s Gary Schroen after September 11th. The juxtaposition of the two objects is a tribute to intelligence officers at war.

 

Related Stories and Links:

• The CIA Museum: Looking Back to See the Future
• The CIA Museum: The People Behind the Magic
• The CIA Museum … Artifacts: The Caltrop
• The CIA Museum … Artifacts: Pneumatic Tube Carrier
• A Look Back … The Office of Strategic Services: Training in the Forest
• CIA Museum Tour

Statement to Employees by Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Leon E. Panetta on Senior Leadership Changes

December 16, 2009

---

Leading the Central Intelligence Agency is a unique privilege, and, even before I was confirmed as Director, I recognized that I would be serving with some of the finest people in government. I have been able to count on a very strong team.

Among those on whom I rely each day is Associate Deputy Director Scott White, an accomplished intelligence officer who has served our country with distinction for 39 years. Scott had originally intended to retire this past summer, but, at my request, he agreed to postpone his departure until January. Steve Kappes and I will always be grateful that he did. This Agency and the Intelligence Community has benefited tremendously from Scott’s leadership. He brought sound management, creativity, and excellent people skills to every position he held, both inside and outside CIA. From his days as a manager of young analysts to those as the head of our largest directorate, the Directorate of Support, Scott showed what it means to be an intelligence professional. We will miss his talent, energy, and good humor, and wish him and his family the very best.

Stephanie O’Sullivan — an officer whose passion for our mission is surpassed only by her skill in executing it — will become our new Associate Deputy Director. Since August 2005, Stephanie has led the Directorate of Science and Technology to remarkable success against our most urgent threats and hardest targets. She has managed complex, high-risk, high-payoff operations, working across directorate and agency lines and with private-sector partners. She is a great steward of resources and goes the extra mile to develop our people, giving officers at all levels opportunities to learn and grow. A civil engineer by training, Stephanie worked in the Office of Naval Intelligence and TRW before joining the CIA in 1995. Her deep expertise, insightful management, and devotion to colleagues make Stephanie perfectly suited for the No. 3 job in our Agency. Her qualifications to help guide the CIA into the future are outstanding.

Stephanie’s promotion gave us just the right reason to bring long-time officer Glenn Gaffney back to our Agency. He will be the next Director for Science and Technology. Since January 2008, Glenn has served as Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Collection. Prior to that, he was Stephanie’s deputy in the S&T. Glenn began his Agency career in 1986 as a technical analyst and gradually moved into clandestine technical operations. In the 1990s, he was part of the team that established the Clandestine Information Technology Office, the predecessor of today’s Information Operations Center. He later rose to Chief of IOC.  Glenn is an innovative, proven leader in applying science and technology to intelligence problems—just the right person to head our impressive cadre of technical experts.

This Agency is fortunate to have such a deep supply of talent and dedication within its ranks. Our nation is stronger and safer, thanks to the service of people like Scott, Stephanie, and Glenn. Please join me in thanking Scott for his many contributions to our essential mission and in congratulating Stephanie and Glenn on their new assignments.

Leon E. Panetta

On Christmas Eve in 1962, more than 1,000 prisoners taken during the Bay of Pigs invasion were granted a holiday miracle: their freedom. The prisoners would not have been released as soon had it not been for the skilled negotiating of Milan “Mike” Miskovsky, who served as a CIA lawyer during some of the most tumultuous years for the United States.

 

From the Forest to the Court Room

Miskovsky was born on May 11, 1926, in Chicago. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a master’s in forestry in 1949. For the next two years, Miskvosky worked for the U.S. Forest Service in the woods of Idaho, Montana, and Washington state. He was transferred to Washington, D.C., in 1951.

Soon after arriving in the District of Columbia, Miskovsky was hired by the CIA as an analyst of forestry resources in the Eastern Bloc. Miskovsky continued his education at George Washington University, and after graduating in 1956 with a law degree, he joined the CIA’s legal office, eventually becoming the Agency’s assistant general counsel. Little did Miskovsky know that he had an exciting career as a CIA lawyer ahead of him.

 

Negotiating Powers’ Release

On May 1, 1960, U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union. He was captured immediately. The Soviets recovered the cameras and film from the crash site and began interrogating Powers. In August 1960, Powers was tried and convicted of espionage against the Soviet Union. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

As an Agency lawyer representing the U.S. government, Miskovsky worked to negotiate a trade with the Soviets: Francis Gary Powers for Soviet spy Rudolf Abel. Working through New York lawyer James Donovan, who handled the face-to-face negotiations with Soviet representatives in Germany, Miskovsky proved himself to be a skilled negotiator in the case.

Their efforts paid off, for on February 10, 1962, Powers was released and traded for Abel. He walked across Berlin’s Glienicke Bridge, passing Abel in the middle, and met U.S. officials on the other side.

 

Freedom for the Bay of Pigs Prisoners

In April 1961, a 1,400-man force of Cuban-American exiles called Brigade 2506 launched an invasion of Cuba. Their goal was to overthrow the communist government of Fidel Castro. Brigade 2506 landed at the Bay of Pigs on Cuba’s southern coast where they were quickly defeated by the Cuban military. More than 100 members of Brigade 2506 were killed, and nearly 1,200 were captured.

Miskovsky was again asked to help negotiate the release of the prisoners. He worked closely with U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and Donovan during these negotiations, which lasted nearly a year. Finally, Castro agreed to release the prisoners for $50 million in food, medicine, and humanitarian aid. Castro and Donovan signed the agreement on December 21, 1962. The prisoners were released just in time to celebrate Christmas with their families and friends in the United States.

 

Fighting for Equality

After leaving the Agency in 1964, Miskovsky worked for the Federal Maritime Commission and Treasury Department. In 1968, he became director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which provides legal aid to victims of civil rights abuses. Miskovsky directed an inquiry into the underlying causes of the 1967 race riots for the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, also known as the Kerner Commission.

Miskovsky continued to practice law until he retired in 2003. He died of lung cancer on October 15, 2009, at his home in Washington, D.C.

 

Related Stories and Links:

• A Look Back ... The Cold War: Strangers On a Bridge

In the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the nation was in a state of shock and horror. The day after the attack, the United States officially declared war on Japan, with Nazi Germany declaring war on the United States three days later. President Franklin D. Roosevelt realized that to win the war, the country needed an organization to gather important intelligence from around the world. The president’s advisors knew just the man to lead such an outfit — Gen. William J. Donovan, also known as “Wild Bill” Donovan.

 

Born and Raised a Patriot

Donovan was born on New Year’s Day in 1883 in Buffalo, New York. He came from a family of devoutly Catholic Irish immigrants, which influenced him to want to become a priest.

Donovan attended St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute and Niagara University. He continued his studies at Columbia University, where he was a star athlete on the football team and a member of Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. In 1907, Donovan graduated from Columbia Law School and entered private practice.

In search of a way to serve his country, Donovan joined the New York National Guard in 1912 as a captain. He became part of the 69th “Fighting Irish” Regiment. Donovan also served on the Mexican border in 1916 after his guard regiment was called into federal service to assist the U.S. Army in tracking down the Mexican bandit Pancho Villa.

During World War I, Donovan served his country again, when his regiment was called into federal service. Donovan then became part of the 165th Regiment of the U.S. Army, also known as the “Rainbow” Division because of the cross-country makeup of its ranks. During his time leading the regiment, Donovan earned his nickname “Wild Bill.” The men in his battalion called him “Wild Bill” out of admiration for his coolness and resourcefulness during combat and because of the hard physical drills he made them do to prepare for battle.

Donovan was wounded in action three times during World War I. On July 18, 1918, for bravery under fire on the River Ourcq during the Second Battle of the Marne, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. By the end of the war, Donovan had been promoted to colonel and was one of the most decorated soldiers of World War I. Upon returning from Europe after World War I, Donovan — along with Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. — was a co-founder of the American Legion.

 

Answering the Call to Service

After the war, Donovan decided that he wanted to become more involved with the government. He served on many different federal commissions and delegations. Donovan also unsuccessfully campaigned for lieutenant governor and governor of New York in 1922 and 1932, respectively. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge appointed Donovan to serve as the assistant to the Attorney General as an anti-trust lawyer. Donovan even established a Wall Street law firm called Donovan, Leisure, Newton, Lumbard, and Irvine, where he spent most of his time when he wasn’t traveling.

Donovan was a very well-traveled individual. Through his love of travel, he entered the world of intelligence. Donovan traveled a lot for pleasure and for his corporate law clients. During these trips he met with many leaders, including Benito Mussolini of Italy.

Donovan’s extensive travel experience brought him to the attention of President Roosevelt, who asked him to visit England as an unofficial envoy in November 1940 to interview British officials and determine if they could withstand Nazi German. Through his meetings with Col. Stewart Menzies —the head of the British Secret Intelligence Service — as well as King George VI, Winston Churchill and other British government and military leaders, Donovan realized that the United States needed a centralized means of collecting foreign intelligence. Donovan returned to Washington and shared what he had learned with President Roosevelt.

 

Establishing an Intelligence Organization

On July 11, 1941, President Roosevelt established the Office of the Coordination of Information (COI) and named Donovan as its director. From this moment forward, Donovan became known as the “Father of American Intelligence.”

The COI was tasked with coordinating information collected abroad for the president. After the United States became involved in World War II, the COI became the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in June 1942, with Donovan still in charge.

The OSS consisted of men and women from many areas and backgrounds — lawyers, historians, bankers, baseball players, actors, and businessmen. Their assignment was to conduct espionage, sabotage, and morale operations against the Axis powers, and conduct in-depth research and analysis on the nation’s enemies and their capabilities.

Donovan was a fearless leader and became known for saying, “let’s give it a try!” The OSS was instrumental in many of the successes during World War II, including providing the U.S. government with advance information about German efforts to develop atomic weapons and the plot to assassinate Hitler.

 

Life after the War

Toward the end of the war in 1945, Donovan tried to persuade both Presidents Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman to make the OSS a permanent civilian centralized intelligence agency, but his efforts were unsuccessful. The OSS was dissolved in September 1945. Donovan continued to advocate for the formation of a centralized intelligence agency. His persistence paid off when President Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947, which established the Central Intelligence Agency.

Donovan retired from active duty and returned to his work as a lawyer. His first job after the war was serving as an aide to the U.S. chief prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials. After that, he practiced law on Wall Street. In 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Donovan as Ambassador to Thailand.

Donovan died at the age of 76 on February 8, 1959 at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in Washington, D.C. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Donovan was the only American to have received the nations four highest awards: the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal, and the National Security Medal. After his death, Donovan was awarded the Freedom Award of the International Rescue Committee. He is also a member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame.

 

Related Stories:

• A Look Back ... The National Security Act of 1947
• The Office of Strategic Services: The Forerunner of Today’s CIA
• Salve and Liquidation, 1945

Do you know the capital of Egypt? Or what currency is used in Ecuador? What about which country is closest to the Bay of Bengal? Put your geography knowledge to the test with the new world exploration quiz located in the games section of the CIA.gov Kids’ Page.

Ava Shoephone will take you on a whirlwind trip around the world. Answer questions correctly to continue your journey. If you have any problems along the way, The World Factbook will provide you with hints.

The quiz is divided into sections by region of the world: Africa, Australia/Oceania, Central Asia, Europe, North America and South Asia.

Quiz questions span a variety of topics, such as government, economy, people, and communications. The new quiz offers different levels of difficulty, including:

• 3rd to 5th Grade
• 6th to 8th Grade
• 9th Grade to Adult

After successfully completing the quiz, Ava Shoephone will present you with a prize: either a certificate of completion or a bookmark.

Go to the CIA.gov Kids’ Page and start your journey today.

 

Related Stories:

• CIA.gov Kids' Page Provides a Unique Look Inside the Agency
• CIA K-9 Corps: A Special Breed

The following opinion piece from Director Leon E. Panetta appeared on January 10th in the Washington Post:

---

The horrible news Dec. 30 that a suicide bomber had taken seven American lives in Afghanistan may have been for some a stark reminder that we are at war. But the men and women of the CIA, whose colleagues these seven were, needed no reminder.

The main lesson from this attack is that, like our military, CIA officers are on the front lines against al-Qaeda and its violent allies. They take risks to confront the enemy, gathering information to destroy its networks and disrupt its operations. This is a vicious foe, one that has struck our country before and is determined to do so again.

As an agency, we have found consolation in the strength and heroism of our fallen colleagues and their families.

We have found no consolation, however, in public commentary suggesting that those who gave their lives somehow brought it upon themselves because of "poor tradecraft." That's like saying Marines who die in a firefight brought it upon themselves because they have poor war-fighting skills.

This was not a question of trusting a potential intelligence asset, even one who had provided information that we could verify independently. It is never that simple, and no one ignored the hazards. The individual was about to be searched by our security officers — a distance away from other intelligence personnel — when he set off his explosives.

Our officers were engaged in an important mission in a dangerous part of the world. They brought to that mission their skills, expertise and willingness to take risks. That's how we succeed at what we do. And sometimes in a war, that comes at a very high price.

The CIA cannot speak publicly about its major victories — the plots foiled, the terrorists neutralized. In the past year, we have done exceptionally heavy damage to al-Qaeda and its associates. That's why the extremists hit back. And it is all the more reason why we intend to stay on the offensive.

The safety of our officers is critical. If we find lessons from Forward Operating Base Chapman that will make us even stronger in what will always be a deadly battle, we will, of course, apply them. But let's be clear: When you are fighting terrorists, there will be risks.

We constantly adapt and refine the tools we use to accomplish what is, under the best circumstances, an exceptionally complex and difficult mission. No one should mistake the remote spots of South Asia for the capitals of Cold War Europe. In a very different environment, against a very different enemy, our tradecraft is tailored to a battlefield. In the barren landscape outside Khost, Afghanistan, things such as "safe" houses — a staple of traditional espionage — are not easily found.

Our focus now is on these seven American heroes and those wounded beside them. They knew the value of their work against terrorism and did it with talent, energy and a full appreciation of the risks involved. In the days since this tragedy, many family members have told me that, in Afghanistan, their loved ones were where they wanted to be. They were no strangers to hardship. If the CIA was not in that rugged outpost and many more like it, obtaining information that could save American lives, the agency would not be doing its job.

On the day our fallen returned to Dover Air Force Base on their long journey home, the CIA's senior staff meeting began with a moment of silence. It was followed by a powerful commitment to continue our aggressive counterterrorism operations. We do more than mourn those taken from us. We honor them, in part by pushing forward the work they did, work to which they were absolutely devoted. Their colleagues form a deep bench of expertise and courage, and they are committed to playing their vital role in this war we must win.

The writer is director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

© 2010 The Washington Post Company

As another year begins, it is a good time to reflect on the past and goals for the future. At CIA there are many memorials and exhibits that serve as a reminder of both the progress the Agency has made as well as the human costs of that intelligence mission over the years. The Office of Strategic Services Memorial at CIA headquarters is one example. It reminds CIA employees of how American intelligence began, the sacrifices their World War II predecessors made, and the on-going need of dedication to the Agency’s mission.

 

Establishing the OSS

The outbreak of war in Europe in September 1939 prompted President Franklin D. Roosevelt to ask for greater coordination by the military and civilian intelligence arms. On July 11, 1941, the President appointed William J. Donovan to tackle the problem as the Coordinator of Information (or COI), the head of a new civilian office attached to the White House. The office was the nation’s first peacetime, independent intelligence organization.

The COI was reorganized and renamed as the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), in June 1942. Its purpose was to collect and analyze intelligence from around the world and get it to the policymakers who need it to make important decisions about foreign policy and military commanders guiding the nation’s armed forces.

Many brave men and women joined the OSS. At its peak, the OSS had about 13,000 employees, 7,500 of which served overseas. Some OSS officers made the ultimate sacrifice when they died in the line of duty.

With the help of OSS intelligence, the Allies were victorious over the Axis powers. The OSS is also credited with changing American military and intelligence thinking forever.

 

Remembering the OSS

The OSS Memorial — which honors OSS officers killed during World War II — is situated on the south wall of the Original Headquarters Building lobby. It consists of:

• A single star,
• The inscription “In honor of those members of the Office of Strategic Services who gave their lives in the service of their country,”
• A statue of Maj. Gen. William J. Donovan, and
• The book of honor, which lists the names of the 116 OSS fallen.

The star and the inscription were carved into the wall by Tim Johnston, who also carves the stars for the CIA Memorial Wall. The statue of Donovan was commissioned by former Director of Central Intelligence William J. Casey. It was sculpted by Lawrence M. Ludtke and dedicated to the Agency on October 26, 1988. The complete OSS Memorial — with its single star and the OSS Book of Honor — was dedicated on June 12, 1992 in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the OSS.

 

Related Stories and Links:

• The Office of Strategic Services: The Forerunner of Today’s CIA
• Headquarters Virtual Tour
• The Office of Strategic Services: America’s First Intelligence Agency
• Sites to See

Unclassified extracts from Studies in Intelligence Volume 53, Number 4 (December 2009)

 

Historical Perspectives

Operation INFEKTION
Soviet Bloc Intelligence and Its AIDS Disinformation Campaign
Thomas Boghardt [PDF 215.8KB*]

The Origins of Modern Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
Military Intelligence at the Front, 1914–18
Terrence J. Finnegan, Col., USAFR (Ret.) [PDF 941.3KB*]

 

Intelligence Today And Tomorrow

An Experiment in Collaboration on an Intelligence Problem
Developing STORM, a Methodology for Evaluating Transit Routes of Transnational Terrorists and Criminals
Mark T. Clark and Brian Janiskee [PDF 92.2KB*]

 

Intelligence In Public Literature

The James Angleton Phenomenon
“Cunning Passages, Contrived Corridors”: Wandering in the Angletonian Wilderness
David Robarge [PDF 136.0KB*]

The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One
Reviewed by Matthew P. [PDF 28.8KB*]

Vietnam Declassified: CIA and Counterinsurgency in Vietnam
Hayden Peake [PDF 37.1KB*]

OSS Training in the National Parks and Service Abroad in World War II
Reviewed by Clayton D. Laurie [PDF 33.6KB*]

The Secret War in El Paso: Mexico Revolutionary Intrigue, 1906–1920
Reviewed by Mark Benbow [PDF 25.8KB*]

The Intelligence Officer’s Bookshelf
Compiled and Reviewed by Hayden B. Peake [PDF 106.1KB*]

Books, Films, and Television Reviewed in Studies in Intelligence, 2009 [PDF 42.7KB*]

 

COMMENT

In Defense of John Honeyman (and George Washington)
Kenneth A. Daigler, aka P.K. Rose [PDF 34.7KB*]

 

* Adobe® Reader® is needed to view Adobe PDF files. If you don't already have Adobe Reader installed, you may download the current version at www.adobe.com (opens in a new window). [external link disclaimer]

---

Contributors

Mark Benbow worked as an analyst in the Directorate of Intelligence. He now teaches American history at Marymount University in Virginia. His book, Leading Them to the Promised Land: Woodrow Wilson, Covenant Theology, and the Mexican Revolution, 1913-1915 will be published by Kent State Press.

Thomas Boghardt is historian of the Spy Museum in Washington, DC. His article won a Studies in Intelligence Award for 2009.

Mark T. Clark is Professor of Political Science and Director of the National Security Studies Program at California State University, San Bernardino. He directs the CSU Intelligence Community Center of Academic Excellence and was the STORM project director.

Ken Daigler is a retired CIA officer. As P.K. Rose, he is the author of Founding Fathers of Intelligence and Black Dispatches: Black American Contributions to Union Intelligence During the Civil War, both available on cia.gov.

Terrence Finnegan is a retired US Air Force Reserve Colonel. He is the author of Shooting the Front: Allied Aerial Reconnaissance and Photographic Interpretation on the Western Front—World War I.

Brian Janiskee is Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Political Science Department of CSU-San Bernardino. He teaches the Politics of National Security, Research Methodology, and other courses in the National Security Studies Program. He was the STORM project’s principal analyst.

Clayton Laurie is a CIA historian. He has served tours at the US Army Center for Military History, the National Reconnaissance Office, and the History Staff of the Director of National Intelligence. Dr. Laurie also teaches military and intelligence history at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Matthew P. is a clandestine service officer assigned to the CIA History Staff.

Hayden Peake is curator of the CIA Historical Intelligence Collection. He served in the Directorate of Science and Technology and the Directorate of Operations.

David Robarge is the chief of the CIA History Staff. He is a frequent contributor and winner of Studies in Intelligence Annual Awards.

Studies in Intelligence Annual Awards, 2009.

In addition to the article by Thomas Boghardt in this issue, articles receiving awards in 2009 included:

Miron Varouhakis: “Fiasco in Nairobi: Greek Intelligence and the Capture of PKK Leader Abdullah Ocalan in 1999” in Studies in Intelligence 53 1 (March 2009). This essay won the Walter Pforzheimer Award for Best Essay by a Student.

J.R. Seeger for his review of Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of US Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan in Studies in Intelligence 53 3 (September 2009).

[Top of page]

 

---

All statements of fact, opinion, or analysis expressed in this article are those of the author. Nothing in the article should be construed as asserting or implying US government endorsement of an article’s factual statements and interpretations.

January 29, 2010

---

Director Leon E. Panetta has announced a new policy that raises language requirements for promotion to the Agency's top ranks—the Senior Intelligence Service. In a note to the CIA workforce, Panetta said, “I expect our SIS officers to lead the way in strengthening this critical expertise.”

While many senior Agency officers have tested proficient in a foreign language over the course of their careers, some have not kept their skills current. Under the new policy, promotions to SIS for most analysts and operations officers will be contingent on demonstrating foreign language competency. If an officer is promoted to SIS and does not meet the foreign language requirement within one year, he or she will return to their previous, lower grade. This is a powerful incentive to maintain and improve skills critical to the Agency's global mission. Languages play a key role in the CIA's work at all career levels.

“The stricter requirement for SIS promotion,” said Panetta, “is meant to ensure that leadership on this vital initiative comes from the executive level. With an unwavering commitment from SIS officers—to both lead by example and to support language proficiency at all levels—we will reach not only our language goals, but our ultimate objective: an Agency that is better positioned to protect our nation in the years ahead.”

This announcement advances the Director's aggressive five-year initiative, launched last May, to strengthen the Agency’s foreign language capabilities. “Deep expertise in foreign languages is fundamental to CIA’s success,” he said. “Whether an officer is conducting a meeting in a foreign capital, analyzing plans of a foreign government, or translating a foreign broadcast, language capability is critical to every aspect of our mission.”

The main goals of the five-year initiative—jump-started with funding from Congress—are to:

• Double the number of analysts and collectors who are proficient in a foreign language;
• Expand the number of officers proficient in mission-critical languages such as Arabic, Pushto, and Urdu;
• Transform how the CIA conducts language training; and
• Make language skills an even more important factor in Agency hiring.

The Agency has made major progress already:

• The majority of National Clandestine Service officers in language training are studying mission-critical languages.
• Fifty percent of the most recent graduates of the NCS training program immediately entered language training.
• The Directorate of Intelligence, too, will now send some of its new hires directly to language training.
• New distance-learning tools—a valuable asset for a global workforce—are being deployed.
• In Fiscal Year 2009, the number of Agency officers with foreign language proficiency rose by nine percent, an increase that can be attributed in part to the CIA’s success in recruiting new officers with language skills.