CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY WITH RESPECT TO PLANNING FOR THE DEATH OF STALIN.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-01065A000500020003-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 16, 2000
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: March 9, 1953
• Content Type: MFR

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9 March 1953
SUBJECT: Chronological History with Respect to Planning
for the Death of Stalin.
1. Official interest was manifested in this subject upon the
publication of an article by a Mr. Scott called "Death In The Family",
in January of 1951.
2. Mr. Phillips of the Department of State formulated an ad
hoc interdepartmental group to study this problem and evolve some
basic papers.
3. Two plans were prepared within the Agency 1951
known as (subsequent to the death) andl a crash
plan for implementation on an emergency basis.
4. The committee reached a point where it felt that it needed
a thorough-going intelligence annex prepared in Government, which
would provide a basis and authority for the recommended actions.
5. On July 11, 1951, ONE was approached to include on its
dockets an intelligence estimate for this subject.
6. Since the docket was overcrowded, the ONE complex con-
curred that this could better be prepared outside of Government
and accordingly CENIS took on the responsibility of preparing a
paper on this subject.
7. On October 30, 1951, Mr. Gordon Gray of PSB requested
Mr. Dulles' views as to whether formal planning should not proceed
on this item. Mr. Dulles' reply indicated that it was the opinion
of this Agency that sufficient intelligence was available to enable
a continuing development of this subject, aid he recommended that
PSB be charged with steering this particular study.
8. A PSB panel of interdepartmental representatives was set
u in which the I entatives were
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9. This panel produced on April 16, 1952, a plan calle
This plan was circulated for comments in Government and was not well
received within the Department of State. It was never formally sub-
mitted to the PSB. It included for bac round the previous thinking
that had been prepared on these plans having
been made available to the panel for the drafting of
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10. In the next 3 months, nothing definitive was accomplished
on this matter. 25X1A
11. On June 30, 1952, completed and circulated its study.
12. In early August 1952, took the initiative
for resuming work on this problem and called a meeting in Mr. Sherman
Kent's office to review the problem, assess the background data, and
determine the next step.
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13. On 15 August 1952, of PSB met with SR, PPC1
PP and PYD representatives in CIA, and asked if we would take steps to
review and pre are a staff study on this problem. This meeting appointed
as the steering member.
ltd.. In September 1952, the PSB was formally asked to take cogni-
zance of this problem and endorse the development?of a paper on this
subject, which it did.
15. In October, an Agency ad hoc task force was created with PP,
PYD, PPC and SR representatives in accordance with the August meeting
and the formal PSB authority of September.
16. On October 30th, the PSB formally approved the terms of ref-
erence and general approach for the undertaking of this matter, stipu-
lating 5 elements to be considered. Agencies and departments desig-
nated "representatives as points of contact".
17. By mid-November, the Agency task force had completed, circu-
lated, and received informal comments and re-drafted a series of papers
on this subject known as in addition, it compiled a biblio-
graphy.
18. A copy was furnished to f PSB and shown to the
Defense and State points of contac .
19. At this point, the CIA task force felt it had reached an area
of diminishing return until the interim guidance called for in Paragraph
6 (c) of PSB D 24 could be completed. This particular development was
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under the purview of the State representative.
20. The views of the State representative were formulated, coor-
dinated in State, and distributed (PSB D 2I/1) on January 19th to the
departments and agencies stipulating that there were 3 courses of ac-
tion open in the event of a sudden death, and that a plan be developed
along the lines of the 3rd alternative.
21. On 6 February, CIA formally concurred in the 3rd alternative,
as did Defense.
22. On 27 February, CIA furnished additional views informally to
the PSB staff representative, with respect to concepts
believed appropriate to the plan (!t points).
23. On 3 March, word was received of the impending death of Stalin
and a 7:30 a.m. White House conference transpired., It is our understand-
ing that of PSB did confer with. Mr. C. D. Jackson of
the White House staff on agreement in Government as to the approach and
pattern to follow in this emergency (3rd alternative of PSB D 24/1).
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