THE DIVISION OF BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION (U)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81S00991R000100120001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 12, 2000
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: October 22, 1958
• Content Type: OUTLINE

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY October 22, 1958
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Division of Biographic Information
The Division of BiORM21112_11E211TqL151E2 25X1
L Vhat is it?
2e Tat is its purpose?
)..ere does it get its information?
4. Row does it handle the inforMation it obtains?
5. 1-ho benefits from its operations?
le THAT IS IT?
One of three divisions in the Office of Intelligence Resources and
Coordination (IEC)
It maintains the Denartment of State's central biographic file,
It specializes in collecting, evaluating, and disseminating bio-
graphic information on prominent people in foreign countries through-
out the world*
-BI is divided into branches covering geographic areas, with analysts
assigned to identify and keep records on the leading personalities in
each country*
-It is a "Yhols ,:hon Plus operation. It frequently know more about a
person than what is oiarriray found in nThoge Vhe publications; and
it knows something about many people mho never rate a published nho's
Vhon listing.
-BI maintains systematic files on something like a million people* and
the files are naturally growing every day*
BUT BI IS OILY ON14; ?ART.. of the Government's entire Biographic Intelli-
gence set-ups
-BI assumes responsibility for personalities who fall essentially
into the political* cultural, economic* and sociological fields.
-CIA assumes responsibility for scientigtg and technological per-
sonalities.
The DEPART:2-1T OF DEFENSE keeps similar biographic files on mili-
tary personalities*
OFFICIAL USE ONLY
State Dept. declassification & release instructions on file
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'L! 1,11AF IS ITS PIDIT-MT,?
to bc, promPed to provites, bknotice, comprehensives
concerning :1113 backgrounds basic
-grteaull;e wbo directly or in-
olicies of their
ourra '2
attitudE,Aso?and-r57fraol..i.lesof
Uei1iy LntLuec dattestic and internatI
countries., and uhme activitiets are of inte
agencies.
?
?431 do lar t terest itself in Amer!..ca
-Among the foreigners in Wham BI is particularly interested are:
he Heeereign or head of states meibers of his famibrs
:7nel-1J:ening executive assistants.
;aW-c?* members. The most imeorteet officials of minis -
ielee or denartmente (particularly :,hose concerned with
reeefen affair but also Justice, eolice, Industry and
:7 :Inn ? te
norti an colonial territories:, end their ranking
or( ?
delegates to important interuatienal or regional
q:onteences arei representatives witn international or-
genieetionv concerned with politic. or security affairs,
meveeents, labor movements, eto0
le:milers of officer rank in the dip .tic and consular
-i,ea0(-r3 in political parties.
.)-rev ding officers, head of coanieteess and other in
uiU.werbers of legislative beiies?
nnoveenors, mayors., and other prominent local officials?
t .11p: businessynen educators, rx iapapermens writers,
"rtjt.
-.Leaere in significant national or international fraternal
ond tioctal organizations,
-Vital etenistics and career data are viewed as simply a starting
point in Vr.?, shady of a foreign personality?
n-A more counleto and intimate knowledge of leaders is often an
'Iiindispeneede aid in understandirg conditions in a countrys and,
:lnanticipeting pessible developments,
-Thee, tho ranters of personality and capacities are matters of
MON c.Ince:n,
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0::Jurp2se, continued) 3
0
-BI seeks to know as much as possible about such things as:
-A persongs influence and reputation;
- ether he is controlled by others;
4bether his influence is on the wNy up or down;
-His views on significant issues: e.g.
..Freedom of enterprise vs nationalization;
-Church schools vs public schools
.Cultural exchanges between the Free ttrld and Bed areas
.Economic intercourse between the two political spheres
-Authoritarian ve liberal form of government, etc.
? connections with significant /firmaments and developments
-His executive, professional, or technical abilities
-His educational background
-His religious and cultural background
-His knowledge of languages
-His family status
-His extra-professional interests (hobbies, inclinations)
-His vanities, enthusiasm, prejudices, weaknesses,
eusceptibilities
-His appearance, manners, and mannerisms
In sum, BIle aim is to be ready at any tine to provide U.S.
Government agencies and officials with the kind of information
on foreign personalities which will facilitate intercourse with
them, on an advantageous basin.
WHERE DOES IT GET ITS IMIDIATION in order to achieve its purpose?
The U.S. Government was relatively slow in developing a coordinated
biographic program.
-Other governments have long had extensive biographic intelli-
gence services.
-Ours wes haphazard before 1942.
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3. WHERE DCES IT GET ITS INFORMATION (continued)
-BI was created in 1946.
c'It took over the files of the Personal Intelligence Section
of the Division of Economic Security Controls (State), those
of the Office of Strategic Servideiii those of the Mots Uhe
Branch of Ga.2 (Amy), and those accurdilated by other private
and governmental collectors during the war years.
-!ow the U.S. GOVernment has an effective instrument in the field
of bietrephic intelligence.
-Principal current eources of information:
-.Reporting by Foreign Service posts:
-The formal "Biographic Data" report prepared in the
field is the regular vehicle used by Foreign Service
Officers to tell the Department what they know about
significant personalities in their area of assignment.
-Larger posts are staffed with full-time biographic
officers who gather information from all local
sources available to them and who report to the
Department.
-BI has access to practically all ether reports, on
various subjects:, sent in from Foreign Service estab-
lishments throughout the wOrld.
. -Analysts in. BI screen all such material for frag-
ments of biographic interest0
it is realized that over 200 Foreign Service
Officers were given End User reports by BI for their
work during fiscal year 19570 one gets some indica-
tion of the degree of participation of the Foreign
Service in the Biographic Program.
-Foreign Service personnel returning to the Department are
often debriefed.
-Documents originating with other Government agencies are also
screened.
-Principal agencies involved are:
-CIA
The Defense Department (Army, Air, and Naval Attach6s)
-USIA (Public Affairs Officers, Cultural Attach6s)
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IIEIRE DOES IT GT ITS InvoRmATIon (contintted)
--ether Sources:
-The Press (foreign and domestic newspapere
Lbws Agencies (tickers).
25X1 -Forel n broadcasts
-Publications of numerous kinds:
-"Moll 3 hot/ directories
-Collections of published biographies
-Goverment directcries
-Diplomatic biographic registers
-Diplomatic lists
-Parliamentary directories
-Civil service lists
-Directories put out by International Organi-
zations, and bulletins
25X1
-Business? professional directories (doctorS,
journalists, clergy, ego)
-Bulletins of various organizations (e,g, labor,
business, cultural, lobby groups)
-And Books. (e.g, on political hiatory? on labor
movements)
4. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE INFORMATION gathered from such numerous and varied
sources?
-Evaluation of reliability is obviously an extremely important
matter.
-The possibility of bias and of distortion of fact always has to
be kept in mind and taken into account when an item is selected
for the biographic files,
-Processing documents
-Each docuMent reaching HI is screened by Specialized analysts for iteMs
of biographie intelligence,
.The fragment maybe simply an identification of a person as occupy.-
ing some position at a given time.
-Or, it may be a detail regarding his education, family or political
connection,
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4. tTAT HAPPENS TO TIL INORMRTION (continued) 6
-It may be a photograph.
-Also, it maybe quite a lengthy exposition of his views on some
significant topic.
-Brief fragments are typed on cards and filed in chronological order,
approximating as closely as possible the date of the event.
-Longer items are filed in the person's biographic folder, likewine in
chronological order.
-As such fragments fall into the files over a period of time, like pieces
of a mosaic, the picture of the man automatically grows clearer and
clearer.
:Uses made of the files
-As occasions arise, the analyst can supply rather quickly the kind of
information needed in a given circumstance by a duly interested offi-
cial.
-BI attempts to "tailor" its reports strictly to the needs of its cus-
toMer.
The occasion may call simply for a brief unclassified sketch
given over the phone to an officer who is to meet the foreigner
at lunch.
-Or, the reedimay require a fulls and frequently highly classified,
written report on the personalities of a new government, or on an
international adventurer.
-Briefing papers are often prepared for U.S. officials before their
trips into foreign areas, on personalities they are likely to meet.
-E.g. Vice President Aixon's trip to Africa
Under Secretary Herter 'a trip to Malaya
-Similarly, biographies are prepared on foreign delegations to im-
portant international meetings, for use by members of the U.S.
delegations.
-E.g. The UN General Assemb
harbh Atlantic Counc
SEATO conferences
eetings;
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4. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE INFOILUION (continued)
-Forms employed inmasts vary according to the purpose for which they
are written%
-Ad hoc reports
.3P,Rtiaat.55
-These are usually typed in a small number of copies, destined
for a specific customer?
-Haports of broader interest are put out in mimeographed form and
Yeceive a more or less wide distribution?
The Biogrmhic Brief is such a document prepared within a few
hours afterThiglin personality assumes a highly significant
position or posture?
Etsg0 a new prime minister
-The BieLF:p.phic H....f2gt is fuller treatment of either a single
personality, or of a group of individuals in a single context?
-E4g, A government, or a delegation
-Published reports issued in printed form, as opposed to mimeographed form
The Biogruhic Directory is a listing by name and position of
governmental and party organizations of Soviet bloc countries?
E.g. The directory, Soviet Political Leaders which listed
over 8,000 names with positiontitles?
-.NIS Contributions
-Sections 59
-Biographic studies of the key personalities in poli-
tical, economic, sociological, and cultural fields
in a given country*
Key Personalities (KP's)
-Biographic studies of the key personalities in all
fields of endeavor in a given country* These
biographies represent a cooperative effort and are
prepared by Army, Navy? Air Force, CIA, and State,
each agency contributing reports on persons in its
area of responsibility,
plements VI
-.Studies in depth of Communism in any given country
in the Free lerld* Included are biographies of
Communist leaders and others who are active in pro-
moting the Communist cause*
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TJAPPEW-3 TO TIE (contiauad)
;-,ornational Communism (3.08)
-:3tud1es of Communist front organilIations including
'biographies of the leaders of such organizations.
WHO BENEFITS FR011 Bios operations?
-BI is essentially a service organizationo 7,6.th quite an extensive
lientelm
provir3.es biographic fulformation on OM.. 30000 individuals a
1,Aonth to mar offices in the Department ard ino1:,her Government
,tgencj es .
-Home of the principal users of BI materia:t arel
-in the Denartment:
Ccimtry politaeal desks (and thr.11.1.
"Iir search desks
-Th3 Visa Office
. e Historical Division
-T-e. Bureau of International Org,' atfo:,r,s
-M3 Bureau of Economic Affairn
-T -e International EdUcation &cLng mice (IEE)
-Areign Service posts (including IBM)
-Other AF;encies of the Governmen:
-CIA Participat with BI in the Oovernp.-
toent'ds totia biogTaphic progYam
-rtfense Departaent )
-ICA (International Cooperation Pdministration)
-T-reastiry Depar6ment
-1E-LA (U.S. Information AgencY)
--OCB (Operations Coordinating 'Bcard)
-Justice Department (FBI)
-Ccfcress
From time to time,, B1 receives requests for inf ..waticn from pracically every.
executive doPartment.
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