SUGGESTED AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR S/OG

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61S00527A000100140003-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 15, 1998
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: March 23, 1953
• Content Type: MEMO

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Office . emoranum ? UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO Chief D S
Atten : 25X1A9a
FROM : Chief, S/OG
SUBJECT: Suggested Areas of Responsibility for S/OG
DATE: 23 March 1953
1. In accordance with your general request of approximately
ten days ago, the following research areas of responsibility are
suggested for S/0G in any future programs. Since work on all of
these areas may not be possible in 1953, the suggestions represent
more or less a long range program. These suggestions also follow
as part two of the previous memorandum of 11 March on "Random
Thoughts on S/OG Studies".
2. On the basis of S/OG's experience during the past nine
months, the fulfillment of the mission assigned to the Branch
seems to include the following three major areas of exploitation
of intelligence.
a. Analysis of the current changes in the economic organi-
zations and their significance in the Soviet Union and
in those satellites which might provide intelli:ence on
Soviet intentions or Soviet capabilities;
b. Development of intelligence in order to provide better
field collection base;
c. Examination of the existence and the degree of imple-
mentation of an economic mobilization plan of the USSR.
3. The first of the foregoing areas of investigation is
covered fairly adequately by S/OG's 1953 program. The signifi-
cant areas that are not covered at present include Poland and
Czechoslovakia. It is assumed that the remaining East European
satellites, such as Rumania, Hungary and Bulgaria, do not have
the same significance as Poland and Czechoslovakia.
Li. The second area of investigation is represented by the
three RQM/OIS requests, one of which has been satisfied by report
IP.-326. The second request dated 5 February 1953 will be par-
tially covered by report ORR 411. However, no provisions have
been made for handling the requests dealing with the Soviet
Zone of Austria. These RQM/OIS requests, in my opinion,are suf-
ficiently important to merit a special effort to include them in
S/OGts program. The reasons for giving these, requests special
attention include (a) the information developed provides a better
field collection base to FI for their operations, resulting in
general improvement in CIA intelligence; (b) the research effort
necessary to uncover the information encourages better liaison
within CIA, thereby tending to break down some of the barriers
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which exist in the exchange of information; (c) the fulfillment of
K's needs will circumvent any probable attempt to establish an
organizational research staff within FI in order to give support
to their field collection effort. The mission of such a new branch
would represent a duplication of S/OG's present mission.
5. The third area of investigation has been explored only in
a rather superficial manner at present. Only preliminary efforts
have been made because of the overriding priority of the first two
areas of investigation. These preliminary efforts were limited
largely to personal contacts with others in the Washington area
who might be conversant with the problem and whose opinions and
knowledge in this field might be useful in setting the stage and
in defining the scope of a definitive project. ORR Project 103-51,
which has just become available, represents one effort in what 25X1A9a
might be termed the peripheral areas ofGproblem.
paper of 13 March on "Mergers in the Machinery Industry of the
USSR" also touches on the fringes of this problem. Incidentally.
25X1A9a the validity of conclusions should be questioned be-
cause of the rather tenuous assumptions on which they are based.
For example, some evidence appears to exist indicating that a
Soviet mobilization plan has been developed. Such a plan how-
ever, does not seem to take the form suggested by 25X1A9a
Consequently, as part of the third area of investigation, S OG
should explore the nature of any existing Soviet mobilization
plan and should also attempt to delineate its provisions. It
is hoped that some progress will be made in this direction in
the development of the necessary research for Project ORR 41.4.
6. Thus, it seems highly desirable at the present time
that S/OG complete its 1953 program as rapidly as possible,
that every effort be made to satisfy RQjN/OIS requirements, and
that, as soon as possible, some thought be given to economic
mobilization in the USSR, its form and purpose, its organiza-
tional structure, and its implications on Soviet bloc
capabilities.
25X1A9a
ORR/S/OG:CBL:egg (dictated 23 Mar 53)
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