LETTER TO COLONEL EDWARD G. LANSDALE FROM FRANK G. WISNER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01731R000300170007-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 25, 2003
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: June 9, 1958
• Content Type: LETTER

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Colonel :cAlward G. 1 sdal USA II
Deputy Assistant to the
Secretary of Defense
(Special Operations)
Dear Ed:
\C)
DI
ALITR-i.. HA 70-2
DATE: I2/ REVIEINE:
My note on Cold War Intelligence, dated 9 June 1958, crossed
your memorandum on DOD Cold V, ar Intelligence Requirements - For
a Contested Free World Country of the same date.
Yoi may recall that my note pointed out that I was not certain that
a greater magnitude of collection or major changes in collation of intel-
ligence information were necessary. Your draft, however, very effec-
tively points up the kinds of questions that collated intelligence should
answer for the purpose you have in mind. It may also possibly bring out
some gaps in our collection guidance.
Dick 1{elrre and I have both gone over your memorandum. In addition,
I have had some of our more knowledgeable operations people interested
in tl,is subject study the paper. I am giving you here a consolidation of
all these views.
We consider the draft an excellent and comprehensive compilation
of the kinds of intelligence needed for the development and guidance of
programs for forestalling and countering Communist efforts to take over
free areas. In fact, one might call your draft the EFI for a. commander
,n the cold war. One of our elements is using some of your ideas in a
study on a related subject.
I note that though your draft is deocr bed as covering DOD require-
ments, it actually goes across the board and includes sociological.
political, and economic factors as well as those of a more strictly
military character. I think it is a good idea to gather all these facets
into a single package to insure balance and coordination. I assume,
(F.XErEilf
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however, that you envisage that the various elements of the Government
would take action within the scope of their respective charters. You
will recall that in an earlier conference we agreed that there were
numerous activities that could be tarried out appropriately without re-
vising the present distribution of darter functions among Government
agencies.
I was particularly impressed with the emphasis you have given to
looking forward so that cold war operations can concentrate on preventive
action. As you well know, the 13.5. so often finds itself countering Com-
munist activities as contrasted to precluding or frustrating them. The
forward look is particularly appropriate in the subjects of paragraphs
I a, 2, 4 and 10. It seems to me that in a redraft of the paper you might
wish to spell this aspect out more specifically in respect to the subjects
of paragraph 5 and 9 also. In addition, you might wish to make more
specific mention of a need for information on trends in the political moti-
vation and awareness of the people as a whole and of the ethnic and other
groups making up the nation.
As I mentioned in my earlier note, much of the information to ful-
fill such requirements is already being collected. It is collated in a. wide
variety of doctur.ents each as the NIS and other regional and country studies
prepared in, or for, various government departments and agencies. The
hand books being prepared by WRAF for the Army, certain Navy reports,
U. S. L A. Country Papers, and some et our own documents come to rnind.
What you have done, as I see it, is to propose analysis and collation of this
material specifically for cold war operations purposes in respect to parti-
cular countries. In the process, you have expressed in a new way, some
requirements for information and a number of objectives against which to
interpret and collate that information.
I suppose the next step will he to have your requirements reviewed
in the light of the intelligence guides now in the hands of collectors, so
that indicated additions or changes may be made. After that, or perhaps
simultaneously, I imagine the guides for such documents as the NIS would
be reviewed against your proposals to see what modifications might be
needed.
V'e have been faced with a parallel problem. We realize that we are
only one of the users of the NIS, so we have not pressed for adapting it to
our particular needs. Accordingly, we prepare special analyses as required
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and have established small elements to make collations of intelligence
materials for some particular planning awl operational needs. We are
always faced with a decision as to how far this refinement can and should
go. We do not want our operators to be intelligence analysts. On the
other hand, we do not like to have them spoon-fed to too great a degree.
I think they need to study some original intelligence material to maintain
a thorough understanding of the area. Furthermore. they need to study
such material because the intelligence people are not always the best
judges of what the operators need and intelligence processing of the
material introduces an additional time delay. I am sure you will have to
meet this issue in your situation in Defense.
We have written this memorandum as a device for getting our
thoughts in order. We are now ready to sit down with you and discuss
ways and means of making this effort bear fruit.
Sincerely,
Frank G. Wisner
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