INTELLIGENCE TERMINOLOGY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01731R003600070031-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 7, 2006
• Sequence Number: 31
• Publication Date: November 18, 1946
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2006/08/09: CIA-RDP80RO1731 R003600070031-6
WAV, 'WV-00 RESTRICTED
18 November 1946 k9
MEMORANDUM FOR TIM CHIEF,, ICAPS
Subject: Intelligence Terminology
Reference: ICAPS Memo of 4 October 1946,
same subject.
1.The following intelligence terms appear to require clear
definitions.
telligence
information
-/distribution
/dissemination
/grading
`/evaluation
/source
/6rigin
,4ssential elements of information
,national intelligence requirements
indication
strategic intelligence digest
Vclaridestine
5/overt
covert
semi-overt
semi-covert
-counter-intelligence
-counter-espionage
vespionage
/agent
VGet
brief
vinformant
informer
vwi.tting informant
,,unwitting informant
,-.propaganda - wite
propaganda - black
collation
vdouble agent
veollection
vintelligence brief
,,intelligence target
DONALD H. GALLOWAY
Assistant Director
Special Operations
MORKIDIF Page
RES] RICTED
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'O~ce Memorandum UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : Chief, ICAPS
FROM : Assistant Director, Collection and Dissemination
SUBJECT: Intelligence Terminology
DATE: 25 October 1946
1. Reference your memorandum of .4 October, above subject, the need for coordina-
tion of intelligence terminology, is concurred in. Recognition of the need in March
1946 gave rise to the project which was initiated by Planning Directive No. 6 of the
Central Planning Staff. When the project was interrupted by last summerts reorganiza-
tion, the following steps had been taken:
a. Pending assignment of sufficient personnel to make the study, the Office
of the Chief, CPS, secured definitions of eleven fundamental intelligence terms pre-
viously prepared by the War Department. These had been thoroughly worked out and were
consistent with dictionary usage as well as with latest official doctrine of the War
Department.
b. When sufficient personnel were assigned late in May, the ANSCOL Dictionary
of Military Terms was promptly secured and reviewed. Comments or proposed definitions
for twenty terms frequently used in intelligence work were then drafted by a committee.
However, as an incident to the reorganization, this list of definitions bypassed the
Chief, CPS, and should not be considered as having his approval. Some of the definitions
could be improved by systematic review and criticism.
o. A drafted recommendation of 9 August that ICAPS prepare an NIA Directive
establishing the definitions as standard for Government usage was apparently not acted
on, so the project then died.
2. Enclosed are three lists:
TAB A. The terms for which the Office of the Chief, Central Planning Staff,
furnished definitions in March.
August.
TAB B. Those terms from the ANSCOL Dictionary which were commented on in
TAB C. Terms (including some from Tabs A and B) which the Office of Collection
and Dissemination feels are now so loosely used as to require clear definition.
3. a. Proposed definitions are not submitted herewith for two reasons:
(1) Many of the terms in Tab C pertain to functions of offices other
than the Office of Collection and Dissemination. The office
having primary interest in a function should have the first
opportunity to draft or review any definition pertaining exclusively
to such function.
CONFIDENTIAL
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(2) The labor of developing definitions is extensive. To avoid
waste effort, a decision should first be reached as to which
definitions are to be prepared.
b. If the definitions are to be really useful to the Government, they
should be developed in the comprehensive manner of professional dictionaries. We
should avoid the error of over-simplifying or incorrectly limiting a definition to
only one usage. To illustrate: Webster's New International Dictionary gives nine
definitions of "iaztelligence", at least three of which apply to the intelligence
problem under the NIA. In contrast to this, the definition of "intelligence"
contained in the list referred to under 1 b, above, is narrow, recognizing only
one of four known meanings of military intelligence.
c. A project of this difficulty should not be pursued hastily. An initial
realization that probably several months may be required will help insure sound
results in the long run. It is suggested that a practical approach would be to
select first a half dozen key words, such as information, intelligence, intelligence-
information, collection, evaluation and dissemination, for the initial project.
The definition of each should be based on a study of existing professional dictionary
definitions and previously proposed definitions, plus a study of pertinent discussions
in the Encyclopedia Britannica and in manuals of the State, War and Navy Departments.
Drafts of definitions should then be prepared and referred to all Assistant Directors
for review and comment. When accord has been reached in CIG, the proposed definitions
should then be offered for comment or concurrence of the member agencies of the IAB.
After the first six key definitions are approved and published, it is believed that
the development of the remaining definitions, in increments of fifteen or twenty
each, will be much easier.
4. It is recommended that:
a. A composite list be prepared, combining terms from Tab C with those
submitted by other Assistant Directors.
b. A plan of development be initiated, along lines outlined in 3 c, above.
J?
Captain, U. S. N.
Assistant Director for
Collection and Dissemination
3 Incls:
Tabs A, B and C
CONFIDENTIAL
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Intelligence Terms for which
DeDartmen __Prepared Definit
Censorship, civil
Censorship, military
Counterintelligence
Dissemination (of military intelligence)(Disseminate,
Enemy Capabilities
Enemy Order of Battle
Estimate of the Enemy Situation
Essential Elements of Information
Evaluation (Evaluate, v.t.)
Intelligence
Military Information
RcSTR8CTE0
v.t.)
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Intelligence Terms for which CIG Drafted
Comments or D fj,pit oi.s in A
Aerial Photography, Interpretation of
Capabilities, Enemy
Censorship
Censorship, Civil
Censorship, Military
Classified Matter
Compromise
Counterintelligence
Declassify
Downgrade
Information, National Essential Elements of
Intelligence
Intelligence, Air
Intelligence, Combat
Intelligence Information
Military
Production Loss Appraisal
Security
Security, Internal
Strategic Uaterials
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Intelligence words and phrases loosely used
and not uniformly understood.
Capabilities, enemy
Censorship .~
Censorship, civil Censorship, military-
Cipher (encipher, decipher)
Classify (classification,
classified matter)
Code (encode, decode)
Collation v'-
Collection //
Collection directive'/
Collection plan
Compromise
Counter-espionage
Counterintelligence
Dissemination
Distribution
Document
Downgrade
Espionagev"
Essential elements - of information-
of intelligence $
Evaluation',
Information
Information modified4adjectives or
adjective phrases as follows:
atomic energy; classified; counter-
intelligence; domestic, economic;
military; naval; nuclear energy;
nuclear physics; political; scientific;
technical.
Intelligence --
Intelligence modified by adjectives or
adjective phrases as follows: air;
atomic energy; basic; clandestine;
combat; communications; domestic;
economic; flak; foreign; military;
naval; national policy; nuclear energy;
nuclear physics; photo; political;
positive; scientific; secret; special;
static; strategic; tactical; technical.
Intelligence-information
Intelligence information modified by
adjectives or adjective phrases as
follows: atomic energy; domestic;
economic; foreign; military; naval;
nuclear energy; nuclear physics;
political; scientific; technical.
Interpretation
Interpretation, photo )(
Operations, counterintelligence y
Counterintelligence measures )(
Counterintelligence operations)(
Counterintelligence plan 7
Counter-sabotage ,/
Cover
Coverage y
Cryptanalysis--
Declassify /'
Directive, collection
Directive, research
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Operations, intelligence '$
Order of battle '(
Order of battle, eneny
Order of battle, foreign
Plan, intelligence A
Plan, collection I
Plan., counterintelligence )
Plan, research
Reading center
Reading panel /
Requirement, intelligence
Requirement, information
Research
Research, intelligence X
Source /
Security --
Security, internal
Security, p1 rsical-
Security, domestic u1
Security, cryptographic
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RESTRlCTEO
24 October 1946
MEMORANDUM TO: Chief, Interdepartmental Coordinating and
Planning Staff
SUBJECT: Intelligence Terminology
1. Your memorandum of 4 October 1946 on this subject has been
received. A memorandum has now been directed to the Branch Chiefs
of ORE and to other appropriate members of the ORE staff, requesting
them to assemble a list of intelligence terms in different usage by
the agencies and a list of intelligence terms so loosely used as to
require clear definitions.
2. The lists will be compiled as rapidly as the nature of the
task, the limitations of personnel, and the priority of other tasks
permit.
Assistant Director for
Research and Evaluation
RESTR!CTED
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