The origins of American intelligence centralization (1945-1952)

Résumé 0

Since its foundation in 1947, the CIA has been distinguished not only by its monopoly on espionage, but also by its no less important mission of synthesizing all available interdepartmental information likely to affect national security (including the FBI’s findings in its counter-espionage activities). The creation of the agency took place against a backdrop of numerous organizational rivalries at the heart of the State apparatus, not to mention Truman’s initial amateurism, which prompted him to dissolve the OSS as early as August 1945. From 1950 onwards, thanks to some forceful personalities, the CIA forged its particular identity on the production of strategic reports that combined secret information with data from open sources: the National Intelligence Estimates. Since then, strategic intelligence has been one of its raisons d’être and an intrinsic feature of its organizational culture.