c  o  r  y 
use  10/2 
June    13,    19^8 
o 
r  •!  r.  n  / -^  -i      -'   r  \   -N  •• :  -. ..  , 
Copy  Mo.    9     of  10  copies 
(0rit;i.na*l  Copy  JJo-    9  destroyed 
by  fire) 
NOTE  hi   VJE  EXECUTIVE  SECRETARY 
to   tho 
NATIONAL  SECURITY  COUNCIL 
on 
OFFICE  OF  SFF.CIAL  FRCJ.r.CTS 
Reference:      i\SC   1671 
At  its  13th  Meeting  the  National  Securit}'  Council  approved  the 
Directive  in  NSC  10/1  subject  to  celcction  of  paragraph  3-d  and  a.-nend- 
rr.ents   to  pirasraphs  3-?.  and  e  and  h. 
The  revised  Directive,  as  approved,  is  circulated  herewith  to 
the  Council  for  infomaticn  and  to  the  Director  of  Central  Intelligence 
for  appropriate  action. 
Special  security  precautions  are  being  taken   in  the  handling 
of  this  report.     For  this  reason  it  is  suggested   tnat  each  nenoer  of   th e 
Council  may  visa  to  return  his  copy  fcr  filing  in   i.ne   office   ci    t.ne      ' 
Executive  Secretary,  where  it  will"  be  held  available  upon  request. 
Distribution: 
The  Secretary  of  state 
The  Secretary  of  Defense 
The  Secretary  of  the  Ari?.}' 
The  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
Tnc  Secretary  of  the  Air  Force 
The  Chairman,   Uational  Security 
Resources  Board 
SIDLT-Y  V.\    SOL-ERS 
Executive   Secretary 
/ 
?;CC  10/2 
DECLASSIFIED 
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o 
COPY 
O 
NSC_lQ/2_ 
COPY  NO..JL 
(Oricinal  copy  No.    9 
destroyed  by  fire) 
A  REPORT 
TO  THE 
NATIONAL  SECURITY  COUNCIL 
by 
THE   EXECUTIVE  SECRETAKY 
on 
OFFICE   0?  SPECIAL  PROJECTS 
June  13,   19148 
'--•io:;al  ^c.-;:j4;y  cc^n, 
WASHINGTON
/ 
V 
•  •    KATio:;;.r.  r:::c;::Trr  cc:.:r:7i.  pihTrnvn 
a,  .   hi    —-—»_—  —m     i  —  '         '    '  ■     ■    iii^*  ■■mm— I..P  -iii-hui  ■  ■■■    m  ,— ■■     ...  i       —  i  ■'     ■■    ■  ——  ■■  M   ■    —  '■  «■■  —  —n  — 
on 
*.     .  OFFTci:  o"  sprr.j.M.  ntcj  rrrs 
1.     I'hc  Rational  security  Council.,    tahir~  ce;:rirar.co   of  the- 
vie: •••••.:;  covert  activities   of   the   1^3,    .i  is  satellite   countr.ies      .,.- 
end.  Ca:-v_;r.ist  nrecpe    to  dice  red  it   and   defeat  the    aims  and  activi- 
ties   <<f  .the   United  Suites  crA  other  Western   covers ,    hes   determined 
that,    ir.  the  interests  cf  vorld  pence,   and   l's  national  security 3    the 
evert  fc-reif'i   activities   of   the    t'$   Government   srest   be    supple rented 
by  covert  opera  tier  in.  - 
2*     The  Central  Intelligence   Arcr.cy  is  cherr,cd  by  ths   ItaticirsfL 
Seerrity  Council  with  cc::di:ctia5   cs;:io-e-e   rjic   couricr-cepioar.^c- 
oneratiens  abroad.      It   therefore   scons   desirable,   for  opera  clonal 
reasons,   not   to  create   a  ncv  apercy  fcr  covert   craratiens,,    but   in 
ti~e  of  peace  to  place*   the   responsibility  fcr   then  vritliin  trie 
-strr^iiirc   of  the  Central  Iatc3J_irer.cc  A.-.cacy  and  correlate   them 
uith  espionage   rmu  cauntcr-ospicua-e-  ore-rations  under   the    ovcr-sll 
control  of  the   Director  cf  Central  Intelligence., 
3.  Therefore,  under  the  authority  of  Scatter.  102(d)  (f0  cf  the, 
}!aticnal  f-ecrrity  Act  of  !?'-?*  the  hntionel  Security  Council  hereby 
directs  that  in   time   cf  peace  :- 
£».      A  Ttor.7  office  of  Special  Projects   shall  he   created 
"irithiTI  "ehe   Central  In'- e  1 1.1  ryne.^  A~<.-^ay  to  n  Inn  and  conduct 
covert  ore-rations  *   and  in  ccordir.aticn  with  the   Joint  C: 
of  Staff  to  plan  and  prc.ynre  for   the  conduct"  of  such"  opera- 
tionr.  in  vartinic.  *  •    •  " 
.     r~  i  <~»  Co 
\J  .  .  —  —  —    — : 
h.  •     A  highly  qualified  person,   r.crair.ated  by  the 
SecrcTnry  of  State,    nccentable    to   the    Director  of  Central 
-Intelligence  and  approved  by  the  paiicrai  Security  Council, 
shall  be  appointed  as  ^-"h'icf   of  the  Office   cf   Special  Pro- 
jects, 
c.        The  Chief  cf  th-e   Office  of  Special   Projects 
chnlf  report  directly  to    the  Director   of  Central  Intelli- 
gence-     For  purposes  of   security   and   of  flexibility   of 
operations,    and   to  th.e  r..'-.::':  run  ch.f/rce   consistent  '.:5  th 
efficiency,    thr.  Office   of  Special  Projects  shall  operate 
independently   of   olhcr  eo::penc-nts'  of  Central  lnt.elliccr.ee 
Af.cney.  .  " 
vrc  10/2 
-  1  -
/ 
*» 
d.  Tlic  Director  of  Central"  Iutcllircncc   shall  bo 
responsible   for: 
.  •  *     (1)      Ensurinr:*   through  desirnnted   rcprcscnta- 
••  tives   of  the  Secretary   of   State  and   cf   the   'u:cn:L ary        y 
.  .     of  Dcfcirsc,    that  cevert  operations   era   planned   end  _.  .. 
conducted  in  a  inanrcr  consistent  vith   L'S   fcrei  r.n   and      -  - - 
nilitarv  policies  and  uith  overt  activities.      In  dis-- 
*' •      nrrec:uonts   arising   but-.:ccn  the   Director  of   Central  j 
Intelligence  and    the    representative    of   the    Secretary 
of  Slate   or   the   Secretary    cf   Defense-  over   suclt  plans, 
the  ratter   shell  bo   referred   to  the  ;;eticnsl   Security 
Council  for  decision.  «  .    •         ' 
-  ■  *■ 
.   -.  .(2)'*  ^serir.f;  that  plane  for  vartinc  -c evert   oper-  *      "    - 
'■'    •'    ations   are   a3.no  drau-n  up  vrith   the   assistance   of   a 
representative   cf   the   Joint  Chiefs   of  Staff   and  arc  -  '  .*  v 
accepted  \y   the  letter  as  bcirsf:  consistent  with   and  *      \ 
coupler* ntary   to  approved  plsns  for  wartime:   military  _      . 
operations,.  ;'  '.  •  "  \ 
^  {j)  ±11.:  Cj.  .  ._*i0  j         UllCu^u      «..p;    J    v.  ;  -J.   ~ri.  ~.-       <  1  ->~  J.  ->  y 
s--cr.c:  cr   of   the   Uf.  Covcrnnent .   both  at  hone    and   abroad 
•'  *    --(including   c-5.pl critic   and  military  representatives   in  '.      - 
each  a---c-a),    of  such   operations   as   will  effect  then.  _  .y 
e.  Covert  op-vr'ticris  porta  in  in;;   to  eeononlc   r/orfare 
vill  TJc  conducted  by  the   Or  rice  of   Special  Projects   under         .;    .      -    . 
'-J-   e.r.cr.cies  responsible 
for  the  planning  of  economic  ;:arfarc 
the  Euid-ar.cc  %  of   the  departments   anu  *.K.-.. 
;'".'•    "     '  -   f«.       Supplemental  funds  for  the  conduct  cf  the  pro- 
jio^d^ce-^rati on s  for  fiscal  year  Ira?  shall  be    iry.iedinteiy 
"  requested.      Thereafter  operational  funds  for  these  purposes 
•  -      shall  be  inelu-fed  in  nsiv.ial  Central  Intelligence  Agency 
*"*"■  '    Budget  requests.  .    .       .   .-      .      .  -  -  "  . •  *-  i-  - 
h,        In  tine   of  war ,    q:  '.;hen   the  President  directs ,    ell  plans 
£cr  covert  operations   shall  he  coordinated  with  the    Joint   Chiefs 
of  Staff.      In  active    thcetvrs   of  war*'  where  /V.ie:*icnn   forces    are 
cn«-:\"ed,   covert   .-»•:■.•  re tinr.r.  will   be   cendv-a.i  cd  uivjer   the   direct  cor.-.- 
izana"   of   the   American  Vheater  Co.n-.ier.der   and   orders    tiicrefor  wil.2.  bo 
tiM!ir.::iLttc:!    throu-'h  t!;e   Jaint  Chiefs   of  Staff  unless   cthi:rv;isc 
directed  bv  V.\a  f resident . 
*■■    5.     As  used  in  this  directive,    "covert  operations"  are 
understood  to  be  all  activities  (except  as  noted  herein)  which 
are  conducted  or  sponsored  by  this  government  against  hostile 
foreign  states  or  groups   or  in  support  of  friendly  foreign  sta.tes 
or  groups  but  which  are   so  planned  and  conducted  that  any  US 
Government  responsibility  for  them  is   not  evident  to  unauthor- 
ized persons  and  that  if  uncovered  the  US  Government  can 
-  2    -  • 
r'~     Paragraph  Mo    •  was  transcribed  to  permit  photo  reproduction
')■)') ;.*.!.': IbV.*  rMr-claj.-.i  any  rc::pc:r.;-.U;31ity  for   Umn.      Spectfi-- 
calJV,   m:»'.;j  op< ;  ra  t  i .: ;;:;.;.:;:;!  il   j::.;li::!c  a:;-/  "c overt  ae"tivitja:r 
rol.drd    to:     W^pa-anda,    ccr-no-jJc   'airfare;   pravontiva  direct, 
aclitn,    ir.cludjaf:   ::aboLcit"c:,    an  ti-r;abotar.c .,   clcr.olilicii  and 
cv.-r.'.:al.ion  :-.car,\:ros ;    I'.ibvcrr.j  op.   ar.ainr-t  hostile  states,    in- 
cli-'.:i;:;':  asaj.r.lar.ce   to  underground   rccird.nu-e  ncvp.::c:il2,    ra:crril3a3 
nirJ  2'cfuf.t;c   liberation:;   f;i-oi:pr; ,    and   support   of   indigenous   aati- 
cfi.'-'.Visnist  clc.-:!?nt:;   in  thrcatcnc-d  countries   of   the  free  i;orld.      Sach 
operation:;   shall  not   include  ar.-.:ed   conflict  by  rcco-;r.iced   military 
Xo:c:;:;    ccp:* oivv.c,    coratrr-crp.ioaz^c^    and   covar  and   deception  Tor 
6.       This  Directive   supercedes   the   directive  contained  in 
)-:SC  J; -A,  *.:hich  is  hereby  cancelled-   -        .  . 
.  .t 
i—  • 
■  •  ^ »- » 
•i
(Page  4) 
NATIONAL  SECURITY  COUNCIL  DIRECTIVE 
on 
OFFICE  OF  SPECIAL  PROJECTS 
1.  The  National  Security  Council,  taking  cognizance  of  the 
vicious  covert  activities  of  the  USSR,  its  satellite  countries  and 
Communist  groups  to  discredit  and  defeat  the  aims  and  activi- 
ties of  the  United  States  and  other  Western  powers,  has  determined 
that,  in  the  interests  of  world  peace  and  US  national  security,  the 
overt  foreign  activities  of  the  US  Government  must  be  supplemented 
by  covert  operations. 
2.  The  Central  Intelligence  Agency  is  charged  by  the  National 
Security  Council  with  conducting  espionage  and  counter-espionage 
operations  abroad.  It  therefore  seems  d^oirable,  for  operational 
reasons,  not  to  create  a  new  agency  for  covert  operations,  but  in 
time  of  peace  to  place  the  resonsibility  for  them  within  the 
structure  of  the  Central  Intelligence  Agency  and  correlate  them 
with  espionage  and  counter-espionage  operations  under  the  over-all 
control  of  the  Director  of  Central  Intelligence. 
3.  Therefore,  under  the  authority  of  Section  102(d)(5)  of  the 
National  Security  Act  of  1947,  the  National  Security  Council  hereby 
directs  that  in  time  of  peace: 
a.  A  new  office  of  Special  Projects  shall  be  created 
within  the  Central  Intelligence  Agency  to  plan  and  conduct 
covert  operations;  and  in  coordination  with  the  Joint  Chiefs 
of  Staff  to  plan  and  prepare  for  the  conduct  of  such  opera- 
tions in  wartime. 
b.  A  highly  qualified  person,  nominated  by  the 
Secretary  of  State,  acceptable  to  the  Director  of  Central 
Intelligence  and  approved  by  the  National  Security  Council 
shall  be  appointed  as  Chief  of  the  Office  of  Special  Pro- 
jects. 
c.  The  Chief  of  the  Office  of  Special  Projects 
shall  report  directly  to  the  Director  of  Central  Intelli- 
gence. For  purposes  of  security  and  uf  flexibility  of 
operations,  and  to  the  maximum  degree  consistent  with 
efficiency,  the  Office  of  Special  Projects  shall  operate 
independently  of  other  components  of  Central  Intelligence 
Agency.
(Page  5) 
d.  The  Director  of  Central  Intelligence  shall  be 
responsible  for: 
(1)  Ensuring,  through  designated  representa- 
tives of  the  Secretary  of  State  and  of  the  Secretary 
of  Defense,  that  covert  operations  are  planned  and 
conducted  in  a  manner  consistent  with  US  foreign  and 
military  policies  and  with  overt  activities.   In  dis- 
agreements arising  between  the  Director  of  Central 
Intelligence  and  the  representative  of  the  Secretary 
of  State  or  the  Secretary  of  Defense  over  such  plans, 
the  matter  shall  be  referred  to  the  National  Security 
Council  for  decision. 
(2)  Ensuring  that  plans  for  wartime  covert  oper- 
ations are  also  drawn  up  with  the  assistance  of  a 
representative  of  the  Joint  Chiefs  of  Staff  and  are 
accepted  by  the  latter  as  being  consistent  with  and 
complementary  to  approved  plans  for  wartime  military 
operations. 
(3)  Informing,  through  appropriate  channels, 
agencies  of  the  US  Government,  both  at  home  and  abroad 
(including  diplomatic  and  military  representatives  in 
each  area) ,  of  such  operations  as  will  affect  them. 
e.  Covert  operations  pertaining  to  economic  warfare 
will  be  conducted  by  the  Office  of  Special  Projects  under 
the  guidance  of  the  departments  and  agencies  responsible 
for  the  planning  of  economic  warfare. 
f.  Supplemental  funds  for  the  conduct  of  the  pro- 
posed operations  for  fiscal  year  1949  shall  be  immediately 
requested.   Thereafter  operational  funds  for  these  purposes 
shall  be  included  in  normal  Central  Intelligence  Agency 
Budget  requests. 
4.    In  time  of  war,  or  when  the  President  directs,  all  plans 
for  covert  operations  shall  be  coordinated  with  the  Joint  Chiefs 
of  Staff.   In  active  theaters  of  war  where  American  forces  are 
engaged,  covert  operations  will  be  conducted  under  the  direct  com- 
mand of  the  American  Theater  Commnder  and  order  therefor  (sic)  will  be 
transmitted  through  the  Joint  Chiefs  of  Staff  unless  otherwise 
directed  by  the  President. 
*5.   As  used  in  this  directive,  "covert  operations"  are 
understood  to  be  all  activities  (except  as  noted  herein)  which 
are  conducted  or  sponsored  by  this  government  against  hostile 
foreign  states  or  groups  in  support  of  friendly  foreign  states 
or  groups  but  which  are  so  planned  and  conducted  that  any  US 
Government  reponsibility  for  them  is  not  evident  to  unathor- 
ized  persons  and  that  if  uncovered  the  US  Government  can
(Page  6) 
plausibly  disclaim  any  responsibility  for  them.  Specifi- 
cally, such  operations  shall  include  any  covert  activities 
related  to:  propaganda,  economic  warfare,  preventive  direct 
action,  including  sabotage,  anti-sabotage,  demolition  and 
evacuation  measures;  subversion  against  hostile  states,  in- 
cluding assistance  to  underground  resistance  movements,  guerrillas 
and  refugee  liberations  groups,  and  support  of  indigenous  anti- 
communist  elements  in  threatened  countries  of  the  free  world.  Such 
operations  shall  not  include  armed  conflict  by  recognized  military 
forces,  espionage,  counter-intelligence,  and  cover  and  deception  for 
military  operations. 
6.   This  Directive  supersedes  the  directive  contained  in 
NSC  4-A,  which  is  hereby  cancelled.