. #- ~ . ate: 05/00 MCR} = G2 33k6 . Page: 1 /08/ JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION FORM Released under the John F. ennedy Assassination Records TTT ESE EEE EEE SSE TT eee we nen een nen ollecrion acer oF 1992 (44 AGENCY INFORMATION “PSC 2107 Nores Case#: Nu AGENCY : CIA RECORD NUMBER : 104-10331-10258 RECORD SERIES : JFK CIA MISC EXTERNAL AGENCY FILE NUMBER : PROJFILES-CORRESPONDANCE DOCUMENT INFORMATION ORIGINATOR : PRIVATE FROM : HERMAN O. BLY. FT MYERS, FL TO : PUBLICATIONS REVIEW BOARD, CIA TITLE : LETTER: PURSUANT TO MY TELEPHONE CONVERSATION I AM FORWARDING MY 300-PAGE MANUSCRIPT ON “COMMUNISM-THE 20TH CENTURY RED PLAGUE" DATE : 05/15/97 . PAGES : 8 | SUBJECTS : BLY, HERMAN O DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT CLASSIFICATION : UNCLASSIFIED RESTRICTIONS : CURRENT STATUS : DATE OF LAST REVIEW : OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : JFK-M-16:F10 2000.02.10.10:11:27:607044: a TS Benied in full ME 02/10/00 You asked me to review an excerpt of a manuscript titled Communism: The 20th Century Red Plague, by Herman O. Bly labelled as copyrighted, and determine whether it should be released to NARA for inclusion in the collection of administrative files retating to JFK. These “administrative” files include Kristi A. Kenniston documents such as this one, which might be considered substantive JFK records, discovered after the Office: ClOsLGL bulk of the JFK collection was constructed. After further discussion, | found that the document is already rvrereer ye yey in NARA's custody but not yet accessible to the public: the issue is whether to pull it out of the collection, (G> 03/19/03 10:10 AM authorize NARA to release it in fuil, or redact it in some fashion. Although ClO/Legal's preference is to ee take it out of the collection, we understand the political difficulties in doing so (specifically an anticipated anna Aaneaaan . . strong objection from NARA) and consequently endorse redacting the document, as well as the attached cover letter and statement of background information, in fuli for as tong as allowable under the JFK Act. The draft was sent to the Agency in 1997; along with a statement of background information, with a cover letter requesting review by the CIA Publications Review Board (PRB). None of these documents should To: Mary V. Amoia-¥-@DO have been considered relevant to the JFK Act. The cover letter and statement of background information cc: Lisa V. Studtmann@DA, Richard J. Punl@D, D. Elizabeth Cross@DA, contain no information about JFK whatsoever. The draft itself, white it does include a small amount of Allison K. Fong@DA ; information on JFK, is not a Government record and is consequently not responsive to the Act. Subject: Bly Manuscript in JFK cote PROUT PRIVILEGED Manuscripts submitted for review to the PRB and housed in its files, such as the draft at issue here. INFORMATION/ATTORNE contain onty non-official views, and are not used to further Government business. The information in this manuscript ts only the personal view of an ex-employee in his non-official capacity. The copyright label is a further indication that this was at no time meant to be considered a Government record, but the personal record of an author. Nonetheless, because the documents have been released to NARA already, the best solution is to withhold them for as long as NARA wilt allow us to do so. Because the records will have been accessioned fo NARA by the time they will be released, NARA is the proper agency to address whether the information is actually copyrighted, and how that impacts release to the public. Please let me know if my factual understanding is incorrect, or if you have any questions. HW 53216 DoclId:324043387 Page 1
5515 Shalley Circle Gort ellyers, Hlorida 33919 Yb £6 AW MS i) fay 15, 1997 enptrel IntelLlig=nce Agency “t: Or. Jorn Sattey, Publicatiocrs review Poar? so 27 “SC3IP B1n-. Washinzton, Sec. 20505 ” - 4 aA Dear Dr. Hedley: ‘Perenssat to 7v telerhone conversation with Mary Lou Custings of.yovr staff, I am forwerdiry herewith my 300 vege saruscript "Comrrntam - Tes 79th Century er Plezue" for your review ane anurovat. served as a Snecial Agent °° *-e PBL fron 19N0" to. 1963 end asa aahtor Rtaff Officer et CIA from 1963 to 1969. This manuscript t-=tls the story of Marxist-Leninist Con- Tunisn and the "cold wart An an unusual marter tever before told in oie sertcve volume. It ts laudatory of tne operations of the arenctes of the Intellizeres Community. You may ke esnacte!ty Laterested in tre guest newsnaver erticle I wrote for the Fort Myers #e-s rress on June 3, 1979 en- titled "Damase to U.S. Intelligence Agencies Encarsgers National Security" whica appears oa nazges 287-291 in the avpendix of the 2aqau- ecrinpt. This article won the prestigious George ‘Vasningtoa donor Medal in the 1979 rational awards program of the Freedoms Foundation at Velley Forree, Pa. Ihe manuscrivt ras been reviewed ty the sit whicn raised only two minor source questions resarding two Sovlet Intellicence matters which are currently in the process of being resolved. I nove to find a vro-intellicence »vublisher who will recog- nize tts value and promote the book so it will resch a large sezment “of the American neovle. The Intelligence Community has teen maligned by the communications media for nore than 50 years. It is time to try to get more balanced renorting. I awatt your reply with appreciation for your tive and considerstion. Sincerely yours, Herman 0. Bly arel. Tel. (9UL) 81-8774 HW 53216 DocId:32404387 Page 2?
BACKGROUND OF HEHMAN O. BLY “My. Bly was born in Virginia in 1913; educated in. the nublic schools at Winchester, Va; and has a Juris Doctor degree ; from George Washington University. He was admitted to the’ District of Columbia Bar in 1939, and the Virrinia Bar in 1946. He has been edmitted to vractice before the United States Supreme Court and was a member of the Federal Bar Association until his retirement. Mr. Bly's knowLedze of communism began in 1940 when he becam2a a Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FRI). Durirg his 23 years in the FEI most of his service was directly in- volved in the investigations of the suoversive elements within the United States. From 1943-1945 he was one of the key Special Agents in the New York Office of the FBI involved tin, the protection of the atomic bomb secrets from enemy agents prior to’ the first successful test in conjunction with the Manhattan Engineer Project. - In 1946, Mr. Bly was assigned to the FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. wnere he headed various key units within the Do- “mestic Intelligence Division involved in the investigation of com- munist and other subversive organizations. During his 17 years of assignment at the FBI Headauarters he lectured regularly at the FRI Academy to Inservice Class Agents and to new Agents on subjects connected with communist ectivity. Mr. Bly also served as a guest Lecturer on a number of occasions at the Naval Intelligence School at the Pentagon and at the Strategic Intelligence School 4{n Washine- ton, D.C. ° In 1963, Mr. Bly retired from the FBI and shortly there- after accepted a request to join the Central Intellizence Agency Feadouarters in Mc Lean, Virginia. where he was assigned for five years as a Senior Staff Officer in the international tommur.ist areas of oneration. There are few nen who have the academic background on in- ternational communism and who also have had the practical experience gained from working directly in the investigative anc counter-iLitel - ligence fields of operations. Following his retirement from Government Service, Mr. Ely has been a guest Lecturer before more than 4Q civic, Rotary and Lions Cluts, Lodge, Fraternity and Church organizations. From January 1985 to November 1986, Mr. Bly wrote 54 articles for the "Lee Constitution" 4 weekly conservative newspaper putLished in Fort Myers, Fla. The cireulation reached as high as 4s,000 coples. HY 53216 Docld:324043387 Page 3
. - In June 1986, Mr. Bly gave a series of 3 weekly broadcasts over Redité Station SOR in Fort Myers, Fla. on various phases of international communist activities. Durins his retirement veers, Mr. Bly has won four national awards from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, Pa. In 1976, he was awarded the George Washington Honor Nedal for his speech "Communism vs. Christianity in a Turbulent World". In’1977 he was awarded the Valley Forge Honor Certificate for his follow-up speech "Communisa VB. Religion". I: 1979, he was awarded the George Wash- ington Honor Medal for his guest editorial "Damage to U.S. Intel- ligence Ageacies Exdangers National Security" which appeared in the June 3. 1979 issue of the Fort Myers News-Press. In 1985, Mr. Bly won the Valley Forge Honor Certificate for his pamphlet "America at the Crossroads" containing the first 20 articles ne wrote for the "Lee Constitution", weekly newspaver in Southwest Florida. These four awards are considered to be an outstanding achievement for dedication directed toward bringing about a better “understanding of the "American Way of Life’. ~ = ed Mr. Ply publish,a commentary in the April-May-June 1588 issue of (SMI) Sound “oney Investor, a. rationnide magazine published in Cocoa, Florida. This commentary disclosed the various disastrous foreign policy decisions which helned to elevate a relatively unde- veloped country in the 1920's (the Soviet Union) into the most dan- gerous enemy our country and the Free World had ever faced. Mr. Bly's commentary "Is the Soviet Threat for Real?" was published in the October-November 1988 issue of "The Sound Money Investor" magazine now being published ir Winter Park, Florida. HW 53216 DoclId:324043387 Page 4
COMMUNISM v THe 20th CENTURY RED PLAGUE { HERMAN O. BLY Special Agent of the FBI The Unbelievable story - Why Did 50 Million People have to die? é) CoP N aeHwT Herman B! B = 55315 Shalley Cir. Fort Myers FL 33919 ' HW 53216 Docld:32404367 Page 5
This book would not be complete without further commentarv on my activities in combatting Marxist-Leninist communism. after mv retirement trom government service. ~ During my 23 vears of service in the FBI. I received 17 letters of commendation and one meritorious award. Mv retirement Party was heid at 5 P.M. on August i2. 1963, in the large room’ in the Department of Justice Building, where the eight Nazi saboteurs were tried. Director J. Edgar Hoover attended. I do not recall that Director Hoover had ever attended a retirement partv for anv empiovee less than an Assistant Director. So I felt honored that he had attended. A total or 132 FBI emplovees attended and signed mv retirement book, i was presented with a matched set of Wilson K-28 goif clubs. The tolowing Saturday morning I was fortunate enough to use these new clubs and shot a par 72 round of goif at the Country Club of Fairfax. where [I had been a member since 14956. In September 1963. I received a telephone call from the Central intelligence Agency (CIA) suggesting that I drop bv the CIA Headquarters and meet with Dr. Lothar Mewie. This I did. He offered me a position as Senior Starr Officer in his unit called Communist International Group (CIG) under a five vear contract. My pre-empiovment securitv investigation was satisfactory and I began work in December 1963. Dr. Metzle occasionally iokingly referred to ‘meas "Mr. CP,USA." I enioved mv five vears of service at CIA verv much and when it came time for a renewal of my contract in HW 53216 DocId:32404387 Page 6 2057
< f December 1968, the Johnson Administration was having considerable trouble with its Balance of Pavments. Agencies were facing cutbacks and several hundred CIA emplovees were walking the halls at. CIA Headquarters trying to find a spot to work after coming from abroad. Contracts were not being renewed and it was with regret that I left the My service in CIA was varied. In the Spring of 1965, I was sent to Mexico City; my assignment to review all the files on Soviet personnel in Mexico which were located at the U.S. Embassy: | spent 30 days determining from the known activities of each person as to what extent he may have been engaged in espionage activities. From the information gathered, it was possible to determine more than 50 percent were engaged in varying degrees of espionage activitv. When l returned to CIA Headquarters in McLean, Virginia, I prepared an 8&3 page monograph that was used as a training manual for CIA agents assigned to Latin American countries in contact with Soviet activities. During the course of my review of the files on Soviet personnel. I ran across the following information that related to Lee Harvey Oswald and the November 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy! First I was somewhat startled to learn that when Oswald was arrested in Dallas in November 1963, he was asked if he wanted an attorney. Oswald reportedly replied, “Yes, I want attorney Abt." It “tums out that Abt was the New York City attorney for the Soviet Purchasing Commission and the Soviet Embassy. Colonel Rudolf Abel, a suspected key Soviet KGB agent was arrested in New York City on June 21, 1957. At the time of Abel's arrest, much HY 53216 DoclId:32404337 Page 7 rsd