Strategic Services Unit
Encyclopedia
The Strategic Services Unit was an intelligence agency
of the United States government
which existed in the immediate post-World War II
period. It was created from the Secret Intelligence
and Counter-Espionage branches of the wartime Office of Strategic Services
.
Assistant Secretary of War
John J. McCloy
was instrumental in preserving the two branches of the OSS as a going-concern with a view to forming a permanent peace-time intelligence agency. The unit was established on October 1, 1945 through Executive Order 9621 which simultaneously abolished the OSS.
In January 1946, a new National Intelligence Authority was established along with a small Central Intelligence Group. On April 2, the Strategic Services Unit was transferred to the new group as the Office of Special Operations and a transfer of personnel began immediately.
In 1947, the Central Intelligence Agency
was established under the 1947 National Security Act
, incorporating the Central Intelligence Group. In 1952, the Office of Special Operations was combined with the Office of Policy Coordination
to form the Directorate of Plans, which later became the National Clandestine Service
.
Intelligence agency
An intelligence agency is a governmental agency that is devoted to information gathering for purposes of national security and defence. Means of information gathering may include espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public...
of the United States government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
which existed in the immediate post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
period. It was created from the Secret Intelligence
Secret Intelligence Branch
The Secret Intelligence Branch of the United States' Office of Strategic Services was a wartime foreign intelligence service responsible for the collection of human intelligence from a network of field stations in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East....
and Counter-Espionage branches of the wartime Office of Strategic Services
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
.
Assistant Secretary of War
United States Assistant Secretary of War
The United States Assistant Secretary of War was the second-ranking official within the American Department of War from 1861 to 1867, from 1882 to 1883, and from 1890 to 1940...
John J. McCloy
John J. McCloy
John Jay McCloy was a lawyer and banker who served as Assistant Secretary of War during World War II, president of the World Bank and U.S. High Commissioner for Germany...
was instrumental in preserving the two branches of the OSS as a going-concern with a view to forming a permanent peace-time intelligence agency. The unit was established on October 1, 1945 through Executive Order 9621 which simultaneously abolished the OSS.
In January 1946, a new National Intelligence Authority was established along with a small Central Intelligence Group. On April 2, the Strategic Services Unit was transferred to the new group as the Office of Special Operations and a transfer of personnel began immediately.
In 1947, the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
was established under the 1947 National Security Act
National Security Act of 1947
The National Security Act of 1947 was signed by United States President Harry S. Truman on July 26, 1947, and realigned and reorganized the U.S. Armed Forces, foreign policy, and Intelligence Community apparatus in the aftermath of World War II...
, incorporating the Central Intelligence Group. In 1952, the Office of Special Operations was combined with the Office of Policy Coordination
Office of Policy Coordination
The Office of Policy Coordination was a United States covert psychological operations and paramilitary action organization. Created as an independent office in 1948, it was merged with the Central Intelligence Agency in 1951....
to form the Directorate of Plans, which later became the National Clandestine Service
National Clandestine Service
The National Clandestine Service is one of the four main components of the Central Intelligence Agency...
.