Historical Dictionary of United States Intelligence

NATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANT.SeeASSISTANT TO THE

PRESIDENTFOR NATIONALSECURITYAFFAIRS.

NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY (NSA). Established in November

1952, the NSA, America’s cryptologicorganization, manages sig-

nals intelligence(SIGINT) programs, ensures the safety and confi-

dentiality of government communications, and employs sophisti-

cated technology to break the codes and encryption systems of

foreign governments.

The NSA’s early work led to the first predecessors of the modern

computer and pioneered efforts in flexible storage media, such as the

tape cassette. Its research in semiconductors has made the NSA a

world leader in many technological fields. As a cryptologic organiza-

tion, the NSAemploys mathematicians, who design American cipher

systems and decode adversaries’ systems. To remain at the cutting

edge of technology, the NSAruns the National Cryptologic School,

which trains cryptologists in the latest developments. According to the

NSA, the school not only provides unique training for the its work-

force, but also serves as a training resource for the entire Department

of Defense(DOD). It also sends its employees for further education at

America’s top universities as well as the war colleges.

NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL (NSC).Established by the Na-

tional Security Act of 1947, the NSC is at the center of the foreign

policy coordinationsystem. The act stipulated that the NSC serve as

an advisory body under the leadership of the president, with the vice

president and secretaries of state and defense as its statutory mem-

bers. It was to coordinate foreign and defense policy and reconcile

diplomatic and military requirements. This mandate over the years

gave way to the view that the NSC existed to serve the president

alone. In its nearly 60 years of existence, the NSC also has evolved

from a body intended to foster collegiality among departments to an

elaborate organization that the president could use to manage and

control competing agencies.

The NSC organization encompasses the NSC staff, headed by the

assistant to the president for national security affairs(APNSA),

commonly referred to as the national security advisor. The role of the

NSC advisor has likewise expanded from advisory to a critical mem-

ber of the president’s foreign and national security policy team.

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