Historical Dictionary of United States Intelligence

greater coherence to a specific intelligence activity. Housed within

the Directorate of Operations (DO) of the Central Intelligence

Agency (CIA), the CIC brings together representatives of different

agencies of the intelligence community (IC), including analysts, to

plan, coordinate, and manage effective counterintelligenceactivities

within the United States and the intelligence community. It also pro-

vides the CIA a venue for dealing with other intelligence agencies

and foreign liaison services over counterintelligence matters. The

CIC consolidated the Counterintelligence Staff, the Foreign Intelli-

gence Capabilities Unit (established in 1983 to uncover attempts by

foreign intelligence agencies to manage perceptions of U.S. intelli-

gence), elements of the DO’s Office of Security, and other intelli-

gence community elements.

COUNTER INTELLIGENCE CORPS (CIC).Established in 1942 as

part of the army, the CIC played a significant intelligence role during

World War IIand the first decade of the Cold War. The CIC’s mission

was to detect treason, sedition, subversive activity, or disaffection

among service personnel. In addition, it sought to detect, prevent, or

neutralize espionageor sabotage within the army or directed against the

army. During the war, the CIC recruited over 50,000 informants within

the ranks of the army, most of whom produced reports on the activities

of their fellow soldiers. This activity soon became politically controver-

sial and prompted the army to curtail the CIC’s domestic work.

The CIC also deployed operatives at all command levels to support

tactical operations. These detachments identified Nazi sleeper agents

and investigated suspected civilians and enemy personnel. CIC ele-

ments operated independently of army intelligenceunits. Former

secretary of state Henry A. Kissingerwas a special CIC agent.

At the end of the war, the CIC assumed new responsibilities. It

served as the army’s chief agency in occupied Austria, Germany, and

Italy, rounding up individuals with Nazi affiliations. The CIC also got

involved in handling problems associated with displaced persons as

well as black market activities. In fact, between 1945 and 1950, the

CIC possessed greater resources than those allotted to the Office of

Strategic Services (OSS) during the war or to the Central Intelli-

gence Group (CIG) in 1946. The CIC’s part in fighting the nascent

Cold Warwas to recruit former Nazis to provide positive intelligence

42 • COUNTER INTELLIGENCE CORPS

05-398 (2) Dictionary.qxd 10/20/05 6:27 AM Page 42