Office of Policy Coordination

Office of Policy Coordination

Office of Policy Coordination

Introduction

The book “The Very Best Men: The Daring Early Years of the CIA” written by Evan Thomas tells the story of the early days of Central Intelligence Agency. It covers the occupation of four businesses and describes them as glamorous, idealistic and daring men. These Men worked in a department linked with CIA and ran secret operations on behalf of the United States Government till Vietnam from World War II. It explains the work of Richard Bissell, Desmond FitzGerald, Frank Wisner and Tracy Barnes who contained the Soviet threat by doing whatever it took to risk. These men were highly regarded inside the corridors of Washington DC. People termed them as the brightest and best. Using “political action” and stealth they acted after planning and were responsible of keeping the country out of war. They achieved these objectives by the use of sleight of hand and slyness which was not the recommended course of action for responsible and great countries. These men, as the writer explains were very honorable and very idealistic which made them unsuited to the two faced and dark life of spying. The author explains the successes and failures of their endeavors based on actual facts given exclusive to him by the CIA and through interviews of the people who were near the agency. We will be review the description of office of policy coordination and will explore these personalities and their work.

Discussion

Office of Policy Coordination

A covert paramilitary action organization and psychological operations division was created by the United States which later became to be known as “Office of Policy Coordination (OPC)”. It was first created as an independent office in 1948 but was later merged with CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) in 1951.

The document NSC 10/2 was used to establish the OPC in 1948. The representatives of the CIA and State & Defense Departments were made the directors of the OPC. The Director was supposed to report to the State Department through a unit of CIA. Mr. George F. Kennan of the State Department was the central figure in the creation of the OPC. The first director of the OPC was Frank Wisner, who had served in Romania as an OSS figure and had also worked in the State for Refugee Affairs as an Assistant Secretary. Mr. Wisner was tasked to develop an organization which focused on economic warfare, propaganda, anti-sabotage, sabotage, economic warfare evacuation and demolitions measures, preventive direct action etc. The organization dealt with hostile states by subversion, provided assistance to lower level groups who are resisting against a ruling government and it helped in the promotion of anti-Communist elements in the weak countries.

Leading Personalities of the OPC

Frank Wisner

Wisner was hired by Dean Acheson in 1947 to join the Office of State Department of Occupied Territories. The CIA formed a secret action team in 1948, by the name of (OPC). Frank Wisner was put as in command of the action and hired lots ...