What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is a declassified State Department cable concerning the activities of External Survey Detachment forty‑four in China, dated September thirteenth, nineteen forty‑nine. The document is hosted by The Black Vault and is available in the public archive. The cable was released to the public through The Black Vault’s online collection. It appears in the digital file identified as CI00281, uploaded to the Internet Archive. The release is part of the broader declassification effort overseen by the National Archives and Records Administration, which authorized the public dissemination of this formerly classified State Department communication. The document reads as follows. Division of Communications Records, Department of State, Incoming Telegram. Received September fourteenth, nineteen forty‑nine at eight twenty‑two PM. From: Canton Action Office. Symbol: September. Secretary of State. Name of Officer: —. Reference: TELCAN six‑five‑eight, September eight. “Discussed with Admiral Berkey the question of External Survey Detachment functions and channel: Chinese territory. Told him that normally all United States Government acts in a given area were under supervision of and coordinated by the Embassy. Embassy maintained contact with political portions of government; information to be had from political figures was obtainable by State Department office or by attaches with knowledge and concurrence of Embassy. Embassy felt it necessary for External Survey Detachment to contact other than military organization; Embassy would not undertake covert activities but should at least be aware of External Survey Detachment activities on grounds that External Survey Detachment factual data might be of general interest and might assist Embassy in long‑range political interests, and on the other hand, might be interpreted by External Survey Detachment in a manner which Embassy would find in conflict with its viewpoint. Unless External Survey Detachment operatives were most respectful they could well give political figures an erroneous impression of United States attitude, interests and policies; External Survey Detachment operations might well be used to compromise at a later date innocent Americans remaining in Communist areas; any External Survey Detachment agents left in areas to be overrun by Communists would probably cause difficulties for our establishments in Communist China as in the case of Mukden. The value of External Survey Detachment must be balanced against the possible long‑range effect on United States interests and citizens in China. Admiral Berkey stated that: External Survey Detachment charter did not limit activities for contacts; Navy has no operational control over External Survey Detachment but merely provides logistic support. To restrict External Survey Detachment field of activity would limit its effective use. Individual External Survey Detachment operative must be a man of discretion. Information provided by External Survey Detachment is…

Why was this case declassified?

This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked on this page so the citation chain is auditable.

Case File · ARCHIVE-002Declassified

Filed NOV 14 · 2026Runtime 1 min

Navy: State Department Cable Concerning The Activities Of External Survey Detachment

U.S. public record · FOIAUpdated November 14, 2026

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◆ BLUF — The short version

This is a declassified State Department cable concerning the activities of External Survey Detachment forty‑four in China, dated September thirteenth, nineteen forty‑nine. The document is hosted by The Black Vault and is available in the public archive. The cable was released to the public through The Black Vault’s online collection.

Date: NOV 14 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was Navy: State Department Cable Concerning The Activities Of External Survey Detachment about?: This is a declassified State Department cable concerning the activities of External Survey Detachment forty‑four in China, dated September thirteenth, nineteen forty‑nine. The document is hosted by The Black Vault and is available in the public archive. The cable was released to the public through The Black Vault’s online collection.
Why was this case declassified?: This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. Storyflo narrates it directly from the public release.

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