What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is Declassified. Today, a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record, dated February second, nineteen-fifty-two, and originating from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, Far East Command. This document highlights a critical need for improved intelligence gathering in the Far East during the Korean War, emphasizing military intelligence over political and economic intelligence. This document was obtained via the Freedom of Information Act and is available through The Black Vault, at documents2.theblackvault.com. It was declassified by the Central Intelligence Agency in October of two-thousand-three. The document, an internal letter, begins: "Dear Bedell: This letter is prompted as a result of two recent studies made within my headquarters. One study consisted of an analysis of the effectiveness of all of the clandestine collection agencies operating within the Far East; and the other study consisted of an analysis of the responsibilities for the clandestine collection of information as defined in NSCID Number Five, and the various amendments and proposed revisions which have been under study in Washington. The lack of current and valid intelligence in the entire Far Eastern area presents a problem which, in an expanded war situation, could have the most serious consequences. The intelligence program in the Far East is, in my opinion, in urgent need of remedial action to insure that a reasonable flow of current military intelligence will afford the United States and the Far East Command a more accurate and more up-to-date intelligence picture of the entire area. A critical survey of the existing situation reveals that current intelligence is utterly lacking in Soviet Siberia, large parts of China, and even in seventy-five percent of North Korea, particularly along the Yalu River and in the northeastern part of the peninsula. The overall collection effort lacks objectivity, and suffers from the absence of military direction and from the apparent failure to have – or follow – a centralized collection plan. In order to meet our intelligence responsibilities in the Far East, it appears logical that the primary targets of our collection effort, in order of priority, should be as follows: One. Chinese Communist Armed Forces. Two. Soviet Armed Forces. Three. North Korean Armed Forces. Four. Various dissident Communist forces, such as the Japan Communist Party. At present, the information from clandestine sources on these above forces is sketchy, vague, or non-existent. Little or no first-hand information is now being received from the critical areas of Manchuria, northeast China, and southeast Siberia; and the information which does filter through is of the rumor type, or is general knowledge coupled with some known facts or speculation. Evaluation of the information is usually arbitrarily placed upon the report with little or no attempt to properly evaluate by comparison with existing intelligence. As a result, the reports are frequently…

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.

Today, A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Record, Dated February

◆ BLUF — The short version

This is Declassified. Today, a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record, dated February second, nineteen-fifty-two, and originating from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, Far East Command. This document highlights a critical need for improved intelligence gathering in the Far East during the Korean War, emphasizing military intelligence over political and economic intelligence.

Date: OCT 13 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was Today, A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Record, Dated February about?: This is Declassified. Today, a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record, dated February second, nineteen-fifty-two, and originating from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, Far East Command. This document highlights a critical need for improved intelligence gathering in the Far East during the Korean War, emphasizing military intelligence over political and economic intelligence.
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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Today, A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Record, Dated February

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