Central Intelligence Agency

The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) became the first centralized intelligence agency in American history, led by Wild Bill Donovan to collect and analyze strategic information during World War II.

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was established by President Harry S. Truman on January 22, 1946, following the dissolution of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) at the end of World War II. It was created to gather, process, and analyze national security information from around the world.

On February 22, 1946, George Kennan sent a telegram to James Byrnes, known as the 'Long Telegram', outlining his views on the Soviet Union and the containment policy, which had a significant impact on shaping U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War.

The Central Intelligence Agency was established on July 26, 1947, when Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act into law. It was created due to growing tensions with the USSR after World War II.

The CIA was established on September 10, 1947, under the National Security Act of 1947 to coordinate intelligence activities and address threats to US security.

In 1947, President Truman signed a Presidential Directive to establish the Central Intelligence Group under the National Intelligence Authority's direction.

Rear Admiral Sidney W. Souers, USNR, was appointed as the first Director of Central Intelligence by President Truman and sworn in the following day in 1947.

The National Security Council issued Directive 10/2 in 1948, authorizing covert operations by the CIA against hostile foreign states or groups, while maintaining plausible deniability for the US government. The creation of the Office of Policy Coordination within the CIA was a unique development.

The Central Intelligence Group (CIG) was created on September 1, 1948, by President Truman as a precursor to the CIA, replacing the Office of Strategic Services.

Shortly after the start of the Korean War, President Truman announced Walter Bedell Smith as the new Director of the CIA due to the perceived failure of intelligence in providing a clear warning about the imminent North Korean invasion.

In 1953, the CIA, under Director Allen Dulles, orchestrated Operation Ajax to overthrow Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossaddegh and install a pro-western regime led by the Shah of Iran. The operation involved paid mobs, military support, and propaganda to destabilize Mossaddegh's government.

In 1955, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill allocating $46 million for the construction of the CIA Headquarters Building.

President Eisenhower ordered the CIA to initiate a revolution in Indonesia with the aim of regime change. This decision was made in response to Sukarno's declaration of neutrality in the Cold War and the suspicions of the CIA towards him.

In 1959, President Eisenhower oversaw the ceremony of laying the cornerstone of the CIA Headquarters Building in Langley, Virginia.

In December 1959, a memo reached the CIA's desk recommending the 'elimination' of Fidel Castro, which was later changed to 'removal' by Dulles. This marked the beginning of CIA's covert operations to overthrow Castro.

The USSR successfully shot down a U-2 spy plane flying over its territory, leading to a significant diplomatic incident and cover-up.

On January 18, 1961, the National Photographic Interpretation Center (NPIC) was established as a joint project of the CIA to provide photographic intelligence gathered from aircraft and later satellites.

The Bay of Pigs Invasion was a failed CIA-sponsored military invasion of Cuba by Brigade 2506 on April 17, 1961, aimed at overthrowing Fidel Castro's government but ended in surrender within three days.

Following his capture, Che Guevara was executed on October 9, 1967, by the Bolivian soldiers trained with assistance from the CIA. The CIA's involvement in Guevara's capture and death was later revealed through declassified documents.

A memo from National Security Advisor Walt Rostow to President Lyndon B. Johnson confirmed the CIA's role in the capture and killing of Che Guevara. The memo highlighted the training provided by the CIA to the Bolivian unit responsible for Guevara's death.

On October 14, 1962, U-2 flights over Cuba resumed after a brief cessation ordered by President Kennedy. This decision came amidst heightened tensions during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the discovery of Soviet missile sites in Cuba.

In June 1975, a memo detailed the debriefing of CIA operative Félix Rodríguez, who was involved in the capture and execution of Che Guevara. Rodríguez's account shed light on the CIA's covert operations in Bolivia and their role in Guevara's demise.

In 1982, President Reagan signed Executive Order 12333, which aimed to clarify ambiguities of previous orders and establish clear objectives for the Intelligence Community while upholding the law and respecting the rights of Americans.

A 2,000 lb car bomb exploded in the American embassy in Beirut, killing 63 people, including 17 Americans and 7 CIA officers, such as Robert Ames.

Two bombs were set off in Beirut, including a 10-ton bomb at a US military barracks that killed 242 people.

Anonymous leaflets were scattered in Tehran, exposing the Iran connection and leading to the breaking of the Iran Contra Affair.

During the Gulf War in 1991, the CIA supported Saddam Hussein by providing advanced weaponry, intelligence, training, and financial aid.

On January 25, 1993, Mir Qazi opened fire at the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, killing two officers and wounding three others. This tragic event underscored the vulnerability of intelligence agencies to such attacks.

Aldrich Ames, a CIA officer, was arrested in 1994 for spying for Russia, leading to the exposure of compromised CIA sources and the reliance on Soviet disinformation. This scandal revealed significant flaws in the CIA's operations and management.

In June 1997, the Central Intelligence Agency celebrated its 50th Anniversary.

On September 18, 1999, the CIA headquarters compound was dedicated as the George Bush Center for Intelligence as mandated by the Intelligence Authorization Act for fiscal year 1999.

In 2000, the Sherman Kent School for Analysis was dedicated as a crucial component of Strategic Direction initiatives to enhance analytical tradecraft.

On September 15, 2001, during a meeting at Camp David, George W. Bush agreed to a plan proposed by CIA director George Tenet to conduct a covert war in Afghanistan. This plan involved CIA paramilitary officers cooperating with anti-Taliban guerillas and calling in precision airstrikes on Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters.

After the 9/11 attacks, the CIA faced criticism for not preventing the attacks. CIA director George Tenet defended the agency's planning efforts over the preceding years, stating that the CIA was well-prepared to respond rapidly and effectively to the attacks globally. The new strategy was termed the 'Worldwide Attack Matrix'.

By December 2002, the CIA had close to a dozen functional networks in Iraq, penetrating Iraq's SSO, tapping encrypted communications, and recruiting insiders. The CIA was concerned about the possibility of their networks being compromised.

On May 8, 2006, U.S. President George W. Bush announced the nomination of General Michael V. Hayden as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). This nomination marked a significant event in the leadership of the CIA.

On May 1, 2011, President Barack Obama announced the death of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan, by a small team of Americans during a CIA operation. The operation was a result of years of intelligence work and led to a significant milestone in the fight against terrorism.

Anwar al-Awlaki, a Yemeni American U.S. citizen and al-Qaeda member, was killed in a drone strike conducted by the Joint Special Operations Command. Samir Khan, a Pakistani American al-Qaeda member and editor of Inspire magazine, also died in the attack.

Since at least 2012, the CIA has been sending weapons to anti-government rebels in Syria, training and arming nearly 10,000 rebel fighters. The support included a significant amount of military aid, but concerns arose about the weapons falling into the hands of extremist groups like al-Nusra Front and ISIL.

On March 6, 2015, the CIA issued a press release titled 'Our Agency's Blueprint for the Future' outlining significant reforms and reorganization plans. The release introduced the establishment of the Directorate of Digital Innovation to develop digital technology for CIA operations and the creation of Mission Centers for specific global regions.

In 2022, it was revealed that the CIA still operates a domestic surveillance program without Congressional oversight. This discovery raised concerns about privacy and the extent of the agency's activities within the United States.