The Guide

ABWEHR

Nazi German intelligence service
Abwehr ("defense") was founded in 1925. The chiefs were W.Canaris and W.Schellenberg (since 1944). The service was dismissed with the end of the War.
Further information can be found on other, World War, oriented sites.

AFB

Agenstvo federalnoi bezopasnosti
The service to succeed the KGB after the fall of the USSR in 1991. But the structure took the best workmen and much of the hardware over. Due to strong inclination of the stuff to the old theories and trends an other reformation followed. Few years later the SVR RF (Foreign intelligence service of Russian Federation) was founded.

BfV

Bundesamt fur Verfassunsschutz
Federal Bureau for Constitutional Protection, German counterintelligence service which was founded back in 1949 when the allies permitted such organization for protecting the security. It was build to the image of MI-5. It was considered to separate from the police and thus losing the executive power. The very first chief defected soon and that caused a vast affair in BfV. After the approval of the law from 1972, the BfV was divided into eight departments with over 1,000 workmen in the headquarters plus thousands of staff in all federation states.
The BfV provides security of information, checks the staff applying for important posts, handles terrorism and extremism. The HQ are placed in Koln am Rein (Cologne on Rhine).

BIS

Bespecnostni Informacni Sluzba
Security Information Service, Czech counterintelligence department. The BIS was grounded on 1.1.93 after the transformation of the FBIS under the lead of S.Devaty. It was planned to work for one year, but it continued to operate.
In may 1993, Devaty proclaimed he was bugged at his apartment. That caused serious troubles. In summer 93, the BIS was struck by the Wallis affair. After the racketeering of Mr. Kozeny, Devaty proclaimed that he's no longer capable to control his people and that they could collect information about anybody.

BND

Bundesnachrichtendienst
German Federal Intelligence Service was founded in 1956 through the reformation of the semiofficial GO (Gehlen Org.) It underlies directly the Chancellor and it's staff counts nearly 7,000 people.
The first chief was R.Gehlen (founder of the GO). In 1968, he was replaced by G.Wessel who reorganised the service in 1972. Four divisions were created.

Division I. - Intelligence. Collecting of information from the military, political and economical areas.
Division II - Technical. Monitoring of RF transmissions and broadcasting. It's assistant to the first division.
Division III - Analyses. Further processing of the stuff gained by the first division. They managed to predict the win of Israel over Egypt in 1967, but they didn't plan the right development in Poland in 1981, Russian aggression against Afghanistan in 1979.
Division IV -HQ. Manages the administration, training and public relations

BND managed to place agents in East Germany and USSR what can be said to be a success, but the defection of the counterintelligence chief, H.Felf, in 1961 was a big strike. They revealed the Libyan diplomatic code in the 80s. Americans could evaluate in an strike against a terrorist group in Hamburg.

CIA

Central Intelligence Agency
After the dismissal of OSS in 1945, Truman believed that peace was established properly. But after the beginning of The Cold War, he was made to correct this and founded the CIA. That was 1947. First DCI became Roscoe Hillenkoetter. During his time, the CIA prevented the communists in Italy to win the elections. They tried the same in CSR, but they failed. CSR had come under Russian influence for 40 years. Second DCI was Walter Bedel Smith (1949-53). They removed the premier Mohammed Mossadek because during his reign in 1953, Iran was in a crisis and the communists were about to seize power.
The most known chief was A.Dulles (1953-61). In his time, CIA began huge operations. They supported anti communists in Guatemala, started operation "Gold" (Berlin-Moscow telephone bugging). Nevertheless, they were able to gain the script of Khrushchev's speech on the 20th Congress where Stalin's crimes were first openly presented. In 1956 the U-2 reconnaissance flight over Russia started. But they ended in 1960 with the shot down of G.Powers. The CIA could get over Vietnam, but Dulles resigned after the action in the Bay of Pigs. Plus, the real target, Fidel Castro, was revealed. J.McCone (1961-65) succeeded Dulles. The rockets in Cuba were discovered during his time. When J.F.Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, CIA came into bad light. The situation became worse after the assassination of Congo's premier P.Lulumba. That caused a communistic anti-US offensive. After McCone the flat William Raborn became DCI (1965-66).
R.Helms slowed down the computerization of The Firm and he came into several rows with the Senate. Watergate was a big strike, although later it was proven they resisted Nixon's influence.
J.Schlesinger took the place for some months in 1973. W.Colby (1973-76) replaced him soon. He had several problems in repair the public opinion of the CIA, which was shaken by the CIA's influence in foreign countries (supporting the right-wing and suppressing the left-wing), another Castro assassination attempt, the fall of the Chilean president Allende, breaking the border between FBI and CIA etc. He had to sack the paranoid contra espionage chief Angelton and had to define the targets of the CIA. But the opinion of the public had not changed, so Colby had to leave.
George Bush became DCI in 1976. He was replaced two years later by Stanfiled Turner. Turner was not an experienced chief and after lot of sacks the employees didn't like him. Even the relationships with the allies cooled off.
After W.Casey replaced Turner in 1981, the CIA gave up many of the old, dirty methods. But that caused a slight decline of the productivity. So he rerun the operations in Afghanistan and Central America and the workmen became more selfconcious. Casey had to resign due to health problems in 1987. He was succeeded by William Webster.
President Clinton named James Woosley the DCI on 1st March 1993. He was replaced by William Studeman in 1995. John M.Deutch followed in the same year. In 1996 George Tenet became the DCI.

The CIA is divided into 5 directorates:
1. DI (Directorate of Intelligence)
2. DO (Directorate of Operations)
3. DST (Directorate of Science and Technology)
4. DA (Directorate of Administration
5. Directorate of planning ?

The Director of each directorate is called DDI, DDO, DDST and DDA. Today the CIA has over 22,000 employees. Main part of them working in the central in Langley, Virginia. The outposts are mainly placed at the embassies and have from one to hundred employees.

CIC

Counterintelligence Corps
US military service. In spite of its counterintelligence purpose it became the main target of Soviet propaganda together with the CIA. The Soviets claimed that the CIC is attacking the "democratic" systems in Eastern states and they accused them of importing several "imperial bugs" (means vermin) attacking the crops, starting sabotage acts etc.

CIO

Czechoslovak Intelligence Office
Founded in 1950 as a office of the MI-6 (SIS). Led by Francis Ed Keary and K.Prochazka. It served to gain information from fruitful sources behind the Iron Curtain. It was a good idea, but a high officer (K.Zbytek) didn't get on with Prochazka, so he began to work for the Czechoslovak StB in mid-50s. Zbytek was revealed in 1961 (or 1962) and CIO was dismissed. (The Paris agency was taken over by the CIA in 1962)

CHEKA

Chrezvychaynaya Kommisiya
In spite of the period of Cheka (1917-22) this was included due to historical value and for better understanding of the Russian (Soviet) intelligence structures.
Cheka was founded by V.I.Lenin on 20.12.1917 and F.E.Dzerzhinskiy became the chief. It was mainly aimed on eliminating contra revolutionaries - over 40 million people. They also helped to build up the legend of "the empire of fear" .Like its successors it had executive power and it made full use of it. It attacked everything and everyone. Cheka-men managed to lower the state of the czarish army from 22,000 to 40-50. The rest became the target of the Osobiy Otdel (Special Branch) - Cheka department inside the army. The Kaplan attempt to kill Lenin in 1918 started a new wave of terror. First targets were the educated and the Whigs, later the bourgeoisie followed. Their methods easily topped the Gestapo or SS.
The Border CHEKA (later the Frontier Army of the KGB) and Rail Defence were founded in the 20s. Their main purpose was to stop people from leaving the country. To enforce this the KRO (kontrarozvedniy otdel - counterintelligence) was founded.
The INO (Inostrannyi otdel) managed the spies by the model of the Western services. The spies were usually the first or second secretaries of the ambassador.
The Cheka was reorganized in 1922 and renamed GPU.

DIA

Defence Intelligence Agency
US military counterintelligence service. It was founded in 1961 by joining three independent services in the Department of Defence. The founder and first chief was Robert McNamara. But the service began to deliver first useful information after three years of reorganizations and reformations. But then it began even to compete with the CIA. This race bought increase of results on both sides. They revealed Russian espionage satellites, ran the electronical bugging etc. The DIA delivered the Russian RF traffic during the KAL 007 shot down of 1st September 1983.
The DIA is divided into 20 directorates and it summons and analyses information. Then, they are handed further to the sections of defense. Almost 59% of the employees are civilian and 1/3 of them has a university degree.
Soezer Howard was named the chief in 1988.

FBI

Federal Bureau of Investigation
In 1908 Theodore Roosvelt founded a investigation bureau in the Department of Justice. After a reorganization in 1924, J.E.Hoover made it into the FBI. They were able to fight the mafia in the 30s. In 1939, due to bigger streaming of spies, the FBI became the status of a counterintelligence organization.
Functions of the FBI, under its general responsibility of investigating violations of federal law, include the investigation of espionage, sabotage, subversive activities, and other actions related to national security; organized crime and drug trafficking; terrorism; and white-collar crime. It also controls the operations of other services at the ground of the United States. They work together with the CIA, but the FBI is the only service which is not to provide the CIA with gathered information. On the other hand, if they want to operate abroad they must cooperate with the CIA or an another military service. The FBI is controlled by the Departmeny of Justice. The FBI employees over 15,000 people of which almost 6,500 form the regular base. Applicants must be between 23 and 40 years of age and graduates of a state-accredited resident law school or a resident 4-year college with an accounting major and at least three years' work experience in this field. After a long and thorough preparation they became G-men (Government men). FBI also possesses the largest database of fingerprint sets (over 176 million sets).
During the Cold War they were able to discover some Soviet spies (Abel, Gold, Rosenbergs) but a pair of dirty affairs worsened their image. (Like the Martin L.King assassination or the Watergate affair). After the paranoid Hoover, Partick Grey was named chairman. He was replaced in 1976 by the St.Louis judge, William Webster (who became DCI in 1987). The main seat of the FBI is in Washington D.C., Pennsylvania Avenue.

FBIS

Federalni bezpecnostni informacni sluzba
Czech Federal Security Intelligence Service. Lasted 1.7.92-31.12.92. In fact a counterespionage organization. Indeed they took over the whole structure from previous FIS including its chief, J.Novotny. They've lost the executive power and gathering of information became their main task. But they came into mind with affairs (Wallis) rather with successes. Two main secretaries were considered to be Slovak and Czech. Slovaks appointed Dr. V.Palko, but the Czech were not able to agree. J.Basta appointed by the Czech National Council came into a row with Devaty.

FIS

Federalni Informacni Sluzba
Federal Intelligence Service, Czech counterintelligence service, from January-July 1991, founded by the transformation of UOUD and was serving the Ministry of State. Almost all StB workmen were fired, but many of them changed into the Ministry itself. FIS also fired some "unsuitable" post-november people (e.g. John Bok). J.Ruml and J.Krizan proposed J.Novotny for the leading post, but he didn't show much experience so the real lead was taken by Z.Vodslon. The Operatios Department was taken by a 50s-60s StB agent J.Vostry. The FIS was dismissed on 1.7.91 and the FBIS was founded.
The FIS didn't record any major successes and only minor affairs occurred. FIS was divided into several departments (counterintelligence departments against the KGB, against former Soviet states, against Western states, anti terrorist and analytic sections). The FIS had over 1,000 employees.

GESTAPO

Geheime Statspolizei
Nazi German Politcal Police Squad. (More on this topic can be found elsewhere on the Web). After the fall of Hitler and Nazi Germany the powerful and vast networks of Gestabo were commonly overtaken by the services of the occupied (and other) states. However, the amouth and level of this takeover can be only guessed, because no information on this topic were published.

GO

Gehlen Organisation
(q.v. R. Gehlen) West German intelligence service. Achieved major successes by placing agents into the East German government (H.Kastner) and intelligence services (W.Gramsch). the Gehlen Organisation became a part of BND in 1955.

GPU / OGPU

Gossudarstvennoye politicheskoye upravleniye/ Obyedinennoye GPU
Russian (United) Civil Politcal Service. Came to life after the reorganization of Cheka in 1922. Their executive powers were even more legalized but the whole organization was still under F.E.Dzerzhinski. The GPU was commanded in each of the union republics. In 1923 these partial headquarters were united under the OGPU. To ensure enough power and no resistance the organization was heavily connected with the jurisdiction.
After the begin of the fight between Stalin and Trocky, Dzerzhinsky began to support Stalin as good as he could. His organization penetrated into all possible areas. To secure the old habits, first all Jewish people were dismissed (or rather deleted) from inside the OGPU. The organization was able to evaluate loyal and true employees, but it punished hard for any treason. Not only the guilty people but also their families.
An foreign intelligence department (INO) was also a part of the GPU. It was Trocki's work, but Dzerzhinsky was able to take it over soon and to infiltrate foreign departments by his agents (covered as emigrants). For this purpose many export firms and organizations were founded or misused (even the international Red Cross).
The most known connections were firms Amtrog (in USA, founded by Hammer and his son), Wostwag (West Germany) and Acros (UK). Acros had caused suspicions in the MI-5 and was discovered and destroyed.
The OGPU was still active inland. Their next target became the kulaks. After Dzerzhinsky's dead another man seized the position V.Menzhinskiy. But he was not able to command such power and the intelligence service. Although he could pursue the "cultivation of Siberia" - by the hands of prisoners in gulags. Reogranisations continued because Stalin didn't like Menzhinsky's incompetence. Like Dzerzhinsky, he died mysteriously of heart attack. A even more cruel man followed the lead - G.Yagod. Later, the OGPU was reformed into the NKVD.

GRU

Gossudarstvenoie Razvednyvaiemoye Upravlenie
Russian Civil Intelligence Service. Founded by Trocky in 1920. First chief became Berezin, killed in 1937 during Stalin's "reorganizations" .For him, security of the state was prior to military intelligence.
GRU was the first service to use business companies as a source of budget income. (Like the Wostwag) They founded a giant naval company designed to carry agents all over the world.
GRU was always controlled by the KGB, only the Morflot (State Navy) was kept clean of KGB agents. But their competition was great. That led to several mistakes and blow ups due to too fast proceeding and ignorance. However, the GRU was able to breed their own top agents like Abel, Sorge, Londsdale, Fuchs.
GRU is divided into four divisions - operative, informative, training and rear services. These divisions have 24 units for all the republics. Foreign centers were kept on the Russian embassies. All together, there are two KGB agents for one GRU man abroad.

KGB

Komitet Gosudarstvennoi bezopasnosti
Committee of State Security.
After Stalin's dead and the liquidation of Beriya the high command ordered a reorganization of MGB, which had over 300,000 soldiers, a secret police, military technology and agents abroad. The new KGB became three main tasks - to empower communism in USSR (the fight against class enemy), to guard the state border and to command espionage abroad.
In real, the first twenty years seemed to be a period of following the Cheka tradition (thanks to its chief I.Serov). But the deployment of East German agents into the structures of NATO is considered his major success. After the bloody revolution in Hungary in 1956 and after being said not to reveal a possible revolt against Khrushchev he was replaced by A.Scheliepin in 1958.
Scheliepin during his three-year period continued to raise the level of education and language knowledge of KGB men. He was blamed for the Cubean Crisis, but it was not his fault. He warned Khrushchev that an open confrontation with the USA was no good thing, but Khrushchev rather dismissed him as to cancel his plans.
In 1961 the high post was overtaken by V.Semichastyi. He tried to push KGB into the position of Stalin-men-free organization. He saw, that the USSR were losing the technical touch with the developed world and therefor he tried to reform the KGB into a technical espionage organization, but he gained no results.
He was replaced by Y.Andropov in 1967 (a die hard Chekist). His main source of result became Vietnam. He had stolen weapons, equipment and other useful things. Even a lead cryptographer was kidnapped. That led to a massive reorganization of US communication network. Andropov was able to deal better with the change of political slants in Czechoslovakia in 1968 than in Hungary. The death-tolls were kept at absolute minimum. He also fancied technical espionage but the Russian industry was not able to use the results fruitfully. So he had more successes in desinformation, increasing the influence in the Third World and in training terrorists.
The loss of position and credit in the 70s and 80s meant a stagnation of the KGB, too. In 1982, Vitaliy Fedorchuk was named head of the KGB and he should be trained for the post of minister of inner affairs. He was replaced by V.Chebrikov in one and half years time.
When V.Kryuchkov was named in 1988 the fall of the empire was at full speed. The last chief of the collapsing KGB was Vadim Bakatin, appointed by M.Gorbachev. Bakatin tried to change the image of the KGB what strongly upset the conservative leaders. As a sign of goodwill and openness he handed over the printings of prepared bugging of the US embassy.
The KGB was officially dismissed on 24.6.1991 by M.Gorbachev. Bakatin was appointed to lead two divisions of MSB (Mezhrespublichnaya sluzba bezopasnosti) The new KGB was named AFB (Agenstvo federalnoy bezopasnosti), but the structure was changed only a little.
The KGB used to be divided into several administration

I. Division - foreign intelligence, about 12,000 workmen in 20 geographical areas (1.USA, Canada, 2. Austria, Germany etc.) Other departments were named alphabetical for their desigment - Division K - counterintelligence, Division TX - technical and science, Division S - placing saboteurs and "illegals", Division A - desinformation and covert operation
II. Division - Department of the inner security (until the fall of KGB commanded by German Titov)
III. Division - counterintelligence inside the army and department of state
VII. Division of communications, cryptology and connections
VIII. Division - supporting rear department for other Divisions

Very important was the Administration of Border Armies with over 230,000 soldiers.
The KGB was employing 0.5-2.5 million people and the budget was about 6-12 billion dollars.
Abroad, the KGB had its seats at the embassies, consulates, TASS centers, Novosti, Aeroflot and business seats (together with the GRU).
The Moscow central of the KGB was in the Big Ljublanka and there was a special section in each republic.

MI-5

Military Intelligence, Department 5, Secret Service
Was founded by reorganization of several services in 1909 by V.Kell. Its main task was to fight against the foreign espionage, but some times their dedicated their attention to the Brits, too. Kell defeated his leading post for unbelievable 31 years and was only topped by J.Edgar Hoover. After him the chairmen changed quickly. Since the 60s, the MI-5 watched mainly pro-soviet persons, but they suffered some hits (like penetration by Blunt, the allegation of chairman R.Hollis and G.Prim)
The MI-5 is directed by the government. The MI-5 also keeps an eye on the foreign services, inner subversion, runs checks of employees in the administration, checks foreigners, emigrants, immigrants and communication systems. Thus it's more known as the MI-6, although the MI-5 has no executive forces.
It underlies the goverment and has over 5,000 employees in 53 regional headquarters. The budget is between 50-200 mil. pounds. Although the question of the post-cold war budget was heavily discussed among politicians, the MI-5 was able to maintain it on the same level going more into the anti-terrorism (72% of all activities 39% home, 33% international). Another problem with the budget came with the Ireland peacetalks when the service felt a decrease of terrorist activity and faced a new problem - lower employee number or invade even more ground of the police tasks. The latter became true. The police didn't like it, but the goverment did.
The MI-5 is divided into these sections:

A - intelligence resources, action planning, technical support (equipment)
B - personel section
D - counterintelligence and nonterrorist activities (organised crime, antistate activities, proliferation)
G - international terrorism
T - inland terrorism (Ireland)
H - strategic questions, financial issues, analyses

Departments B and H are controlled by The Chief, A, D, G and T are directed by his deputies.
The MI-5 had its seat on Curzon Street, Mayfair until 1972, then moved to Gower Street, Euston. See also MI-5 chiefs

MI-6

Military Intelligence, Department 6, Secret Intelligence Service
The tradition of this service goes back to Henry VIII.The modern layout stands since 1911 made by he chairman M.Cummings. His initial ('M') had become the cipher for all the following charimen, whose names are top secret. Only in the 1990s it was revealed that the chairman post was for the first time taken by a woman - Stella Rimington.
MI-6 long operated under the acronym SIS. They had some problems before the Second World War, many people defected but they were lucky the Germans didn't believe them. After the war the SIS began to build up a new image which was hardly hit by the run over of K.Philby. The MI-6 partly erased this point by acquiring Oleg Penkovnsky.
The staff is chosen from the army preferring college-men with scientistic specialization. MI-6 is mainly responsible for military intelligence. They also closely cooperate with the GCHQ. The tasks are given by the Foreign Ministry and finances by ***. Their staff counts over 3,000 and the budget is around 150 mil. pounds. MI-6 consists of four directorates (tasks and production, foreign intelligence, supporting services (equipment) and personal department) plus eight territorial departments (the 7th was known as 'Soviet block'). After the reorganization the MI-6 was renamed into DI-6, but this name isn't used either.

MI-8

Military Intelligence, Department 8
Special US cryptology service. It was founded after the First World War under big influence of H.Yardleye as a part of military intelligence. it was the predecessor of the NSA.

MI-9

Military Intelligence, Department 9
The Department was foudned during the Second World War and was used to plan escape routes for refugees and POWs. The most known action was the liberating Colditz prisoners in 1942.

Mossad

Le Aliyah Beth (Reszut)
The roots go back to 1940, when Eliah Golombo and Shaul Avigur founded Shai, a secret intelligence service for protecting Haganah troops against the British in British Palestina. 1948 sovereign Israel was created and the Mossad followed in the same year. It was founded by the prime minister David Ben-Gurion and I.Harel was named the memun (head of Mossad).
Although, the Mossad isn't a huge institution, it developed a very dense and sophisticated networks all over the world composed mainly of Jewish people. Thus, even the low-staffed Mossad is able to operate throughout the world. The efficiency of their work became the model for many other services. Most known actions were the capturing of Adolf Eichman in 1960, dominating win in the Six days war, the hunt for the Munich Olympic Games terrorist of 1972, involvement in the hijack in Entebbe, the intelligence against Syria resulting into a win on the Golan heights in 1973 and delivering the complete Mirage blueprints.
The head, memun, is directly commanded by the prime minister. The inner organisation is very similar to that one of the BND. The strategy of deploying agents is also different to that used by the CIA. The Mossad mainly concentrates on placing few high-ranked agents delivering top information directly from the source (see E.Cohen)
Mossad is divided into

- Operational
- Intelligence
- Industry espionage and inner security
- Special departments for desinformation and covert actions
- Rear sections (personel, advocate, educational, etc.)

The Mossad is renown mainly for their analystic skills; though their hard-line actions are not so popular.

NKVD /NKGB

Narodnyi komissariat vnutrennikh del/ Narodnyi KGB
People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs
Was founded during 1930-1934 by joining the jurisdiction, police and intelligence. So a giant organ with execution power was created. By reforming the OGPU into NKVD Stalin was able to get rid of all experienced staff and to replace them by the loyal youth. Yagoda was named chairman and killed the popular Kirov, Stalin's potential rival, on his order. The purges continued in the army and in the Cheka. Yagoda himself was later marked as unacceptable and was replaced by Yezhov in 1936. After the two-year purge he was send to a sanitarium, where he's said to commit suicide. His place was taken by L.Beriya, the second Stalin. During the war he was responsible in the Smersh for the liquidation of deserters.
After the war Beriya focused on sending huge amouths of agents abroad from which some were active until the 50s in Western countries. Such plans were established to control and rule the East European countries.
Beriya's growing power threatened Stalin, who swiftly reorganized all. That led to the foundation of MVD (Ministerstvo vnuternnykh del) with chairman Kruglov, and MGB (Ministerstvo Gosudarstvennoi bezopasnosti) with chairman Merkulov. Merkulov was shot dead after Stalin's death.

NSA

National Security Agency
This agency was founded as a part of the Department of Defense in 1952 to inform the National Security Council (NSC). First director became Alfred McCormack, who was designed to build up a communication system for the main centers. NSA's main tasks are technological intelligence and cryptology. It's one of the most secured and least known service. It's seat is in Fort Mead, Maryland.

OSS

Office of Strategic Services
Military intelligence founded after the raid on Pearl Harbor on order of F.D.Roosvelt, 13.6.1942. It was subordined to Joint Chiefs of Staff. It took over the work of COI (Central Office of Information) from 1941.
The most known OSS person was W.Donovan, who pursued the needs for centralization of intelligence and laid the basement for the formation of the CIA. The OSS was dismissed on 20th September 1945 by Pres. Truman, who believed, there'll be no duties for it to perform.

PSB

Police Special Branch
British counterintelligence service. Special group designed to protect the Police. It's directly subordinated the Inner Ministry and is a part of the Scotland Yard. Besides of PSB also SB (Special Branch) exists with 1,600 officers, whose duty is to collect counterintelligence information on home ground.
The SPG (Special Protection Group) protects all foreign embassies and offices. This mainly results from the IRA actions.

SIS

Secret Intelligence Service, see MI-6

SIS

Slovenska Informacna Sluzba
Slovak Intelligence Service. Officialy founded with the Slovak Republic, but it's believed the service existed since the beginning of the federation in 1990. It's also said, that a long time StB agent, A.Lorenc, played a key role in creating the structure. The tasks, functions and budget are quite secret and their statements about them are often confusing. Although, the government revealed the total budget, one billion crows (over 3 mil. USD) But it's also obvious that this budget is enlarged by unofficial grants. The director since 1993 was Ivan Lexa. His reign ended in 1998 after the change in the government and he was replaced by former chairman, I.Mitro. Lexa became a member of the National Council to gain political immunity and is believed to build up a parallel shadow secret service.

SMERSH

Smert spionam
Terroristic commando in the USSR, a division of Cheka and later the NKVD. Formally founded first in 1942 under V.Abakumov as military counter intelligence. Officialy dismissed in 1946, but their activities lasted until mid-50s. The cruel way of doing it was slowly revealed by the testimonies of defectors (e.g. Khokhlov). Another way as they became known was the assassination of another defectors or escaped Russian people (L.Torkciy in Mexico). This way was later performed by the 5th branch of I. KGB directorate.

SOE

Special Operations Executive
Special section of British SIS during the Second World War

Special Branch, S4

see United Kingdom

StB

Statni bespecnost, State Security Service
According to the rules set by its foundation, it had to be a part of the SNB (National Security Corps) and investigate crime, anti-state activity and protect VIPs. After the year 1945 it slowly became the ruling hand of the Communistic Party. To secure its power even repressive and terroristic manners were used. Power of the Party and the Service was as big as the fear of the citizens. After 1989 this fear vanished and so did the StB. Officialy dismissed on 15th February 1990 on order of Federal Inner Minister, Richard Sacher.

ENCYCLOPAEDIA People States Services Gallery Index ARCHIVE DOWNLOAD TIMELINE SITE MAP LINKS CONTACTING AUTHOR		Services of the Cold War ABWEHR Nazi German intelligence service Abwehr ("defense") was founded in 1925. The chiefs were W.Canaris and W.Schellenberg (since 1944). The service was dismissed with the end of the War. Further information can be found on other, World War, oriented sites. AFB Agenstvo federalnoi bezopasnosti The service to succeed the KGB after the fall of the USSR in 1991. But the structure took the best workmen and much of the hardware over. Due to strong inclination of the stuff to the old theories and trends an other reformation followed. Few years later the SVR RF (Foreign intelligence service of Russian Federation) was founded. BfV Bundesamt fur Verfassunsschutz Federal Bureau for Constitutional Protection, German counterintelligence service which was founded back in 1949 when the allies permitted such organization for protecting the security. It was build to the image of MI-5. It was considered to separate from the police and thus losing the executive power. The very first chief defected soon and that caused a vast affair in BfV. After the approval of the law from 1972, the BfV was divided into eight departments with over 1,000 workmen in the headquarters plus thousands of staff in all federation states. The BfV provides security of information, checks the staff applying for important posts, handles terrorism and extremism. The HQ are placed in Koln am Rein (Cologne on Rhine). BIS Bespecnostni Informacni Sluzba Security Information Service, Czech counterintelligence department. The BIS was grounded on 1.1.93 after the transformation of the FBIS under the lead of S.Devaty. It was planned to work for one year, but it continued to operate. In may 1993, Devaty proclaimed he was bugged at his apartment. That caused serious troubles. In summer 93, the BIS was struck by the Wallis affair. After the racketeering of Mr. Kozeny, Devaty proclaimed that he's no longer capable to control his people and that they could collect information about anybody. BND Bundesnachrichtendienst German Federal Intelligence Service was founded in 1956 through the reformation of the semiofficial GO (Gehlen Org.) It underlies directly the Chancellor and it's staff counts nearly 7,000 people. The first chief was R.Gehlen (founder of the GO). In 1968, he was replaced by G.Wessel who reorganised the service in 1972. Four divisions were created. Division I. - Intelligence. Collecting of information from the military, political and economical areas. Division II - Technical. Monitoring of RF transmissions and broadcasting. It's assistant to the first division. Division III - Analyses. Further processing of the stuff gained by the first division. They managed to predict the win of Israel over Egypt in 1967, but they didn't plan the right development in Poland in 1981, Russian aggression against Afghanistan in 1979. Division IV -HQ. Manages the administration, training and public relations BND managed to place agents in East Germany and USSR what can be said to be a success, but the defection of the counterintelligence chief, H.Felf, in 1961 was a big strike. They revealed the Libyan diplomatic code in the 80s. Americans could evaluate in an strike against a terrorist group in Hamburg. CIA Central Intelligence Agency After the dismissal of OSS in 1945, Truman believed that peace was established properly. But after the beginning of The Cold War, he was made to correct this and founded the CIA. That was 1947. First DCI became Roscoe Hillenkoetter. During his time, the CIA prevented the communists in Italy to win the elections. They tried the same in CSR, but they failed. CSR had come under Russian influence for 40 years. Second DCI was Walter Bedel Smith (1949-53). They removed the premier Mohammed Mossadek because during his reign in 1953, Iran was in a crisis and the communists were about to seize power. The most known chief was A.Dulles (1953-61). In his time, CIA began huge operations. They supported anti communists in Guatemala, started operation "Gold" (Berlin-Moscow telephone bugging). Nevertheless, they were able to gain the script of Khrushchev's speech on the 20th Congress where Stalin's crimes were first openly presented. In 1956 the U-2 reconnaissance flight over Russia started. But they ended in 1960 with the shot down of G.Powers. The CIA could get over Vietnam, but Dulles resigned after the action in the Bay of Pigs. Plus, the real target, Fidel Castro, was revealed. J.McCone (1961-65) succeeded Dulles. The rockets in Cuba were discovered during his time. When J.F.Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, CIA came into bad light. The situation became worse after the assassination of Congo's premier P.Lulumba. That caused a communistic anti-US offensive. After McCone the flat William Raborn became DCI (1965-66). R.Helms slowed down the computerization of The Firm and he came into several rows with the Senate. Watergate was a big strike, although later it was proven they resisted Nixon's influence. J.Schlesinger took the place for some months in 1973. W.Colby (1973-76) replaced him soon. He had several problems in repair the public opinion of the CIA, which was shaken by the CIA's influence in foreign countries (supporting the right-wing and suppressing the left-wing), another Castro assassination attempt, the fall of the Chilean president Allende, breaking the border between FBI and CIA etc. He had to sack the paranoid contra espionage chief Angelton and had to define the targets of the CIA. But the opinion of the public had not changed, so Colby had to leave. George Bush became DCI in 1976. He was replaced two years later by Stanfiled Turner. Turner was not an experienced chief and after lot of sacks the employees didn't like him. Even the relationships with the allies cooled off. After W.Casey replaced Turner in 1981, the CIA gave up many of the old, dirty methods. But that caused a slight decline of the productivity. So he rerun the operations in Afghanistan and Central America and the workmen became more selfconcious. Casey had to resign due to health problems in 1987. He was succeeded by William Webster. President Clinton named James Woosley the DCI on 1st March 1993. He was replaced by William Studeman in 1995. John M.Deutch followed in the same year. In 1996 George Tenet became the DCI. The CIA is divided into 5 directorates: 1. DI (Directorate of Intelligence) 2. DO (Directorate of Operations) 3. DST (Directorate of Science and Technology) 4. DA (Directorate of Administration 5. Directorate of planning ? The Director of each directorate is called DDI, DDO, DDST and DDA. Today the CIA has over 22,000 employees. Main part of them working in the central in Langley, Virginia. The outposts are mainly placed at the embassies and have from one to hundred employees. CIC Counterintelligence Corps US military service. In spite of its counterintelligence purpose it became the main target of Soviet propaganda together with the CIA. The Soviets claimed that the CIC is attacking the "democratic" systems in Eastern states and they accused them of importing several "imperial bugs" (means vermin) attacking the crops, starting sabotage acts etc. CIO Czechoslovak Intelligence Office Founded in 1950 as a office of the MI-6 (SIS). Led by Francis Ed Keary and K.Prochazka. It served to gain information from fruitful sources behind the Iron Curtain. It was a good idea, but a high officer (K.Zbytek) didn't get on with Prochazka, so he began to work for the Czechoslovak StB in mid-50s. Zbytek was revealed in 1961 (or 1962) and CIO was dismissed. (The Paris agency was taken over by the CIA in 1962) CHEKA Chrezvychaynaya Kommisiya In spite of the period of Cheka (1917-22) this was included due to historical value and for better understanding of the Russian (Soviet) intelligence structures. Cheka was founded by V.I.Lenin on 20.12.1917 and F.E.Dzerzhinskiy became the chief. It was mainly aimed on eliminating contra revolutionaries - over 40 million people. They also helped to build up the legend of "the empire of fear" .Like its successors it had executive power and it made full use of it. It attacked everything and everyone. Cheka-men managed to lower the state of the czarish army from 22,000 to 40-50. The rest became the target of the Osobiy Otdel (Special Branch) - Cheka department inside the army. The Kaplan attempt to kill Lenin in 1918 started a new wave of terror. First targets were the educated and the Whigs, later the bourgeoisie followed. Their methods easily topped the Gestapo or SS. The Border CHEKA (later the Frontier Army of the KGB) and Rail Defence were founded in the 20s. Their main purpose was to stop people from leaving the country. To enforce this the KRO (kontrarozvedniy otdel - counterintelligence) was founded. The INO (Inostrannyi otdel) managed the spies by the model of the Western services. The spies were usually the first or second secretaries of the ambassador. The Cheka was reorganized in 1922 and renamed GPU. DIA Defence Intelligence Agency US military counterintelligence service. It was founded in 1961 by joining three independent services in the Department of Defence. The founder and first chief was Robert McNamara. But the service began to deliver first useful information after three years of reorganizations and reformations. But then it began even to compete with the CIA. This race bought increase of results on both sides. They revealed Russian espionage satellites, ran the electronical bugging etc. The DIA delivered the Russian RF traffic during the KAL 007 shot down of 1st September 1983. The DIA is divided into 20 directorates and it summons and analyses information. Then, they are handed further to the sections of defense. Almost 59% of the employees are civilian and 1/3 of them has a university degree. Soezer Howard was named the chief in 1988. FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation In 1908 Theodore Roosvelt founded a investigation bureau in the Department of Justice. After a reorganization in 1924, J.E.Hoover made it into the FBI. They were able to fight the mafia in the 30s. In 1939, due to bigger streaming of spies, the FBI became the status of a counterintelligence organization. Functions of the FBI, under its general responsibility of investigating violations of federal law, include the investigation of espionage, sabotage, subversive activities, and other actions related to national security; organized crime and drug trafficking; terrorism; and white-collar crime. It also controls the operations of other services at the ground of the United States. They work together with the CIA, but the FBI is the only service which is not to provide the CIA with gathered information. On the other hand, if they want to operate abroad they must cooperate with the CIA or an another military service. The FBI is controlled by the Departmeny of Justice. The FBI employees over 15,000 people of which almost 6,500 form the regular base. Applicants must be between 23 and 40 years of age and graduates of a state-accredited resident law school or a resident 4-year college with an accounting major and at least three years' work experience in this field. After a long and thorough preparation they became G-men (Government men). FBI also possesses the largest database of fingerprint sets (over 176 million sets). During the Cold War they were able to discover some Soviet spies (Abel, Gold, Rosenbergs) but a pair of dirty affairs worsened their image. (Like the Martin L.King assassination or the Watergate affair). After the paranoid Hoover, Partick Grey was named chairman. He was replaced in 1976 by the St.Louis judge, William Webster (who became DCI in 1987). The main seat of the FBI is in Washington D.C., Pennsylvania Avenue. FBIS Federalni bezpecnostni informacni sluzba Czech Federal Security Intelligence Service. Lasted 1.7.92-31.12.92. In fact a counterespionage organization. Indeed they took over the whole structure from previous FIS including its chief, J.Novotny. They've lost the executive power and gathering of information became their main task. But they came into mind with affairs (Wallis) rather with successes. Two main secretaries were considered to be Slovak and Czech. Slovaks appointed Dr. V.Palko, but the Czech were not able to agree. J.Basta appointed by the Czech National Council came into a row with Devaty. FIS Federalni Informacni Sluzba Federal Intelligence Service, Czech counterintelligence service, from January-July 1991, founded by the transformation of UOUD and was serving the Ministry of State. Almost all StB workmen were fired, but many of them changed into the Ministry itself. FIS also fired some "unsuitable" post-november people (e.g. John Bok). J.Ruml and J.Krizan proposed J.Novotny for the leading post, but he didn't show much experience so the real lead was taken by Z.Vodslon. The Operatios Department was taken by a 50s-60s StB agent J.Vostry. The FIS was dismissed on 1.7.91 and the FBIS was founded. The FIS didn't record any major successes and only minor affairs occurred. FIS was divided into several departments (counterintelligence departments against the KGB, against former Soviet states, against Western states, anti terrorist and analytic sections). The FIS had over 1,000 employees. GESTAPO Geheime Statspolizei Nazi German Politcal Police Squad. (More on this topic can be found elsewhere on the Web). After the fall of Hitler and Nazi Germany the powerful and vast networks of Gestabo were commonly overtaken by the services of the occupied (and other) states. However, the amouth and level of this takeover can be only guessed, because no information on this topic were published. GO Gehlen Organisation (q.v. R. Gehlen) West German intelligence service. Achieved major successes by placing agents into the East German government (H.Kastner) and intelligence services (W.Gramsch). the Gehlen Organisation became a part of BND in 1955. GPU / OGPU Gossudarstvennoye politicheskoye upravleniye/ Obyedinennoye GPU Russian (United) Civil Politcal Service. Came to life after the reorganization of Cheka in 1922. Their executive powers were even more legalized but the whole organization was still under F.E.Dzerzhinski. The GPU was commanded in each of the union republics. In 1923 these partial headquarters were united under the OGPU. To ensure enough power and no resistance the organization was heavily connected with the jurisdiction. After the begin of the fight between Stalin and Trocky, Dzerzhinsky began to support Stalin as good as he could. His organization penetrated into all possible areas. To secure the old habits, first all Jewish people were dismissed (or rather deleted) from inside the OGPU. The organization was able to evaluate loyal and true employees, but it punished hard for any treason. Not only the guilty people but also their families. An foreign intelligence department (INO) was also a part of the GPU. It was Trocki's work, but Dzerzhinsky was able to take it over soon and to infiltrate foreign departments by his agents (covered as emigrants). For this purpose many export firms and organizations were founded or misused (even the international Red Cross). The most known connections were firms Amtrog (in USA, founded by Hammer and his son), Wostwag (West Germany) and Acros (UK). Acros had caused suspicions in the MI-5 and was discovered and destroyed. The OGPU was still active inland. Their next target became the kulaks. After Dzerzhinsky's dead another man seized the position V.Menzhinskiy. But he was not able to command such power and the intelligence service. Although he could pursue the "cultivation of Siberia" - by the hands of prisoners in gulags. Reogranisations continued because Stalin didn't like Menzhinsky's incompetence. Like Dzerzhinsky, he died mysteriously of heart attack. A even more cruel man followed the lead - G.Yagod. Later, the OGPU was reformed into the NKVD. GRU Gossudarstvenoie Razvednyvaiemoye Upravlenie Russian Civil Intelligence Service. Founded by Trocky in 1920. First chief became Berezin, killed in 1937 during Stalin's "reorganizations" .For him, security of the state was prior to military intelligence. GRU was the first service to use business companies as a source of budget income. (Like the Wostwag) They founded a giant naval company designed to carry agents all over the world. GRU was always controlled by the KGB, only the Morflot (State Navy) was kept clean of KGB agents. But their competition was great. That led to several mistakes and blow ups due to too fast proceeding and ignorance. However, the GRU was able to breed their own top agents like Abel, Sorge, Londsdale, Fuchs. GRU is divided into four divisions - operative, informative, training and rear services. These divisions have 24 units for all the republics. Foreign centers were kept on the Russian embassies. All together, there are two KGB agents for one GRU man abroad. KGB Komitet Gosudarstvennoi bezopasnosti Committee of State Security. After Stalin's dead and the liquidation of Beriya the high command ordered a reorganization of MGB, which had over 300,000 soldiers, a secret police, military technology and agents abroad. The new KGB became three main tasks - to empower communism in USSR (the fight against class enemy), to guard the state border and to command espionage abroad. In real, the first twenty years seemed to be a period of following the Cheka tradition (thanks to its chief I.Serov). But the deployment of East German agents into the structures of NATO is considered his major success. After the bloody revolution in Hungary in 1956 and after being said not to reveal a possible revolt against Khrushchev he was replaced by A.Scheliepin in 1958. Scheliepin during his three-year period continued to raise the level of education and language knowledge of KGB men. He was blamed for the Cubean Crisis, but it was not his fault. He warned Khrushchev that an open confrontation with the USA was no good thing, but Khrushchev rather dismissed him as to cancel his plans. In 1961 the high post was overtaken by V.Semichastyi. He tried to push KGB into the position of Stalin-men-free organization. He saw, that the USSR were losing the technical touch with the developed world and therefor he tried to reform the KGB into a technical espionage organization, but he gained no results. He was replaced by Y.Andropov in 1967 (a die hard Chekist). His main source of result became Vietnam. He had stolen weapons, equipment and other useful things. Even a lead cryptographer was kidnapped. That led to a massive reorganization of US communication network. Andropov was able to deal better with the change of political slants in Czechoslovakia in 1968 than in Hungary. The death-tolls were kept at absolute minimum. He also fancied technical espionage but the Russian industry was not able to use the results fruitfully. So he had more successes in desinformation, increasing the influence in the Third World and in training terrorists. The loss of position and credit in the 70s and 80s meant a stagnation of the KGB, too. In 1982, Vitaliy Fedorchuk was named head of the KGB and he should be trained for the post of minister of inner affairs. He was replaced by V.Chebrikov in one and half years time. When V.Kryuchkov was named in 1988 the fall of the empire was at full speed. The last chief of the collapsing KGB was Vadim Bakatin, appointed by M.Gorbachev. Bakatin tried to change the image of the KGB what strongly upset the conservative leaders. As a sign of goodwill and openness he handed over the printings of prepared bugging of the US embassy. The KGB was officially dismissed on 24.6.1991 by M.Gorbachev. Bakatin was appointed to lead two divisions of MSB (Mezhrespublichnaya sluzba bezopasnosti) The new KGB was named AFB (Agenstvo federalnoy bezopasnosti), but the structure was changed only a little. The KGB used to be divided into several administration I. Division - foreign intelligence, about 12,000 workmen in 20 geographical areas (1.USA, Canada, 2. Austria, Germany etc.) Other departments were named alphabetical for their desigment - Division K - counterintelligence, Division TX - technical and science, Division S - placing saboteurs and "illegals", Division A - desinformation and covert operation II. Division - Department of the inner security (until the fall of KGB commanded by German Titov) III. Division - counterintelligence inside the army and department of state VII. Division of communications, cryptology and connections VIII. Division - supporting rear department for other Divisions Very important was the Administration of Border Armies with over 230,000 soldiers. The KGB was employing 0.5-2.5 million people and the budget was about 6-12 billion dollars. Abroad, the KGB had its seats at the embassies, consulates, TASS centers, Novosti, Aeroflot and business seats (together with the GRU). The Moscow central of the KGB was in the Big Ljublanka and there was a special section in each republic. MI-5 Military Intelligence, Department 5, Secret Service Was founded by reorganization of several services in 1909 by V.Kell. Its main task was to fight against the foreign espionage, but some times their dedicated their attention to the Brits, too. Kell defeated his leading post for unbelievable 31 years and was only topped by J.Edgar Hoover. After him the chairmen changed quickly. Since the 60s, the MI-5 watched mainly pro-soviet persons, but they suffered some hits (like penetration by Blunt, the allegation of chairman R.Hollis and G.Prim) The MI-5 is directed by the government. The MI-5 also keeps an eye on the foreign services, inner subversion, runs checks of employees in the administration, checks foreigners, emigrants, immigrants and communication systems. Thus it's more known as the MI-6, although the MI-5 has no executive forces. It underlies the goverment and has over 5,000 employees in 53 regional headquarters. The budget is between 50-200 mil. pounds. Although the question of the post-cold war budget was heavily discussed among politicians, the MI-5 was able to maintain it on the same level going more into the anti-terrorism (72% of all activities 39% home, 33% international). Another problem with the budget came with the Ireland peacetalks when the service felt a decrease of terrorist activity and faced a new problem - lower employee number or invade even more ground of the police tasks. The latter became true. The police didn't like it, but the goverment did. The MI-5 is divided into these sections: A - intelligence resources, action planning, technical support (equipment) B - personel section D - counterintelligence and nonterrorist activities (organised crime, antistate activities, proliferation) G - international terrorism T - inland terrorism (Ireland) H - strategic questions, financial issues, analyses Departments B and H are controlled by The Chief, A, D, G and T are directed by his deputies. The MI-5 had its seat on Curzon Street, Mayfair until 1972, then moved to Gower Street, Euston. See also MI-5 chiefs MI-6 Military Intelligence, Department 6, Secret Intelligence Service The tradition of this service goes back to Henry VIII.The modern layout stands since 1911 made by he chairman M.Cummings. His initial ('M') had become the cipher for all the following charimen, whose names are top secret. Only in the 1990s it was revealed that the chairman post was for the first time taken by a woman - Stella Rimington. MI-6 long operated under the acronym SIS. They had some problems before the Second World War, many people defected but they were lucky the Germans didn't believe them. After the war the SIS began to build up a new image which was hardly hit by the run over of K.Philby. The MI-6 partly erased this point by acquiring Oleg Penkovnsky. The staff is chosen from the army preferring college-men with scientistic specialization. MI-6 is mainly responsible for military intelligence. They also closely cooperate with the GCHQ. The tasks are given by the Foreign Ministry and finances by **. Their staff counts over 3,000 and the budget is around 150 mil. pounds. MI-6 consists of four directorates (tasks and production, foreign intelligence, supporting services (equipment) and personal department) plus eight territorial departments (the 7th was known as 'Soviet block'). After the reorganization the MI-6 was renamed into DI-6, but this name isn't used either. MI-8* Military Intelligence, Department 8 Special US cryptology service. It was founded after the First World War under big influence of H.Yardleye as a part of military intelligence. it was the predecessor of the NSA. MI-9 Military Intelligence, Department 9 The Department was foudned during the Second World War and was used to plan escape routes for refugees and POWs. The most known action was the liberating Colditz prisoners in 1942. Mossad Le Aliyah Beth (Reszut) The roots go back to 1940, when Eliah Golombo and Shaul Avigur founded Shai, a secret intelligence service for protecting Haganah troops against the British in British Palestina. 1948 sovereign Israel was created and the Mossad followed in the same year. It was founded by the prime minister David Ben-Gurion and I.Harel was named the memun (head of Mossad). Although, the Mossad isn't a huge institution, it developed a very dense and sophisticated networks all over the world composed mainly of Jewish people. Thus, even the low-staffed Mossad is able to operate throughout the world. The efficiency of their work became the model for many other services. Most known actions were the capturing of Adolf Eichman in 1960, dominating win in the Six days war, the hunt for the Munich Olympic Games terrorist of 1972, involvement in the hijack in Entebbe, the intelligence against Syria resulting into a win on the Golan heights in 1973 and delivering the complete Mirage blueprints. The head, memun, is directly commanded by the prime minister. The inner organisation is very similar to that one of the BND. The strategy of deploying agents is also different to that used by the CIA. The Mossad mainly concentrates on placing few high-ranked agents delivering top information directly from the source (see E.Cohen) Mossad is divided into - Operational - Intelligence - Industry espionage and inner security - Special departments for desinformation and covert actions - Rear sections (personel, advocate, educational, etc.) The Mossad is renown mainly for their analystic skills; though their hard-line actions are not so popular. NKVD /NKGB Narodnyi komissariat vnutrennikh del/ Narodnyi KGB People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs Was founded during 1930-1934 by joining the jurisdiction, police and intelligence. So a giant organ with execution power was created. By reforming the OGPU into NKVD Stalin was able to get rid of all experienced staff and to replace them by the loyal youth. Yagoda was named chairman and killed the popular Kirov, Stalin's potential rival, on his order. The purges continued in the army and in the Cheka. Yagoda himself was later marked as unacceptable and was replaced by Yezhov in 1936. After the two-year purge he was send to a sanitarium, where he's said to commit suicide. His place was taken by L.Beriya, the second Stalin. During the war he was responsible in the Smersh for the liquidation of deserters. After the war Beriya focused on sending huge amouths of agents abroad from which some were active until the 50s in Western countries. Such plans were established to control and rule the East European countries. Beriya's growing power threatened Stalin, who swiftly reorganized all. That led to the foundation of MVD (Ministerstvo vnuternnykh del) with chairman Kruglov, and MGB (Ministerstvo Gosudarstvennoi bezopasnosti) with chairman Merkulov. Merkulov was shot dead after Stalin's death. NSA National Security Agency This agency was founded as a part of the Department of Defense in 1952 to inform the National Security Council (NSC). First director became Alfred McCormack, who was designed to build up a communication system for the main centers. NSA's main tasks are technological intelligence and cryptology. It's one of the most secured and least known service. It's seat is in Fort Mead, Maryland. OSS Office of Strategic Services Military intelligence founded after the raid on Pearl Harbor on order of F.D.Roosvelt, 13.6.1942. It was subordined to Joint Chiefs of Staff. It took over the work of COI (Central Office of Information) from 1941. The most known OSS person was W.Donovan, who pursued the needs for centralization of intelligence and laid the basement for the formation of the CIA. The OSS was dismissed on 20th September 1945 by Pres. Truman, who believed, there'll be no duties for it to perform. PSB Police Special Branch British counterintelligence service. Special group designed to protect the Police. It's directly subordinated the Inner Ministry and is a part of the Scotland Yard. Besides of PSB also SB (Special Branch) exists with 1,600 officers, whose duty is to collect counterintelligence information on home ground. The SPG (Special Protection Group) protects all foreign embassies and offices. This mainly results from the IRA actions. SIS Secret Intelligence Service, see MI-6 SIS Slovenska Informacna Sluzba Slovak Intelligence Service. Officialy founded with the Slovak Republic, but it's believed the service existed since the beginning of the federation in 1990. It's also said, that a long time StB agent, A.Lorenc, played a key role in creating the structure. The tasks, functions and budget are quite secret and their statements about them are often confusing. Although, the government revealed the total budget, one billion crows (over 3 mil. USD) But it's also obvious that this budget is enlarged by unofficial grants. The director since 1993 was Ivan Lexa. His reign ended in 1998 after the change in the government and he was replaced by former chairman, I.Mitro. Lexa became a member of the National Council to gain political immunity and is believed to build up a parallel shadow secret service. SMERSH Smert spionam Terroristic commando in the USSR, a division of Cheka and later the NKVD. Formally founded first in 1942 under V.Abakumov as military counter intelligence. Officialy dismissed in 1946, but their activities lasted until mid-50s. The cruel way of doing it was slowly revealed by the testimonies of defectors (e.g. Khokhlov). Another way as they became known was the assassination of another defectors or escaped Russian people (L.Torkciy in Mexico). This way was later performed by the 5th branch of I. KGB directorate. SOE Special Operations Executive Special section of British SIS during the Second World War Special Branch, S4 see United Kingdom StB Statni bespecnost, State Security Service According to the rules set by its foundation, it had to be a part of the SNB (National Security Corps) and investigate crime, anti-state activity and protect VIPs. After the year 1945 it slowly became the ruling hand of the Communistic Party. To secure its power even repressive and terroristic manners were used. Power of the Party and the Service was as big as the fear of the citizens. After 1989 this fear vanished and so did the StB. Officialy dismissed on 15th February 1990 on order of Federal Inner Minister, Richard Sacher.
To the top		Administrated by Roman Studenic ©1999 as part of The Cold War Guide Best viewed with a pair of eyes ;-)

Services of the Cold War