Existing comment:
William Donovan:
"Wild Bill"
Big Plans:
In 1941, with a critical need for international intelligence collaboration, it became evident that US intelligence was... lacking. There was no central coordination or formal training for agents. William Donovan, known worldwide for his diplomacy, was the man for the job and was named Coordinator of Information (COI).
With the strong support of British intelligence leaders, Donovan lobbied President Roosevelt -- amid protests from Army, Navy, and FBI intelligence agencies -- for the creation of the OSS. Under Donovan's direction, the fledgling agency grew quickly and became the basis for today's CIA. |