(October 17, 2019)

The Cold War and the emerging space race were in full swing in the late 1950s. CIA
kept President Eisenhower regularly apprised on the progress of the Soviet space
program, which became a subject of worldwide attention following the successful
1957 launch of Sputnik—the first artificial satellite and the first manmade object
to be placed into earth's orbit. The Soviets' achievement, which indicated that
they had intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking the United States,
stunned the American public and set off a debate in the United States about the
"Missile Gap," and America's competence in science and technology.

Animal Partners
(September 12, 2019)

Throughout history, trained animals have been used in security roles to fulfill
mission requirements, notably by the armed forces, whether for transport,
communication, or threat detection. From carrier pigeons in World War I to today's
explosives-detecting dogs, government agencies have turned to animals to do the
important jobs humans couldn't do. CIA is no exception, and it once worked on
developing ways animals could help with intelligence collection. This collection of
declassified documents highlights the diverse programs involving the feasibility of
using marine and avian animal capabilities in support of intelligence operations.
For a variety of technical and other reasons, none of the programs ever became
operational. Yet these documents provide a window into the innovative thinking
applied to the intelligence mission aimed at countering increasingly sophisticated
foreign adversaries..

Fall of the Libyan Monarchy

(August 30, 2019)

Fifty years ago, on 1 September 1969, the first and only King of Libya was deposed.
The documents in this collection highlight the bloodless coup by a group of Libyan
military officers which removed King Idris I. The group, which called itself the
Revolutionary Command Council, was motivated by the ideology of Arab socialism
modeled by Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser. Within a short time, a young officer named
Muammar Qadhafi emerged as a leader of the group, and he would rule Libya for the
next 40 years. These documents cover major developments related to the coup,
including US reaction. The Nixon administration believed that Washington need not
be overly distressed by the coup and felt the US could have a working relationship
with the new regime. Also discussed in the documents is Libya's intention to honor
treaty obligations regarding Wheelus Air Base, a major US Air Force installation in
Libya that supported Mediterranean operations.