#HISTINT: July 11, 1941: Coordinator of Information Created

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src="/web/20150905103630im_/https://www.cia.gov/++theme++contextual.agencytheme/images/icon_rss.gif" alt="Rss Feed"></a> <a class="addthis_button_compact"></a> </div><script type="text/javascript"> var addthis_config = { data_track_addressbar: false, ui_508_compliant: true, services_compact: 'digg,instapaper,linkedin,reddit,stumbleupon,tumblr,blogger', data_track_clickback: false, data_use_cookies: false, services_exclude: 'amenme,spruzer', ui_click: true } var addthis_share = { templates : { twitter : "{{title}} {{url}} " } } </script><script type="text/javascript" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150905103630js_/https://s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=ra-52322787108634ce"></script><br><div id="viewlet-above-content"> </div> <div class=""> <div id="content">  <h1>#HISTINT: July 11, 1941: Coordinator of Information Created</h1> <div id="content-core"> <div id="parent-fieldname-text-f14e92b25ec245029a7a044b2d554502" class=""> <p><img class="image-left" title="COIphoto" src="/web/20150905103630im_/https://www.cia.gov/news-information/featured-story-archive/2014-featured-story-archive/images/Roosevelt11Julslider.jpg/63043457-4d06-4afd-b1ab-5ddd0f42d102.jpeg" alt="COIphoto">When World War II began in Europe in 1939, the United States had limited intelligence capabilities. To remedy this shortfall, President Roosevelt created the Office of the Coordinator of Information (COI) on July 11, 1941.</p> <p>COI – led by General William “Wild Bill” Donovan – was established to organize analysis, espionage, propaganda, subversion, and commando operations as a unified and essential feature of modern warfare, a “fourth arm” of the military services. By the time the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, COI had grown to include some 600 employees. <br><br> American entry into World War II prompted Donovan and his staff to reconsider COI’s size, organization and missions. At Donovan’s suggestion, Roosevelt transformed COI into the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) on June 13, 1942.</p> </div> <div class="documentByLine"> <br><div> </div> <div> Posted: Jul 10, 2014 02:24 PM<br></div> <div> Last Updated: Jul 10, 2014 02:24 PM<br></div> <br></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> <aside class="content-box-2"></aside></div> </section><footer id="footer"><span class="divider"></span> <a href="#" class="logo-2"><img src="/web/20150905103630im_/https://www.cia.gov/++theme++contextual.agencytheme/images/logo-2.png" width="61" height="61" alt="Central Intelligence Agency"></a> <div class="footer-holder"> <div class="footer-frame"> <nav class="footer-nav"><div class="info-block"> <h3><a href="/web/20150905103630/https://www.cia.gov/about-cia">About CIA</a></h3> <ul><li> <a href="/web/20150905103630/https://www.cia.gov/about-cia/todays-cia">Today's CIA</a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20150905103630/https://www.cia.gov/about-cia/leadership">Leadership</a> 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