Sociology

In order to analyze the role of intelligence gathering activities via covert andor clandestine operations in the years 1936-45, and its associated role in society of the United States, it might be useful to focus on domestic activities rather than the abundant intelligence gathering operations being performed overseas as the United States prepared for World War II. Domestic operations would be far more reflective of any impact on society in the United States, rather than overseas operations, which, by virtue of distance, were removed from influence on the typical American citizen.

In the waning years of President Franklin Delano Roosevelts first administration, federal domestic intelligence programs were re-established in 1936. (SELECT COMMITTEE TO STUDY GOVERNMENTAL OPERATION., Vol. II, 1976) Primarily, this was in response to the escalating need to gather all intelligence, foreign and domestic, as the storms gathered for what would become World War II. In the above referenced study, it was determined that since these programs were re-instituted, there has been steady increase in the governments capability and willingness to pry into, and even disrupt, the political activities and personal lives of the people. (SELECT COMMITTEE TO STUDY GOVERNMENTAL OPERATION., Vol. II, 1976) Further, the study concluded that, The last forty years have witnessed a relentless expansion of domestic intelligence activity beyond investigation of criminal conduct toward the collection of political intelligence and the launching of secret offensive actions against Americans. (SELECT COMMITTEE TO STUDY GOVERNMENTAL OPERATION., Vol. II, 1976) Based on reports such as these, it would appear that these intelligence gathering operations did indeed play a role in US society, although by virtue of their clandestine nature, the impact on society as a whole, by necessity, would appear to be minimal.

Initially, the role of gathering domestic intelligence via covertclandestine or any other means was related to concerns of the influence of overseas totalitarian powers. (SELECT COMMITTEE TO STUDY GOVERNMENTAL OPERATION., Vol. II, 1976) In the years following the re-institution of intelligence programs, it also appears that the gathering of intelligence through clandestine or covert operations experienced growing pains and globally did not have a very good reputation in the early years. (Andrew, 1996) As years passed, gradually intelligence operations improved and under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover, the Federal Bureau of Investigations chief, domestic intelligence gathering increased significantly. (SELECT COMMITTEE TO STUDY GOVERNMENTAL OPERATION., Vol. III, 1976) This is particularly true of the years following Japans attack of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941. It is in this area, especially the investigation of Japanese-American citizens, where the role of domestic intelligence gathering can be felt in terms of its influence on US society.

In the final analysis, the role of intelligence gathering during the years of 1936-45 can be most dramatically seen in the accumulation of information, via all means available, including clandestine and covert operations, for the effective combating of the war that was both preparing to start and, of course, after the entrance into the war by the United States following the attack by Japan. For some, most notably American citizens of Asian descent, this gathering of information played a significant role in American society.