ABSTRACT
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) grew out of America's need for intelligence during the mid-twentieth century era and was preceded by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). After the Allied victory in World War II, the United States faced a daunting challenge of how to police the postwar world. The federal government disbanded the OSS and replaced it with the CIA. At the heart of intelligence activities for the new organization was the perceived need to contain communism. This manifested itself time and again in places such as Korea, Guatemala, and Vietnam. Although the CIA has left itself open to criticism throughout the years due to intelligence failings and oversights, it still has provided the United States with a flexible and cohesive entity that has tried to protect American interests throughout the world.
