Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why did the United States create the Office of Strategic Services in 1942?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

George W. Bush and Porter J. Goss at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. — intelligence U.S. Pres. George W. Bush (front) and Porter J. Goss, director (2004–06) of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), heading to a press conference at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, March 3, 2005.

The United States established the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in June 1942 to centralize the nation's fragmented and uncoordinated foreign intelligence efforts during World War II.1

Prior to the agency's creation, intelligence gathering was conducted in an unsystematic manner by the Office of Naval Intelligence, U.S. Army intelligence, and the FBI. These entities often operated under intense rivalries, refusing to share critical information with one another or even with senior policy makers. This lack of coordination resulted in significant intelligence failures, such as the inability to provide President Franklin D. Roosevelt with sensitive information regarding Japan in the months leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor.1

Under the leadership of William J. (“Wild Bill”) Donovan, the OSS was tasked with collecting and analyzing intelligence, conducting sabotage, and performing special operations behind enemy lines to support the war effort. Many of its functions were later assumed by the Central Intelligence Agency.21