Memorandum for the Director of Central Intelligence: Flying Saucers

This memorandum, dated September 11, 1952, from the Assistant Director of Scientific Intelligence (OSI) to the Director of Central Intelligence, addresses the national security implications of 'flying saucers.' The document evaluates the current state of investigation, noting that the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) is the only government unit currently studying the problem. The author critiques the ATIC's approach as being limited to a case-by-case analysis, which fails to address the fundamental nature of the phenomena or the potential for scientific discovery. The memorandum identifies two major national security risks: the potential for mass hysteria among the American public and the vulnerability of the U.S. Air Warning System to false alerts or enemy deception. It highlights that the Soviet Union has remained silent on the subject, which may be a deliberate policy. The document recommends that the Director of Central Intelligence obtain authority from the National Security Council to coordinate a more comprehensive research effort, involving external scientific institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and to develop a public information policy to mitigate the risk of panic.