CIA releases historic previously classified documents

The CIA released two collections today, they are described on their web site this way:

• The first collection, widely known as the "Family Jewels," consists of almost 700 pages of responses from CIA employees to a 1973 directive from Director of Central Intelligence James Schlesinger asking them to report activities they thought might be inconsistent with the Agency's charter.
• The second collection, the CAESAR-POLO-ESAU papers, consists of 147 documents and 11,000 pages of in-depth analysis and research from 1953 to 1973. The CAESAR and POLO papers studied Soviet and Chinese leadership hierarchies, respectively, and the ESAU papers were developed by analysts to inform CIA assessments on Sino-Soviet relations.

This is a historic release of material that had been discussed widely by news media in the 70s, but has never been freely available.

Want to see what else the CIA has to offer? Check out their redesigned electronic reading room.

Want to read more? Check out the Washington Post article "CIA releases Top-Secret Documents."

Still not enough? Check out the library's guide to declassified documents.