Frank Gardner Wisner was born in Laurel, Mississippi, in 1910. After 1953 the network was overseen by Allen W. Dulles, director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The CIA propaganda campaign included the distribution of 100,000 copies of a pamphlet entitled Chronology of Communism in Guatemala. He worked in the Navy's censor's office until he managed to transfer to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in 1943. Wisner was also able to restrict newspapers from reporting about certain events. Theres a general rule in secret operations: If it has a bland name, its important. Jake Esterline was placed in charge of the CIA's Washington task force in the overthrow of Jacobo Arbenz in Guatemala. Samuel Zemurray, United Fruit Company's largest shareholder, with the help of Tommy Corcoran, organized an anti-Arbenz campaign in the American media. The results were horrifying2500 Hungarians were killed, 200,000 were forced to flee their country, and tens of thousands were arrested and imprisoned. Nixon asked a number of questions, concise and to the point, and demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the Guatemalan political situation. The President strode from the room. Frank George Wisner II (born July 2, 1938) is an American businessman and former diplomat. He was prescribed psychoanalysis and shock therapy (electroconvulsive treatment). February 1, 2011. In August, 1952, the Office of Policy Coordination and the Office of Special Operations (the espionage division) were merged to form the Directorate of Plans (DPP). According to Deborah Davis (Katharine the Great): "By the early 1950s, Wisner 'owned' respected members of the New York Times, Newsweek, CBS and other communications vehicles.". U.S. envoy stirs pride in Mainer, sister says - Press Herald He was educated at Woodberry Forest School in Orange and the University of Virginia. Khrushchev's de-Stalinzation policy encouraged people living in Eastern Europe to believe that he was willing to give them more independence from the Soviet Union. Khrushchev's de-Stalinzation policy encouraged people living in Eastern Europe to believe that he was willing to give them more independence from the Soviet Union. The CIA propaganda campaign included the distribution of 100,000 copies of a pamphlet entitled Chronology of Communism in Guatemala. Subscribe to our Spartacus Newsletter and keep up to date with the latest articles. Harvey reported back in June 1951 that he was convinced that Philby was a KGB spy. Frank Wisner | Military Wiki | Fandom Evan Thomas, the author of The Very Best Men: The Early Years of the CIA (1995), argues that Joseph Alsop and Stewart Alsop worked very closely with Winser. Two months later he moved on to Romania where his main task was to spy on the activities of the Soviet Union. The OPCs mission was to take on the Soviet Union, and right from the start, the Pentagongearing up for World War IIIwanted everything from insurgencies in Western Europe to sabotaging the entire Soviet air force, and it wanted them now. "All these people are getting killed, Wisner later said, and we weren't doing anything, we were ignoring it. In April 1962 Richard Helms recalled Wisner to Washington. They were defiant and proud, but besieged. Manage Settings Alumni include Frank Wisner, one of the CIA's founders, and US ambassador to the UN Edward Stettinius, Jr. As soon as the war ended Truman ordered the OSS to be closed down leaving a small intelligence organization, the Strategic Services Unit (SSU) in the War Department. He pointed out that they had spent a great deal of money on Radio Free Europe "to get these people to revolt". Eisenhower shook hands all around. A large number of these prisoners were tortured or killed. Wisner was too ill to return to his post as head of the DDP. Operation Mockingbird - Spartacus Educational This report examines the information and intelligence resources available to and relied upon by policymakers during the Rwanda crisis. Richard Bissell - The Connecticut Yankee Behind the Bay of Pigs According to Phillips he initially questioned the right of the CIA to interfere in Guatemala: In his autobiography Phillips claims he said to Barnes: "But Arbenz became President in a free election. Even with my curious nature, I myself was unaware, except in the vaguest terms, what political action projects were going forward and how (Frank Wisner was spending Marshall Plan counterpart funds.) Frank Wisner was constantly looked for ways to help convince the public of the dangers of communism. However, the CIA Voice of Liberation successfully convinced Arbenz's supporters that two large and heavily armed columns of invaders were moving towards Guatemala City. A month earlier word had spread through the agency that the New York Times was embarking on a first-ever investigation of the CIA. Arbenz began to tackle Guatemala's unequal land distribution. David Atlee Phillips was appointed to run the propaganda campaign against Arbenz's government. So still, there's still another, you know, year left in the war. Khrushchev became increasingly concerned about these developments and on 4th November 1956 he sent the Red Army into Hungary. Mussadegh in Iran was left-wing and had indulged in talks with Russian diplomats about possible alliances and treaties. The Two Frank Wisners. [3] He is the son of CIA official Frank Wisner (19091965). Some of this money was used to bribe journalists and publishers. Wisner committed suicide. Husband of Mary (Polly) Knowles a dedicated arts philanthropist and legendary Washington hostess. As soon as the war ended Truman ordered the OSS to be closed down leaving a small intelligence organization, the Strategic Services Unit (SSU) in the War Department. Wisner was born in New York on July 2, 1938. This machinery was in the CIA but the agency shared control of it with the State Department and the Pentagon. Now internal subversion communism from within - was an additional cause for direct action. The company wanted $16 million for the land. All rights reserved. http://spartacus-educational.com/JFKwisner.htm Categories: People Articles with hCards Wisner moved to Washington where he associated with a group of journalists, politicians and government officials that became known as the Georgetown Set. The Director turned to me "They tell me you know how to write. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. [11] On September 1, 1948, the office was formally established, although it was renamed to the Office of Policy Coordination (OPC) for obfuscation purposes. "Thanks Allen, and thanks to all of you. Frank Gardner Wisner was born in Laurel, Mississippi, in 1910. In August, 1952, the Office of Policy Coordination and the Office of Special Operations (the espionage division) were merged to form the Directorate of Plans (DPP). Hector (Rip Robertson) said only one, a courier . Sudden Death. After leaving the OSS Wisner joined the Wall Street law firm, Carter Ledyard. [21], In 1962, Wisner retired from the CIA. During that time, Wisner and Bishop discovered and penetrated a Russian Intelligence service named GUGBEZ. After the West German counterintelligence chief, Otto John, defected to the Soviet Union in 1954, Wisner fed Alsop a story that the West German spymaster had been kidnapped by the KGB. The DPP now accounted for three quarters of the CIA budget and 60% of its personnel. He retired in 1963, and committed suicide with a shotgun in 1965. "He just has many, many friends in. "The cable was from Des FitzGerald. The CIA sent Wisner to the Sheppard-Pratt Institute, a psychiatric hospital near Baltimore. He described the OPC as "Wisner's gang of weirdos" and began carrying out investigations into their past. He was so depressed that his wife, Polly, worried that he would try to commit suicide. He was first stationed in Cairo where he spent an uneventful year. Frank Wisner, the father of American covert operations, was both. "The Empire's Bagman:" Obama Egypt Envoy Frank Wisner Says Mubarak I saw Frank three days before he died and he seemed in good spirits. In the 1950s and early 1960s the CIA's top leaders - men like Allen Dulles, Frank Wisner, Richard Bissell, Tracy Barnes, and Desmond Fitzgerald - were profoundly devoted to covert action. Any reaction? (The CIA posted guards to keep the KGB from seeing who was there.). Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. In 2012 he succeeded Paul A. Volcker as chairman of the board of trustees of International House, a cultural-exchange residence and program center in New York City. She moved to Lodi in 1934. While in Bucharest he became friendly with King Michael of Romania. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Frank G. Wisner Jr. grew up in the long shadow of his secret agent father. Franklived in USA. In July 19, 1954, he created the National Committee of Defense Against Communism and decreed the Preventive Penal Law Against Communism to fight against those who supported Arbenz when he was in power. Soon afterwards it was renamed the Office of Policy Coordination (OPC). It said that Frank had died and gave no reason, but I knew." To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Market data provided byFactset. The company wanted $16 million for the land. After leaving the OSS Wisner joined the Wall Street law firm, Carter Ledyard. It was a warm summer night. On Tuesday, Frank Wisner, a former American diplomat, conveyed a most urgent message to Hosni Mubarak of Egypt: Barack Obama would . Wisner was appointed director of the organization. "[15], During the early 1950s, Wisner was the subject of FBI inquiries in connection with his wartime work in Romania, including the claim that he had an affair with Tanda Caradja, daughter of Romanian princess Catherine Caradja during the war; Caradja was alleged in FBI reports to be a Soviet agent. Among his overseas assignments, Wisner served as the United States Ambassador to Zambia (197982); Egypt (198691), the Philippines (199192), and India, 199497. The lighted shaft of the Washington Monument could be seen through the trees. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. Afterward, he obviously wasnt equipped to go back to the Directorate of Plans, so he was made the station chief in London. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. [citation needed], Wisner married Mary Ellis 'Polly' Knowles (19122002) and they had four children: Elizabeth Wisner, Graham Wisner, Ellis Wisner, and Frank G. Wisner who entered into diplomatic service. He was educated at Woodberry Forest School in Orange and the University of Virginia. Later he became an informal adviser to the royal family. Frank Wisner - Historical records and family trees - MyHeritage It is doubtful that many of the lawmakers who voted for the 1947 Act could have envisioned the scale on which the CIA would engage in operational activities all over the world. "Instead of a dirge, it was exuberant, powerful, exultant," recalled Tom Braden. However, in 1947, he was recruited by Dean Acheson, to work under Charles Saltzman, at the State Department's Office of Occupied Territories. This information was passed to Joseph McCarthy who started making attacks on members of the OPC. But Frank was a little excessive, even for me.". 1930s. He worked in the Navy's censor's office before managing to get a transfer to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Perhaps he had made up his mind to kill himself. Frank Wisner, who was part of the small network of OSS hands eager to get back in the spy game, had a solution to the problem. CIA's Voice of Liberation also put out similar radio broadcasts. Frank G. Wisner, an ex-OSS man, was brought in from the State Department to head it, with a cover title of his own invention. Wisner Sr. died in 1965 by michael gordon. Ernesto Guevara attempted to organize some civil militias but senior army officers blocked the distribution of weapons. William (Rip) Robertson was also involved in the campaign against Arbenz. CIA's Voice of Liberation also put out similar radio broadcasts. Wisner's other great success was the overthrow of Jacobo Arbenz. Wisner remained concerned about the spread of communism and began lobbying for a new intelligence agency. ", Later that year Wisner established Operation Mockingbird, a program to influence the American media. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. By this time Operation Mockingbird had a major influence over 25 newspapers and wire agencies. After World War II, American governments were more willing to use their influence and strength all over the world for the first time and to see an ideological implication in the "persecution" of US business interests. Frank Wisner took over direct command of the everyday operations of the Indonesian project. Frank Gardner Wisner was born in Laurel, Mississippi, in 1910. He was a good sprinter and hurdler and in 1936 was asked to compete in the Olympic trials. Accepting that further resistance would only bring more deaths he announced his resignation over the radio. Eisenhower turned to his Chief of the Joint Chiefs. In the darkness I could see only a silhouette of the person entering the room; when the door closed it was dark again, and I could not make out the features of the man standing next to me. Another project started by Wisner was called Operation Bloodstone. On October 28, before he drove out to his farm on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, she called the caretaker and asked him to remove the guns from the house. In fact, according to several of his friends, on social occasions he became very aggressive when discussing politics. [12] Wisner was chosen to lead the OPC in the capacity of Assistant Director for Policy Coordination (ADPC). To confront Soviet aggression, Wisner eventually organized a secret army in Europe. He was educated at Woodberry Forest School in Orange and the University of Virginia. The CIA was feeling particularly embattled that October. The Two Frank Wisners | The New Yorker Wisner managed to get a copy of the speech that Nikita Khrushchev made at the 20th Party Congress in February, 1956, where Khrushchev launched an attack on the rule of Joseph Stalin. As previously described at Mental Floss, one of their more brilliant, but alas, never executed, operations involved airdropping enormous condoms labeled medium behind the Iron Curtain, as a way of demonstrating the anatomical superiority of the American fighting man.). Finally Brad (Colonel Albert Haney) rehearsed his speech. Carmel Offie - Wikipedia These organizations were run by people with well-known right-wing views such as William Paley (CBS), Henry Luce (Time Magazine and Life Magazine), Arthur Hays Sulzberger (New York Times), Alfred Friendly (managing editor of the Washington Post), Jerry O'Leary (Washington Star), Hal Hendrix (Miami News), Barry Bingham Sr., (Louisville Courier-Journal), James Copley (Copley News Services) and Joseph Harrison (Christian Science Monitor). The Central Intelligence Agency decided that Arbenz had to be removed from power. ", In December, 1956, Wisner had a mental breakdown and was diagnosed as suffering from manic depression. [2] After graduating from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1934,[3] Wisner began working as a Wall Street lawyer for Carter, Ledyard & Milburn. Mrs. Wisner had gone to Chicago to visit with friends for a few days, taking her children with her.. As Thomas Polgar later pointed out: "Sure, we never said rise up and revolt, but there was a lot of propaganda that led the Hungarians to believe that we would help. In the cases of Frank Wisner and Philip Graham, it played a role in their suicides. Wisner's suicide was "entirely rational, if you can say such a thing," said his niece Jean Lindsey. What right do we have to help someone topple his government and throw him out of office?" As one of the agents involved in Operation Bloodstone, Harry Rositzke, pointed out, Wisner was willing to use anyone "as long as he was anti-communist". Later, several of the people involved in Operation Success, including Richard Bissell and Tracy Barnes, regretted the outcome of the Guatemala Coup. During his absence Wisner's job was covered by his chief of operations, Richard Helms. Hector and I smiled at each other as Brad flushed with pleasure. As a result Philby was forced to leave the United States. Wisner was also deeply involved in establishing the Lockheed U-2 spy plane program run by Richard M. Bissell Jr.[1], Wisner suffered a serious breakdown in September 1958. I saw Frank three days before he died and he seemed in good spirits. Later, John Loftus, a prosecutor with the Office of Special Investigations at the U.S. Justice Department, accused Wisner of methodically recruiting Nazi war criminals. During the Hungarian Uprising an estimated 20,000 people were killed. On October 28, before he drove out to his farm on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, she called the caretaker and asked him to remove the guns from the house. This secret operation involved recruiting former German officers and diplomats who could be used in the covert war against the Soviet Union. For months, waves of airborne spies in mission after mission landed, and each was killed straightaway. "Tomorrow morning, gentlemen," Dulles said, "we will go to the White House to brief the President. Frank Wisner killed himself with one of his son's shotguns on 29th October, 1965. When Truman signed the CIA into existence, the new agency found a similar reception. Henry Cabot Lodge tried to block the Security Council from discussing a resolution to send an investigation team to Guatemala. President Dwight Eisenhower responded by claiming that Guatemala had a "communist dictatorship.. had established an outpost on this continent to the detriment of all the American nations". Henry Breck, a junior CIA officer out of Groton and Harvard, watched his grim-faced elders as they mourned. It has been estimated that between January and June, 1954, the CIA spent about $20 million on Castillo's army. Over the next few weeks thousands were arrested on suspicion of communist activity. With so many talented officers working in covert action, and with most of the foreigners involved being friendly collaborators and not "recruited" assets, the do could scarcely base promotions on the number of recruitments a case officer made each year. While its reductive to say the aftermath drove Wisner mad, its fair to say that it didnt help matters. Wisner worked closely with Kim Philby, the British agent who was also a Soviet spy. ", General Ridgeway answered. It was the nearest thing to an expletive I ever heard Dulles use. Covert action (orchestrating coups, anti-Communist insurgencies, academic conferences, labor unions, political parties, publishing houses, and shipping companies) required considerable manpower, and it drew the intellectual crme de la crme. Market data provided by Factset. Virtual Roundtable: Life Lessons Learned With Frank G. Wisner Others like Stewart Alsop, Joseph Alsop and James Reston, were recruited from within the Georgetown Set. President Dwight Eisenhower was delighted with this result and asked Wisner to arrange for Kermit Roosevelt to give him a personal briefing on Operation Ajax. Later he became an informal adviser to the royal family. It had also given America resources and experience (concentrated in private hands) with the world outside the Americas, used effectively by the OSS during World War II American government, however, had stayed in America, lending its influence to business but never trying to overthrow other governments for commercial purposes. Frank Vizner (1857-1886) - Find a Grave Memorial Wisner was transferred to the OSS station in Wiesbaden. Kermit Roosevelt, the grandson of Theodore Roosevelt, was put in charge of what became known as Operation Ajax. The FBI hated them because they didnt want competition. Kermit Roosevelt, the grandson of Theodore Roosevelt, was put in charge of what became known as Operation Ajax. On April 4, 1953, Wisner persuaded Allen W. Dulles to approve $1 million to be used "in any way that would bring about the fall of Mossadegh." Death Frank Wisner reportedly committed suicide with one of his son's shotguns on October 29, 1965. Iranians took to the streets against Mohammed Mossadegh. The CIA also provided them with classified information to help them with their work. Nixon asked a number of questions, concise and to the point, and demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the Guatemalan political situation. The rise of the CIA and the decline of America's moral standing His army was outnumbered by the Guatemalan Army. This included the claim that Guatemala was the beginning of "Soviet expansion in the Americas". Hoover, claimed that Caradja was a Soviet agent. Admiral. Wisner arrived in England in September, 1959. Wisner was disappointed by the US government's reaction to this news and he was forced to advise the Romanian royal family to go into exile. The President's final handshake was with Alien Dulles. The Defense Department preferred to save its dirty tricks for times of war. It did not take him long to discover that some of them had been active in left-wing politics in the 1930s. Wisner told Clare Boothe Luce, the American ambassador in Italy: "All these people are getting killed and we weren't doing anything, we were ignoring it. In addition, regardless of the principles being professed, when direct action was taken (whether clandestine or not), the interests of American business would be a consideration: if the flag was to follow, it would quite definitely follow trade. President Dwight Eisenhower was delighted with this result and asked Wisner to arrange for Kermit Roosevelt to give him a personal briefing on Operation Ajax. He pointed out that they had spent a great deal of money on Radio Free Europe "to get these people to revolt". Eisenhower shook his head, perhaps thinking of the thousands who had died in France. Also involved was Richard Bissell, head of the Directorate for Plans, an organization instructed to conduct covert anti-Communist operations around the world. Contents After graduating Wisner worked as a Wall Street lawyer. Wisner Junior was well-known in the CIA and he worked as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and Under Secretary of . Most men brought their wives to these gatherings. With the help of Romanian Intelligence, they manage to obtain tons of records, including SD files, 200 rolls of German film and a large amount of Russian information.