A History of the Defense Intelligence Agency - Cryptocomb

1970s
Defense Attachés
Military attachés play an important historical role in nearly
every country around the world. The United States’ Attachés
have represented the U.S. to host country militaries, advised
U.S. Ambassadors, and provided information on foreign military
capabilities. A formal Defense Attaché System (DAS) was
established under DIA in 1965, giving the Agency managerial
authority over attachés worldwide.
Today, as part of DIA, Attachés continue their time-honored work
of observing and reporting on in-country and regional militarypolitical
developments and supporting the work of Ambassadors,
the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff. The photograph below was taken by a Defense Attaché
during a parade in Moscow in the 1970s. In the photograph at
bottom, a Defense Attaché inspects foreign equipment.
Credit: DIA History Office Collection
1970s, Agency analysts focused on global events
from Central America to China. DIA took responsibility
for locating and returning prisoners-of-war
in Southeast Asia. It grappled with the repercussions
of expanding state-sponsored terrorism,
especially in the Middle East and Africa. DIA set
up special task forces to monitor crises such as
the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the overthrow
of Iranian monarchy, and the internment of U.S.
hostages in the American embassy in Tehran in
1979. Other events that provoked serious concern
for DIA included the Vietnamese invasion of
Cambodia, the China-Vietnam border war, clashes
between Libya and Egypt, the Sandinista takeover
in Nicaragua, and the Soviet movement of combat
troops to Cuba near the end of the decade.
A History
Credit: DIA History Office Collection
Credit: DIA History Office Collection