Sidney Souers

Sidney Souers

Sidney William Souers (March 30, 1892 – January 14, 1973) was an American admiral and intelligence expert. He held the posts of:

• Director of Central Intelligence, Central Intelligence Group, 1946
• Executive Secretary, National Security Council, 1947–1950
• Special Consultant to the President on military and foreign affairs, 1950–1953

Rear Admiral Souers was appointed as the first Director of Central Intelligence on January 23, 1946 by President Harry S. Truman. Prior to this, as Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence, Souers had been one of the architects of the system that came into being with the President's directive. He had written the intelligence chapter of the Eberstadt Report, which advocated a unified intelligence system. Toward the end of 1945, when the competing plans for a national intelligence system were deadlocked, Souers' views had come to the attention of the President, and he seems to have played a role in breaking the impasse.