United States Continental Missile Defense,

Early Years 1945-1960

Bomber Gap

1956

-    "In balancing the value in intelligence returns potentially available from Aquatone operations against the possible damage of the U.S. international relations," it is important to look at these returns

• First: it is important for the Soviets and the United States to distinguish the difference between the "Aquatone-type operation and the reconnaissance by military aircraft."  The military saw that the Aquatone operation provided vehicles at a higher altitude that would have more memory to help spy on their enemy.  The Aquatone operation was to help the United States understand what the "capabilities of the Soviet Union, its current intentions, and its long range objectives."  Aquatone Operations were not used on spying on the enemies military infrastructure.
• Second: The Aquatone operation was a mission to be carried out in the USSR to study their culture throughout a wide variety of areas.  It was not designed to pick out specific targets.

July 4, 1956 - The United States receives photos that have been taken from the mission and they find out that "five of the seven highest priority targets specified by the USAF."  The mission showed no heavy jet bombers at the five bases, although the United States had thought that there was heavy jet bombing at two of the basis.  The mission was able to look at some of things they had in Leningrad.  They saw one Submarine yard,  "the fitting of an additional cruiser of the Sverdlov class (possibly for missiles), and they also were able to see the location and the size of the military ports (helped them determine the naval capabilities).  They were also able to see the "Army installation at Bykhov" and received new information about their training grounds.  They were also able to detect Leningrad's northern shoreline and determine "potential amphibious landings on Russian Soil in the event of war."

• From the photos, this gave the United States a complete understanding of the structure of the Soviet Union and they did not have to estimate where things were located.  The pictures helped the United States understand everything about the Soviets, from the military structure to the everyday life of citizens in big and small cities.  In understanding the Soviet Union, this would help the United States in finding a way to negotiate "a lasting peace for the world.
• Through the mission of the Aquatone operation, the United States notices that the Soviet Union is weaker than what they anticipated them to be.  The Aquatone operation only covered about 400,000 square miles of Russia, but if the mission gives evidence to the United States that the Soviet Union is less equipped then they thought, then it gives the United States a sure advantage in going to war with the Soviets.  At the same time the United States also realizes that they only covered a small section of the Soviet Union and most of the Soviet's bomber planes and fighter jets could be located elsewhere.  The United States can determine that the Soviet Union has 130 airfields.
• The United States knew that if they were wrong about what the Soviets did and didn't have then this could be a crisis to the United States.  Through the five missions of the Aquatone operations, the United States started seeing that there were some misinterpretations about the Soviet Union.  The United States knew that they needed to do away with the Aquatone operation because if they were wrong, then this could be an ugly scene for the United States.  The United States decided to do away with the Aquatone operation.

Sources:

• Miller, Herbert I.  Suggestion re the Intelligence value of Aquatone.  The George Washington University The National Security Archive. Memorandum for Project director.   http://www.gwu.edu/ July 17, 1956

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By

DoniloHarmon and Michael Shepherd