Editing Defense Intelligence Agency (section)

=== Years of transition ===
The early 1970s were transitional years as the agency shifted its focus from consolidating its functions to establishing itself as a credible producer of national-level intelligence. This proved difficult at first since sweeping manpower decrements between 1968 and 1975 had reduced agency manpower by 31 percent and precipitated mission reductions and a broad organizational restructuring. Challenges facing DIA at this time included the rise of [[Ostpolitik]] in Germany; the emergence of the [[Palestine Liberation Organization]] in the [[Middle East]]; and the [[Cambodian Campaign|U.S. incursion into Cambodia from South Vietnam]].<ref name="DIA History" />

[[File:Howard O. Lorenzen on the Columbia River (140516-Z-PL933-055).jpg|thumb|DIA sets intelligence requirements for numerous installations, such as the [[USNS Howard O. Lorenzen]], which checks compliance with strategic arms treaties worldwide.]]

The agency's reputation grew considerably by the mid-1970s, as decision makers increasingly recognized the value of its products. Agency analysts in 1972 concentrated on [[Lebanon]], President [[Richard Nixon]]'s [[1972 Nixon visit to China|visit to China]], the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état]], the formation of [[Sri Lanka]], and the [[Prisoner of war|prisoners of war]] being held in Southeast Asia. Subsequent challenges involved: [[détente]]; the development of arms control agreements; the [[Paris Peace Accords|Paris peace talks]] (Vietnam); the [[Yom Kippur War]]; and global energy concerns.<ref name="DIA History" />

Intense Congressional review during 1975–76 created turbulence within the Intelligence Community. The Murphy and [[United States President's Commission on CIA activities within the United States|Rockefeller Commission]] investigations of charges of intelligence abuse ultimately led to an Executive Order that modified many Intelligence Community functions. At the same time, with U.S. involvement in Vietnam ending, defense intelligence faced a significant decline in resources. During this period, DIA conducted numerous studies on ways of improving its intelligence products. Despite these and other Community-wide efforts to improve intelligence support, the loss of resources during the 1970s limited the Community's ability to collect and produce timely intelligence and ultimately contributed to intelligence shortcomings in [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], and other strategic areas.<ref name="DIA History" />

Special DIA task forces were set up to monitor crises such as the [[Soviet–Afghan War|Soviet invasion of Afghanistan]], the [[Iranian Revolution|overthrow of Iranian monarchy]], and the [[Iran hostage crisis|taking of American hostages from the U.S. embassy in Tehran in 1979]]. Also, of serious concern were the [[Cambodian-Vietnamese War|Vietnamese takeover in Phnom Penh]], the [[Sino-Vietnamese War|China–Vietnam border war]], the [[Uganda–Tanzania War|overthrow of Idi Amin in Uganda]], the north–south [[Yemen]] dispute, troubles in [[Pakistan]], [[Libyan–Egyptian War|border clashes between Libya and Egypt]], the [[Sandinista]] takeover in [[Nicaragua]], and the Soviet movement of combat troops to Cuba during the signing of the [[SALT II|Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty II]].<ref name="DIA History" />

Following the promulgation in 1979 of [[Executive Order 12036]], which restructured the Intelligence Community and better outlined DIA's national and departmental responsibilities, the agency was reorganized around five major directorates: production, operations, resources, external affairs, and J-2 support.