Editing Lyman Lemnitzer (section)

==Clandestine Operations History ==
Lyman Lemnitzer, during World War II, Lemnitzer contributed to covert planning for Operation Torch, the 1942 Allied invasion of North Africa, coordinating clandestine efforts to secure Vichy French (the fascist element of the French population supportive of Hitler) cooperation. 

Additionally, during his time as a high ranking U.S. Army general, was involved in several covert operations, most notably [[Operation Northwoods]] during his tenure as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1960–1962). This 1962 proposal, developed him and his staff on the Joint Chiefs, outlined plans for false-flag operations, including staged terrorist attacks on U.S. soil and against American interests, to be blamed on Cuba to justify a full scale ground invasion by the US military. The plan was rejected by President John F. Kennedy.

As Supreme Allied Commander of [[NATO]] (1963–1969), he oversaw covert aspects of NATO’s stay-behind operations, such as [[Operation Gladio]] designed to counter potential Soviet invasions through guerrilla warfare and sabotage in Europe. NATO supplied stay behind unit assassins and terrorist around the world to different intelligence operations. The Allied Clandestine Committee was under Gen Lemnitzer's purview as NATO commander. In addition, the CIA’s covert operations were overseen by the Special Group (later the 303 Committee), which approved 163 projects from 1961 to 1963 and 23 of 35 proposals in early 1964. These included political manipulation, propaganda, and paramilitary actions worldwide, targeting communist regimes and supporting U.S.-friendly governments.