Historical flashback: Bilderberg and the CIA

December 16th, 1952.
Letter from Joseph H. Retinger, founder of the Europe-America Association (later the #Bilderberg Group), to Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands:

"Sir, 
I am very pleased to be able to tell you that my visit to America was completely successful. I saw, of course, General Bedell Smith (then Director of the CIA) and Mr. Allen Dulles (then Deputy Director of the CIA), who have quite decided to help in the formation of an unofficial Committee of four or five people. The members of this Committee will make a survey of anti-European feeling in America, give their own point of view on European-American relations, and try to find remedies."

Later, Retinger wrote that "the co-ordinator of this Committee will be Mr. George Franklin, Director of the Council on Foreign Relations". However, a few days later, Franklin (who was also Secretary of the ACUE) informed Retinger that he was relinquishing this responsibility.