When World War II ended, the Germans had several radical types of aircraft and guided missiles under development.  The majority of these projects were in the most preliminary stages but they were the only known craft that could even approach the performance of the objects reported by UFO observers.  Like the Allies, after World War II the Soviets had obtained complete sets of data on the latest German developments.  This, coupled with rumors that the Soviets were frantically developing the German ideas, caused no small degree of alarm.  As more UFO’s were observed near the Air Force’s Muroc Test Center, the Army’s White Sands Proving Ground, and atomic bomb plants, ATIC’s efforts became more concentrated.

Wires were sent to intelligence agents in Germany requesting that they find out exactly how much progress had been made on the various German projects.

The last possibility, of course, was that the Soviets had discovered some completely new aerodynamic concept that would give saucer performance.

While ATIC technical analysts were scouring the United States for data on the German projects and the intelligence agents in Germany were seeking out the data they had been asked for, UFO reports continued to flood the country.  The Pacific Northwest still led with the most sightings, but every state in the Union was reporting a few flying saucers.

At first there was no co-ordinated effort to collect data on the UFO reports.  Leads would come from radio reports or newspaper items.  Military intelligence agencies outside of ATIC were hesitant to investigate on their own initiative because, as is so typical of the military, they lacked specific orders.  When no orders were forthcoming, they took this to mean that the military had no interest in the UFO’s.  But before long this placid attitude changed, and changed drastically.  Classified orders came down to investigate all UFO sightings.  Get every detail and send it direct to ATIC at Wright Field.  The order carried no explanation as to why the information was wanted.  This lack of an explanation and the fact that the information was to be sent directly to a high-powered intelligence group within Air Force Headquarters stirred the imagination of every potential cloak-and-dagger man in the military intelligence system.  Intelligence people in the field who had previously been free with opinions now clammed up tight.

The era of confusion was progressing.

Early statements to the press, which shaped the opinion of the public, didn’t reduce the confusion factor.  While ATIC was grimly expending maximum effort in a serious study, “certain high-placed officials” were officially chuckling at the mention of UFO’s.

In July 1947 an International News Service wire story quoted the public relations officer at Wright Field as saying, “So far we haven’t found anything to confirm that saucers exist.  We don’t think they are guided missiles.”  He went on to say, “As things are now, they appear to be either a phenomenon or a figment of somebody’s imagination.”