When was the NSA created?

The National Security Agency, commonly referred to as the NSA, was created on Nov. 4, 1952, under a presidential order by then-president Harry S. Truman. The formation of the government agency came as a result of the United States' work in codebreaking during World War II.

The primary purpose behind the NSA is to gather data and information on the country's adversaries and to protect the United States' own secrets. The goals of the organization are to defend vital information networks and save lives, while protecting the privacy of the United States citizens, as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and federal laws.