CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1952/02/21

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02046547
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: May 24, 2019
• Document Release Date: May 30, 2019
• Publication Date: February 21, 1952

Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2646547
Y*60i TOP S ET Naii'
SEC FORMATION
21 February 1952
Copy No. 41J
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN_
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE INIF
CLASS.
I DECLASSIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: IS_Sl
NEXT REVIEVV DATE;
or
AUTH: HR 204;14
DATEall�7 REVIEWER
.....����
...��������1111.
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
SECURITY INFORMATION
) o3c)
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046547
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046547
ET
3.5(c)
SUMMARY
USSR
1. Increased Soviet air activity noted in Kurtles area (page 3).
FAR EAST
2. Chou En-lai states Chinese attitudes on Korean truce talks (page 3).
3. Korean President resorts to force to intimidate political opposition
(page 5).
4. Parts of Yunnan Province declared a military zone (page 6).
5. Viet Minh receives 105mm guns from China (page 6).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
6. Egyptian Prime Minister may recommend temporary suspension of
Parliament (page 7).
7. Greek situation not expected to improve (page 7).
WESTERN EUROPE
8. French North African situation may hamper NATO strategic
discussions (page 8).
2
TOP ET
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046547
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046547
USSR
1, Increased Soviet air activity noted in Kuriles area:
3.3(h)(2)
27 transport or bomber aircraft, subordinate
to several Soviet Air Armies, on 17 February
made an unprecedented number of flights
between Sakhalin and Iturup Island in the Southern Kuriles. Activity on
that day was almost twice the highest weekly flight totals noted in the
Kuriles during recent months. At least eight of the aircraft may have
returned to Sakhalin. (See map p.4)
Comment: The unusual number of flights in
an area of usually low air activity probably reflects inoreased Soviet
interest immediately north of Japan. Recently intercepted messages
indicate that a fighter unit, equipped with LA-11 aircraft, may have been
transferred from Sakhalin to Iturup during January. The 17 February
flights may have represented an airlift of personnel or equipment,�possi-
bly in connection with the redeployment of the LA-11's,
the addition of
two bomber or transport-equipped regiments to a Sakhalin-based 10th
Air Army division and possible airborne exercises on south Sakhalin on
10 February.
Soviet air strength in the Far East is estimated
at 5,500 aircraft, of which approximately 4,750 are combat-type and 190
are jet fighters.
FAR EAST
2, Chou En-lai states Chinese attitudes on Korean truce talks:
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
Chinese Communist Premier Chou En-lai,
in a talk on 12 February with Indian AmbasSador
Panikkar in Peiping, stated that a Korean
armistice could be achieved if Peiping were
satisfied that the United States had no "aggressive intentions." Chou
3 -
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046547
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046547
*weSECT JIRR004MA110N
12077
100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180
hang ha i
CZ-ji-NA
S A
TAIWAN p
Komsomol'sk
SHIKOKU
KYUSHU
Some boundaries shown on this map are An facto bound-
aries 09511, not necessanly recognized as definitive by
S e United .Stutes Government.
30
Seyrncha
aga n
ksandrovsk
SAKHALIN
ters
(KARAFUTO-- te
under USSR. `�2'. te
' Administration) \'' e If
..
oko de
de
/
\ Fie _rotoeliiiiia
500 e" 1
It 'up.;
'-/HOKKAIDO
--- Air Ar
Ithabar
Vozdvi
A awar
gunto
LEGEND
Base Area
vsk: HQ C
okol: ,
,C Far East
rd i4 R Air Army
: HQ 9th Al.r Army
HQ 10th Air Army
v
SAKHALIN
ORIENTATION MAP
Distances indicaled are statute miles
from Aleksandrovsk
STERE0GRAPRic CONFORMAL AZIMUTHAL PROJECTION
nd as IS N. nAL 145'E.
160 .
1
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
12077 CIA, 10-51
SEC
FORMATION
MIK
CIA rieprodudgm
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046547
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046547
T)PSECRET
3.5(c)
specified that early agreement on the withdrawal of foreign troops would
be viewed as demonstrating United States intentions. He suggested that
all nations involved in the Korean conflict should be included in a post-
armistice conference on other Far Eastern questions.
Comment: The Indian Ambassador, who
returned to Peiping two weeks ago, reportedly was instructed to urge
the Chinese Communists to agree to a reasonable truce in Korea.
Panikkar's report of his interview with Chou adds nothing to Peiping's
public statements that the Korean negotiations depend upon United States
"sincerity," that withdrawal of foreign troops from 'Korea is essential
to a settlement, and that other Far Eastern questions must be discussed
in post-armistice talks.
Korean President resorts to force to intimidate political opposition:
3.3(h)(2)
A crisis of serious implications has developed
in the struggle for power between President
Rhee and the Korean National Assembly, Am-
bassador Muccio reports. On 18 February
the President's campaign of "crude intimidation" reached a climaxwhen
his cohorts attempted to storm the Assembly.
Provoked by the Assembly's rejection of an
important bill, Rhee has been trying to secure the recall of opposition
assemblymen through the use of scurrilous posters and the collection of
signatures by armed Youth Corps squads. The National Assembly,
"angered and shocked," has placed the blame for the campaign and the
18 February riot squarely on Rhee.
Comment: President Rhee must reach an
agreement, either through force or compromise, with the National As-
sembly prior to its election of a Korean President in rune.
5
TOP ET
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046547
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046547
3.5(c)
. Parts of Yunnan Province declared a military zone:
3.3(h)(2)
The Swiss Minister in Peiping is quoted as
stating that western and southern Yunnan Province,
bordering on Burma and Indochina, was declared
a "military zone" in early January. Foreign
na s inc using wiss and French missionaries, were evacuated.
comment:
large numbers of Chinese Communist troops
in southern Yunnan have been moving for several weeks toward Burma
rather than Indochina.
5. Viet Minh receives 105mm guns from China:
3.3(h)(2)
The Viet Minh 16th Transportation Regiment
at Caobang, near the Tonkin-China border,
states that two trucks were dispatchedon
4 February "to pick up two 105mm guns." The
message also refers to a relay station in Lungchow, across the border
from Caobang, which is participating in the transport of 600 rounds of
ammunition toward Indochiha.
Comment: The localities referred to are
part of the principal Chinese Communist-Viet Minh supply route which
was identified by messages intercepted in December 1951. They disclosed
that the 16th Transportation Regiment directed traffic on this route.
This is the first reference to shipment of
105mm guns. The Viet Minh has long used 75mm guns but has never
been reported as firing 105mm artillery.
- 6
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046547
AO
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046547
TOPSECRT
3.5(c)
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
6. Egyptian Prime Minister may recommend temporary suspension of
Parliament:
3.3(h)(2)
Prime Minister Ali Maher has stated that if
the Wafd Party continues to oppose the govern-
ment-proposed "assistance" of five million
Egyptian pounds (approximately fourteen
million dollars) to victims of the January riots, he will ask King Farouk
to suspend Parliament for one month.
The American Ambassador in Cairo believes
that the Wafd Party is attempting to avoid any implication of responsibility
for the January riots and to prevent the discharge of Wafd members now
in the government.
Comment: The distinction between suspension
and dissolution of Parliament indicates that Ali Maher is being cautious
in approaching a show-down with the Wafd, The Constitution provides
that both houses may be adjourned by the King for one month and may not
be continued in adjournment without agreement of both chambers. The
Chamber of Deputies may be dissolved, but elections must then be held
within two months.
7. Greek situation not expected to improve:
The American Embassy in Athens believes 3.3(h)(2)
that the present Greek Government is unlikely
to provide the firm leadership required to
overcome economic and political difficulties.
Moreover, the King and Deputy Prime Minister Venizelos will not move
to overthrow the government except under strong American pressure.
Strong American support of any party or faction would only arouse
animosity against the United States and make it difficult for Greece to
obtain the desired stability.
- 7 -
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046547
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046547
a ET
3.5(c)
Comment: The present coalition government
has done little to facilitate the economic rehabilitation of Greece, and its
policy of releasing political prisoners has troubled the American Embassy.
In view of Venizelos' fear that new elections
under the majority system would eliminate his Liberals as a political
force, there is a possibility that the government will decree new elections
under the proportional system. This would continue the present political
tradition of a multitude of factions working at cross-purposes.
WESTERN EUROPE
8. French North African situation may hamper NATO strategic discussions:
The Turkish Ambassador in Paris reported
to Ankara on 5 February that the unstable
situation in French North Africa is likely to
occupy a prominent place in NATO discussions
at Lisbon, and that in his opiniono,France will
be unable to give satisfactory assurances of settlement.
He stated that the Tunisian problem, in
particular, would become more grave, and that the Arab-Asian appeal
to the United Nations Security Council could not fail to "poison the atmos-
phere.,"
Comment: Although the NATO agenda does
not include discussion of the North African situation, France would
seize upon the introduction of such an item in order to press for the
Inclusion of Morocco and Tunisia in NATO defense planning.
9S EC
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046547