CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1952/05/21

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02693999
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: May 24, 2019
• Document Release Date: May 30, 2019
• Publication Date: May 21, 1952

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SECUB INFORMATION
21 May 1952
Copy No. 53
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
NO CHANGE IN CLAss.
peOLABSIFIED
CLASS. tHANsIED TO: TS S
NEXT tIEVIEW DATE:
AUTH: N702
DATE:
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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SECURI NFORMATION
REVIEWER:
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3.5(c
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SUMMARY
FAR EAST
1. Gas mask issue to Chinese Communists seen as propaganda
maneuver (page 3).
2, US Army Attache comments on Chinese incursion into Indochina
(page 3).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
3. Iraq ready to join MEC despite Anglo-Egyptian situation (page 4).
4,, Turkey sees Soviet attack on Iran or Iraq as NATO problem
(page 5).
WESTERN EUROPE
5. West German Social Democrats attack EDC treaty on constitutional
grounds (page 5).
6. French Cabinet balks at European Defense Community signature
(page 6).
7. Italy unlikely to meet current military production goals (page 6).
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FAR EAST
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1. Gas mask issue to Chinese Communistg-- seen as propaganda maneuver:
Sixteen recently captured Chinese Communist 3.3(h)(2)
soldiers reveal that they were either issued
gas masks or instructed in the use of anti-gas
field expedients during April 1952, according
to Far East Commatid. Three possible reasons advanced by FECOM
for such enemy preparations are that the Communists anticipate UN use
of gas, that they intend to wage chemical warfare, or that the gas masks
are to provide "proof" for enemy propaganda charges of the United States
using CW in Korea.
FECOM concludes that available evidence fails
to indicate enemy intentions of employing chemical warfare in the immedi-
ate future.
Comment: The issue of gas masks, confirmed
in prisoner interrogations, proba-
bly is intended to support Communist charges of American use of chemical
warfare agents in Korea. 3.3(h)(2)
While specific Communist propaganda allegations
of US use of biological warfare ended in early April, a continuation of the
American "atrocities" theme has been provided by recent charges that the
United States has used CW agents in combat.
Radio Pyongyang on 24 April detailed 33 inci-
dents of alleged use of chemical warfare occurring between 27 February
and 9 April, and again on 7 May charged that the United States used CW
on 22 and 25 April.
2. US Army Attache comments on Chinese incursion into Indochina:
\ 3.3(h)(2)
"three Chinese battalions
have crossed the Indochina border near Lao
ay in Tonkin, the US Army Attache in Saigon
suggests that this may be a diversion to distract attention from Viet Minh
preparations to attack in the coastal zone of Tonkin.
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He states, however, that in view of
reports that 20,000 gallons of gasoline have recently been delivered
across the border into Tonkin, the incursion could also be a protective
move to cover an accelerated delivery of supplies to the Viet Minh,
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
3. Iraq ready to join MEC despite Anglo-Egyptian situation
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3.3(h)(2)
The Iraqi Foreign Minister has told Assistant3.3(h)(2)
Secretary of State Byroade that Iraq is ready
to co-operate in the establishment of a Middle
East defense organization if the United States
is prepared to "move ahead 0 on a realistic basis." The Foreign
Minister is ready to tell Egypt that concern for its own defense makes
it imperative for Iraq to take this step regardless of the Anglo-Egyptian
situation.
The American Minister in Baghdad is "not
certain" that Iraq could proceed in this matter in the face of hostile
Egyptian propaganda.
Comment This is the first strong endorse-
ment of the Middle East Command by an Arab official. To date, reluc-
tance to challenge the leadership of Egypt, which rejected the idea last
fall, has prevented public support by Arab leaders. They have considered
a settlement of the Anglo-Egyptian dispute as a necessary condition to
organizing the Command.
On 15 May the Turkish Foreign Minister re-
iterated that plans for a Middle East Command should be carried out
regardless of the Egyptian situation. He again suggested, however, that
it would be better to postpone further action for two weeks.
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4. Turkey sees Soviet attack on Iran or Iraq as NATO problem:
Turkish President Bayar and the Chief of the
Turkish General Staff told the American Am-
bassador recently that the Soviet Union would
have to defeat or neutralize Turkey before con-
quering Iran and Iraq. Consequently a Russian attack on Iran or Iraq
would force NATO, of which Turkey is now a member, to decide whether
or not to declare war.
3.3(h)(2)
The President added that Turkey would be pre-
pared to fulfill its NATO obligations, but he emphasized that it would be
useless for his country to act alone against the Soviet Union.
Comment: Turkey, despite its membership
in NATO, still fears that the West will sacrifice the Eastern Mediterranean
in the interests of Western Europe. President Bayar's remarks appear
to be part of the continuing Turkish effort to convince the West that the
Eastern Mediterranean is vital to European defense.
WESTERN EUROPE
5. West German Social Democrats attack EDC treaty on constitutional grounds:
The Social Democratic Party, which contends3.3(h)(2)
that any West German contribution to Western
defense will require an amendment to the con-
stitution, and hence approval by two-thirds of
e parliament,as formally petitioned the Federal Constitutional Court
to rule on the legality of German participation in the European Defense
Community. The court has agreed to consider the case on 10 June.
The Social Democrats are now also trying to
force a parliamentary debate on the Allied-German contractual agreement
on 23 May, three days before the scheduled signature, by invoking a pro-
vision of the constitution for a special parliamentary session on the demand
of one-third of the members.
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Comment: Several months ago Allied officials
were seriously worried that the Federal Constitutional Court might support
the Social Democrats' position and thus force a general election or prevent
German participation in the EDC. Several prominent German jurists, how-
ever, have since then expressed the opinion that a simple majority in the
parliament is sufficient to ratify the treaty,
French Cabinet balks at European Defense Community signature:
There is considerable sentiment within the 3.3(h)(2)
French Cabinet for postponing signature of the
European Defense Community treaty and the
Contractual Agreement with Germany, accord-
ing to Under Secretary Maurice Schumann. He states that a full cabinet
session will decide on 21 May whether Foreign Minister Robert Schuman
will be authorized to sign.
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Under Secretary Schumann expects that the
Foreign Minister will be given the authority, but he indicated that Premier
Pinay and other ministers are inclined to look upon the European Defense
Community as a complicating factor in the government's domestic program.
Comment: Despite American pressure to
have both instruments signed by 26 May, Adenauer and Schuman are still
at loggerheads on the time and place for the tripartite and quadripartite
meetings scheduled to precede signing.
This is a critical moment for Pinay, since the
French Assembly has just reconvened and he is staking the like of his
cabinet on parliamentary approval of a large bond issue.
'7. Italy unlikely to meet current military production goals:
3.3(h)(2)
An analysis of data for the third quarter of the
current fiscal year indicates that Italy is not
likely to reach its military production goals.
There has been a sharp decline in the rate of
e en e or ers br ar goods and a 25 percent decline in the rate of
deliveries. Nevertheless, the monthly rate of defense production is still
substantially above that for the previous fiscal year.
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Comment: Political considerations have
prompted the Italian Government to retard its defense program until
after the 1953 national elections. It wants to avoid the appearance that
defense expenditures are too large in comparison with civil expenditures.
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