CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/12/02

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03169433
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: December 2, 1956

Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03169433
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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
2 December 1956
Copy No.
DOCUMENT NO. :IL
NO CHANGEo IN CLASS. `kr
DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
AUTI-I: 70-
112
DATE:
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TO!' SECRET
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3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
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CONTENTS
1.. SYRIA BELIEVED RECEIVING SOVIET JET FUEL
(page 3).
2. THE SITUATION IN SYRIA
(page 4) .
3. ISRAELI DEMOBILIZATION BELIEVED LEVELING OFF
(page 5).
4. RENEWAL OF TENSION IN HUNGARY
(page 6).
5. NEHRU'S VIEWS ON HUNGARY AND SOUTHEAST ASIA
(page 7).
6. EXTREME RIGHT IN FRANCE SEEN STRENGTHENED
(page 8).
7. UNREST DT NORTH
VIETNAM ( page 9).
8. REVOLUTION IN CUBA REPORTED SET FOR 4 DECEMBER
(page 10).
9. SATELLITES INSTITUTE ECONOMIC MEASURES TO
PLACATE DISCONTENTED POPULATIONS
(page 11).
2 Dec 56
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10 SYRIA BELIEVED RECEIVING SOVIET JET FUEL
The Soviet tanker Leningrad, believed
to be carrying the first cargo of So-
viet jet fuel to Syria, will arrive in
Latakia on 3 or 4 December,
The delivery of
jet fuel at this time would indicate
that Soviet MIG's and technicians will
soon arrive.
Syria entered into recent negotiations
for Soviet fuel soon after it had asked
the Socony Vacuum Oil Company in
Beirut for fuel of the type used in So-
viet jet aircraft.
Syria has requested two squadrons of
MIG-171s�about 30 to 40 aircraft�from the 'USSR. Present
indications are that at least one squadron of MIG-17's may
be supplied. At least 52 of the 160 training personnel the
Soviet Union intends to send to Syria will be engaged in
training Syrian air force personnel. This number includes
eight aircraft instructors, four of them specifically for
MIG-17 aircraft.
20 MIG-15's Syria was to have obtained from
Czechoslovakia via Egypt were destroyed in the British-
French air attacks on Egyptian airfields.
2 Dec 56
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THE SITUATION IN SYRIA
The leftist-nationalist group in Syria is
making good use of the threat of foreign
intervention to consolidate its position,
but it is at the same time seriously con-
cerned that Syria may be attacked.
� ������� 1 � 1
Syrian leftists continue to press for a
reshuffle of the cabinet or the formation of a new one with greater
leftist representation.
the army intended to arrest all the leaders and deputies "who give
cause for anxiety," and that if any state of emergency or warfare
should come about in Syria the army officers intend to set up a
strong government which will back them and which they will
dominate.
Meanwhile Iraq, in the face of the violent
press and radio campaign against it from Syria, continues to be
preoccupied with internal disturbances. The Nun i Said government,
in addition to establishing martial law to control popular unrest,
has arrested a group of opposition nationalists and suspended the
Iraqi parliament for a month.
2 Dec 56 Current Intelligence Bulletin
Page
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3. ISRAELI DEMOBILIZATION BELIEVED LEVELING OFF
The American embassy in Tel Aviv
believes that Israeli military strength--
reported on 27 November at about
100,000, including 25,000 paramilitary
personnel who man the border settle-
ments--will be maintained at its present
level for the time being. The Israeli
defense force appears to be resting its
best troops and using older soldiers and
reservists for occupation duties in Sinai and Gaza.
United Nations truce supervisory teams
which inspected a "defensive area" six miles in depth along
the Syrian-Jordanian lines on 22-23 November found no
evidence of Israeli military concentrations.
The American army attache in Tel
Aviv reported on 29 November that liberal leave was being
granted to Israeli soldiers. He also said that three French
freighters were loading personnel carriets and'othr "
military trucks at Haifa, apparently for return to France.
2 Dec 56
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4.00 CONFIDENTIAL
4. RENEWAL OF TENSION IN HUNGARY
A regime rebuff of worker demands and a
defiant call for a five- to ten-day renewal
of the general labor strike and armed up-
rising--reportedly issued by the Budapest
workers' councils--are responsible for
the renewal of tension throughout Buda-
pest. Renewed fighting has been reported
in Budapest and the provinces. Although
this appears to be limited to guerrilla
activity in the provinces, both the popula-
tion and the regime appear to fear that
fighting will again become widespread.
Various worker groups which talked
directly with Kadar have been rebuffed in their demands for
a "national council" of workers and an independent press,
but subsequently appeared to gain a victory over the regime-
dominated national trade union council when they "forced"
the resignation of its Communist leader Sandor Gaspar.
Sensing an increase in the strength of their position, workers
took part in two public demonstrations on 2 December, burn-
ing issues of the Communist Party paper and then marching
several hundred strong in protest against the kidnapping of a
man in broad daylight in downtown Budapest by Soviet soldiers.
The regime has attempted to play down
the open defiance of the workers. Nevertheless, it is
apparently unable even to exercise influence over the Com-
munist Party. Large numbers of Communists, who must
apply for admission in the reconstituted party--the Hungarian
Socialist Workers Party--are not doing so, despite admonitions
by the current leadership.
Although six of the Soviet leaders at-
tended the Yugoslav reception in Moscow on 29 November,
presidium members Malenkov and Suslov were absent. The
Yugoslav ambassador told Ambassador Bohlen that his in-
formation was that Malenkov and Suslov were still in Budapest.
2 Dec 56
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CONFIDENTIAL
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5, NEHRU'9 VIEWS ON HUNGARY AND SOUTHEAST ASIA
Comment
Nehru's fear of Western domination
of Southeast Asia appears to have been
superseded by distrust of Communist intentions in the area.
This may lead to increased Indian diplomati.c activity there
to counter any expanding Communist influence.
While Nehru is probably genuinely
disturbed over events in Hungary and the possibility of a
resurgence of Stalinism in Moscow, he is probably not
ready to abandon his belief that the USSR and China are
seeking to reduce world tensions.
2 Dec 56
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ME RIGHT IN FRANCE SEEN STRENGTHENED
The sudden deterioration in France's
internal political situation as a result
of the Middle East crisis has strengthened
the possibility that rightist groups might
form a strong enough coalition to assume power either in
the National Assembly or through extralegal means, ac-
cording to the American embassy in Paris. Such a move-
ment would be likely to rally around General DeGaulle,
ex-Gaullist leader Jacques Soustelle, or some younger
general.
The embassy believes support for such
a movement would come from followers of Poujade, French
residents in Algeria, and anti-republican deputies on the
right, but that army co-operation and support would also
be essential.
Comment Rumors of a rightist coup usually ac-
company French political crises. The
growing belief that France has been increasingly isolated
in the present situation has strengthened the appeal of those
who maintain that France could carry out its national policies
from a neutralist position.
There is apparently considerable pres-
sure now for France to withdraw from the UN. Premier
Mollet has assured the embassy that he will not take such
a step, but he believes that if France is defeated in the
General Assembly debate on Algeria, he will be replaced
by a government which would cut UN ties.
2 Dec 56
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Noe
7.
VIETNAM
UNREST IN NORTH
There is widespread dissatisfaction
among the North Vietnamese masses
but the regular army appears to be
completely loyal to the Viet Minh,
Failure to attain political ana economic goals nas
reportedly put the Viet Minh leaders "at their wits' end."
South
Vietnam would win any free elections held in the near future,
and are urging it to fulfill the provision of tlif Geneva, ac-
cords providing for the unification elections.
Comment
The apparent quick suc-
cess of the army in crushing the rebellion near Vinh supports
the view that regular troops remain loyal to the Viet Minh
regime.
South Vietnam's
favorable chances in free unification elections reflect
growing recognition of the viability of the Diem
government.
2 Dec 56
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Now* f�nd
8. REVOLUTION IN CUBA REPORTED SET FOR
ECEMBER
The revolutionary outbreak in Cuba
centering in Santiago de Cuba is only
harassing effort,
the main effort
of Fidel Castro's movement is set for 4 December. A
simultaneous effort reportedly will be made in all provinces
except Havana, perhaps in an effort to draw troops out of
the capital in preparation for action there several days
later, that all local chiefs of the movement have
"firm" orders.
Further rebel attacks and disturbances
seem likely. Castro reportedly has announced that he has
returned to Cuba for a "fight to the death." According to a
press report of 2 December, however, a government spokes-
man said that Castro was killed when the Cuban military
halted an invading force on the eastern coast.
President Batista, whose government
has alleged that former Cuban president Prio and Dominican
dictator Truiillo are linked with Castro in plotting, has
strongly believing
that a force is under training in the uommican Republic for
an attack on Cuba. Should the Cuban situation further
deteriorate, Batista may refer his case to the Organization
of American States, claiming Dominican involvement.
2 Dec 56
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9. SATELLITES INSTITUTE ECONOMIC MEASURES TO
PLACATE DISCONTENTED POPULATIONS
A series of economic concessions to
consumers and wage earners has been
instituted in the past month by all
Satellite regimes which have maintained
a hard political line since the Soviet
20th Party Congress. �The introduction of such measures
at this time suggests that recent events in Poland and Hurgary
have not affected the basic post-Stalin policies of the Satel-
lite regimes to attempt to gain greater popular support.
Price reductions were announced by
the Czech regime on 29 November for the second time in
1956 on an extensive range of foods and some industrial
consumertgoods, ,and on 25 Novemb-er Albania made a
similar announcement--also for the second time this year.
Since 30 October general wage increases
have been granted in Albania and Rumania. Family allowances
for children have been scheduled in Bulgaria and Rumania,
and Pensions have been raised in East Germany and Albaria
and Bulgaria.
2 Dec 56
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