CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/08/08

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03185132
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: August 8, 1956

,Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03185132
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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
8 August 1956
Copy No. 105
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OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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CONTENTS
1. RHEE CONSMF,RTNG DE7ARATION OF MARTIAL LAW
IN KOREA I (page 3).
2. ECUADORAN PROVINCIAL MILITARY GARRISON ATTEMPTS
REVOLT (page 4).
3. WEST GERMAN DIPLOMAT COMMENTS ON ALLIED
MILITARY REAPPRAISAL (page 5).
4. NEW SOLUTION TO BOMBAY LINGUISTIC STATE CONTRO-
VERSY (page 6).
* * * *
THE ARAB-LSRAE LI SITUATION
(page 7)
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1. RHEE CONSIDERING DECLARATION OF MARTIAL
LAW TN KOPF A
President Rhee
was considering declaring martial
law in Korea but ight wait .
until additional outbreaks of violence
occurrea.
Rhee is firmly convinced that all the recent dis-
turbances have been Communist-inspired.
the Public Secu-
rity Bureau has encouragea 1nis oeuei oy supplying Rhee
with fabricated data designed to mislead him. Rhee re-
portedly now believes that the demonstration, in Seoul on
27 July by national assemblymen against police interfer-
ence in the forthcoming loca1 innas an attempt to
overthrow the government.
Comment The recent disturbances have subsided
and the assembly is in recess until after
the presidential inauguration on 15 August. Some disorders
may take place, however, following the local elections on
8 August. Rhee is relying more and more on police meas-
ures, and he would probably declare martial law if further
outbreaks occur.
The increasing influence of the police
and Home Ministry at the expense of moderate elements is
reflected by their success in guiding Rhee's actions by fabri-
cated information.
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2, ECUADORAN PROVINCIAL MILITARY GARRISON
ATTEMPTS REVOLT
A military uprising on 6 August in
Portoviejo�capital of a central
Pacific coast province--under the
leadership of the garrison corn-
mander may have been designed to
block the inauguration of President-
elect Ponce Enriquez.
Reports on the success of the revolt
are conflicting, but it appears to have been localized.
The Ecuadoran press asserts that the rebel commander
seized control of Portoviejo, including the radio facili-
ties, and proclaimed himself dictator. President Velasco
and the minister of government said the movement was in-
significant and "under control:'
Ponce Enriquez is scheduled to be de-
clared officially elected by congress on 10 August and in-
augurated on 1 September.
his strength with the Ecuadoran military has im-
proved recently and, consequently, his chances for a peace-
ful assumption of office. He won the closely contested elec-
tions of 3 June by less than a third of the popular vote.
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3. WEST GERMAN DIPLOMAT COMMENTS ON ALLIED
MILITARY REAPPRAISAL
West German ambassador Herwarth in
London has been saying "to anyone who
will listen" that Chancellor Adenauer
will be placed in an "impossible" posi-
tion if the Western Allies demand from Germany twelve
conventional divisions at the same time Anglo-American
military experts regard conventional forces as of little or no
value. Herwarth also says that, in the long run, if only
armies equipped with atomic weapons are to be considered
valuable, then the German army must be so equipped, since
German opinion would not stand for anything else.
Comment While Bonn appears to be gratified by
American and British assurances that
any plans for a reduction in conventional forces would be
submitted to NATO, various officials, including Adenauer,
have expressed concern over the effect such reductions
would have on the German rearmament program and the
coalition government's chances for re-election in 1957.
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4. NEW SOLUTION TO BOMBAY LINGUISTIC
STATE CONTROVERSY
Announcement by the Indian Congress
Party that its leaders have agreed to
the formation of an enlarged Bombay
state, including the areas of Maharashtra
and Gujerat as well as Bombay. City,
should substantially strengthen the Congress Party's posi-
tion in the national elections of early 1957 by reuniting ele-
ments which have been warring over the linguistic states issue
for the past 10 months. Of the several doubtful states in the
elections, Bombay is the most important to the Congress Party.
Socialists and Communists, who led riots
in Bombay in November 1955 and January 1956 in protest
against earlier partition plans, have not yet reacted to this
move. They and extremist members of the Congress Party
may attempt to renew agitation on the linguistic issue until
election time. However, if the new Bombay plan is generally
accepted, as seems probable, it may provide a precedent for
peaceful solution of India's other linguistic states problems.
The new plan was introduced in parliament
on 7 August and is expected to be approved by that body within
a few days. It reverses a previous hotly disputed decision to
create separate states of Maharashtra and Gujerat and to ad-
minister the city of Bombay directly from New Delhi,
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THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 7 August)
The Israeli radio announced on 5 August that
construction of a dam above Lake Huleh to divert water from the
headwaters of the Jordan River would begin within a few days and
probably be completed within two months. This construction would
be entirely within Israeli territory and outside the demilitarized
zone. The Jordanian radio has reported indications that the Israelis
were going ahead with diversion of the Jordan River, and stated
that Jordanian and Syrian government and military leaders were
in contact to "study the situation and take necessary precautions."
(Press)
Egypt is continuing efforts to organize "fedayeen"
terrorist p-rouns for activities within Israel
About 35 men, including village chiefs,
are reported to be available for possible operations within Israel
from Haifa to the Lebanese frontier. These activities would appear
to rely on the participation of Arabs living in Israel.
in return for arms, ammunition and financial assistance,
groups will carry out "any job we may request" and supply in-
formation.
8 Aug 56
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