CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1955/08/25

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03436122
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: September 20, 2019
• Document Release Date: September 26, 2019
• Publication Date: August 25, 1955

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W/31:10A 711)57' WI- /174/
46-19
25 August 1955
Copy No. 99
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
El DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE: ,20 Id
AUTH: HR 70-2
DATE: .1../// REVIEWER:
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP CRET
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CONTENTS
1. COMMENT ON THREAT TO FAURE GOVERNMENT
OVER MOROCCAN POLICY (page 3).
2. COMMENT ON CZECH PLANS TO REDUCE TROOP
STRENGTH (page 4).
3. PATHET LAO REPORTEDLY PLANS "GENERAL
OFFENSIVE" STARTING 1 SEPTEMBER (page 5).
4. NEW JET FIGHTER REGIMENT POSSIBLY FORMING
ON CHUKOTSK PENINSULA (page 6).
5. PEIPING SEEN TRYING TO JEOPARDIZE BURMA'S
PROSPECTS FOR US LOAN (page 7).
THE FORMOSA STRAITS
(page 8)
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4101 �A
1. COMMENT ON THREAT TO FAURE GOVERNMENT
OVER MOROCCAN POLICY
Premier Faure's rapid trip from
the Aix-les-Bains conference to Paris
on 24 August was an attempt to placate
conservative deputies who are threat-
ening to withdraw support if he makes "important conces-
sions" to Moroccan nationalists. Some deputies have de-
manded the recall of parliament. Before the National
Assembly adjourned for the summer, the leaders of this
group had warned Faure that they would overthrow him in
October if he replaced Sultan Ben Arafa.
The right-wing parties are not unani-
mous on this question, and the mounting public pressure
for an agreement with the Moroccan nationalists will
probably oblige Faure to risk the loss of much of his con-
servative support. He can, however, count on Socialist
Party support to offset any loss on the right over a liberal
program for Morocco.
Because national elections must be held
no later than next June, a sizable proportion of the 208
deputies who have attacked Faure on the Moroccan issue
would probably be reluctant to overthrow his government
now. This would either risk another Mendes-France cabi-
net or else put in a conservative premier such as Pinay,
who would be a better target than Faure for the Mendes-
France faction.
In any event, the assembly would have
to be recalled to force Faure out of office at this time..
Constitutionally, the assembly can be recalled only by the
premier, by the assembly's steering committee, on which
all parties are represented proportionally, or by the written
request of a majority of the 627 deputies.
A special cabinet meeting will probably
be held within a week, and the position of Foreign Minister
Pinay will likely be decisive. If Pinay backs Faure on a
program acceptable to the Moroccan nationalists, the pre-
mier will probably be able to nut it through withou serious
parliamentary difficulties.
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IV �-4 %, I. I.-4
2. COMMENT ON CZECH PLANS TO REDUCE TROOP
STRENGTH
The Czech governmept's announce-
ment of 24 August that it intends to
cut its armed forces by 34,000 men
e ore e en � o e year is probably designed to
strengthen the propaganda value of the recently an-
nounced Soviet troop reduction plan. This Czech move
may soon be followed by similar announcements from
the other Eastern European Satellites.
While the planned reduction would
mean an 18-percent cut in Czech armed strength, it
would not appreciably diminish the Soviet bloc's over-
all military capabilities.
Czechoslovakia has long been faced
with a labor shortage, especially in agriculture, and the
release of 34,000 troops from military service may ease
this problem.
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4/4
3. PATHET LAO REPORTEDLY PLANS "GENERAL
OFFENSIVE" STARTING 1 SEPTEMBER
Pathet Lao forces have been or-
lered to begin a "general offensive"
,n the two northern provinces of
Laos on 1 September according to
ihe Pathets' tactics will be to cut off all royal
army posts, provoke fire by the defending units, then
counter with full-scale attacks.
Comment Pathet military pressure on govern-
ment outposts in the two northern
provinces has increased sharply during the past two weeks.
The Communists' objective is apparently to consolidate
control of these provinces while negotiations continue and
then to present the government with a fait accompli.
The American army attache in Vien-
tiane has noted a marked improvement in Pathet Lao
capabilities. He reports that the concentration of almost
one third of the Laotian army in the Muong Peun area of
Sam Neua Province increases the likelihood of large-scale
combat, for which the royal army is not prepared either
in leadership or logistically.
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N...� %.0.11 %LI
4. NEW JET FIGHTER REGIMENT POSSIBLY FORMING
ON CHUKOTSK PENINSULA
Comment
The activation of a new jet fighter regi-
ment on the Chukotsk Peninsula would
increase Soviet air defense capabilities in a potential
staging area for Soviet bombing operations against North
America. This area has been the site of several inci-
dents involving American and Soviet aircraft.
The nucleus for a new regiment may
have been drawn from the overstrength 10th Mr Army
fighter regiment based at Provideniya.
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A_
5. PEIPING SEEN TRYING TO JEOPARDIZE BURMAS
PROSPECTS FOR US LOAN
The Burmese government issued a
license in early August for the ex-
port of 3,000 tons of rubber to Com-
munist China at a price reportedly
10 percent above the world market price, according to
information received by the American embassy in Ran-
goon. The embassy believes that Peiping is clearly
trying to jeopardize Burma's eligibility, under the Bat-
tle Act, for a loan from the United States.
Premier Nu has thus far refused to
halt the rubber deal, despite the warnings of his private
American economic advisers. These advisers believe
Nu is under considerable Chinese Communist pressure.
Comment As Peiping is assured adequate sup-
plies of high-grade rubber from Ceylon
under a long-term contract, its effort to buy Burmese rub-
ber at unusually high prices would appear to be for the
purpose of disrupting Burmese-American relations. Burma
has exported no rubber to Communist China since 1953.
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_ V
BIWEEKLY SUMMARY
(11-24 August 1955)
THE FORMOSA STRAITS
Report of the [AC Current Intelligence Group
for the Formosa Straits Problem
1. Chinese Communist military activity opposite
the Nationalist-held offshore islands has remained at a
low level, with only routine activity reported. Within the
past two weeks, five small Chinese Nationalist Army re-
connaissance raids against the mainland have demonstrated
a more aggressive attitude than in the past.
2. Three of the new airfields on the East China coast
previously reported as serviceable (Nantai, Ltmgtien, and
Chenghai) are now considered unserviceable because of re-
cent rain and flood damage. Moreover, it now appears that
the runways were constructed of clay-bound crushed rock in-
stead of concrete as was originally estimated. At the pres-
ent time, no accurate determination can be made as to when
any of the six coastal airfields now under construction will
be completed. As the present monsoon season probably will
extend through late September or early October, it is un-
likely that the runways can be made serviceable before that
time.
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5. The movement of the Chinese Communist 10th
Railway Engineer Division from Kwangsi to Fukien makes
a total of five such divisions being employed on the con-
struction of the projected railroad to connect Amoy with
the main northeast/southwest railway south of the Yangtze
River. Aerial photographs of 11 August show that prelim-
inary construction on this line is proceeding rapidly.
6. Recent aerial photography reveals that the Chi-
nese Communists are developing a new coastal supply
route to the Foochow area which will minimize the risk
of interdiction by Chinese Nationalist naval forces. Small
freighters and motor junks have been moving south along
the Chekiang and Fukien coast on a protected inshore route
into the Santu and Loyuan Bays, just north of the Matsus.
From Loyuan Bay supplies can be transferred over a re-
cently built road to Foochow by truck.
7. The arrival of a battery of four 155mm. guns
on Matsu has increased Nationalist artillery capability there.
These guns have sufficient range to reach the Peiling Penin-
sula, along which the Communists have emplaced at least
16 artillery pieces of unknown caliber.
8. Peiping's propaganda on the Formosa Straits has
remained at a very low level. There has been no further
propaganda discussion of the renunciation of force concept.
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FORMOSA STRAITS SITUATION
Primary roads
Socondary roads
a.
� A OPERATIONAL
� A SERV I CEABi,E
� A UNKNOWN
NAUTICAL MILES
50 100 150
510 100
STATUTE MILES
1 Mil Railroad
150 + 4. .1_ Proposed railroad
COMMUNIST AIRFIELD LEGEND
USABILITY
MIG-15, MIG-17.T11.4, IL.28
11U-2, IL-10, LA-9/11, LI-2, ETC.
UNKNOWN
FIELDS NOT CONSIDERED CAPABLE OF
SUPPORTING SUSTAINED OPERATIONS
AT PRESENT.
lir NATIONALIST AIRFIELD
`mon
?.
--.
,,�\e
� . j .c,�\ 0,- ----
L l ,._.___�...
,''�
. ..,
H U P ( EH t�-,. WIJ
L--,' i
..HANITy 7 ,)
( HU AINING..,,,
---
(. ----
c... i ^-,... �
-X)TV /1 ) L 1
.1g�,LCHIU'N-IC HIAN .
5
SR ,,_S piP
,a..'
GI-UNG
CHEN
SW.
Hong Kong
22j JSV&o. (as.)
(Port.) .-
DESIGNATIONS
PRIMARY, CONSIDERED MOST IMPORTANT IN AREA, WITH PREPARED
RUNWAY GENERALLY 5000 FEET OR LONGER.
SECONDARY: AUXILIARY OR EMERGENCY BASES. OR FIELDS OF LESSER
IMPORTANCE. RUNWAYS GENERALLY LESS THAN 5000 FEET.
CPLRATICNAL: ACTIVE BASE FOR MILITARY a CIVILIAN AIRCRAFT.
SOME BASES USED BY PISTON TYPES MAY 'RE 4SABLE NY JETS.
SERVICEABLE: INACTIVE BASES CAPABLE OF USE BY AIRCRAFT
UNKNOWN: CURRENT STATUS UNDETERMINED.
NANKIN
.)?
SOUTH CHINA SEA
....I' CFI I N A
MATSUS
19,000
NG TIEN
265,000
HSINCHU
TAICHUNG
M
CHIAY1
TAINAN
PINGTU
116 118 1?0 12,2
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