MANNER IN WHICH LAND REFORM IS FORCING PEASANTS INTO ARMY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00926A003400040024-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 14, 2006
• Sequence Number: 24
• Publication Date: September 29, 2003
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/10/23: CIA-RDP80-00926A003400040024-5
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENdY 25X1 REPORT
INFORMATION REPORT ca NO.
COUNTRY China
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
. IACOU I RED
Manner in Which Land Reform is Forcing Peasants NO. OF PAGES 2
into Army
25X1
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT 50
U. S. C.. 31 AND 32. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION
OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PRO-
HIBITED BY LAW. REPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS PROHIBITED.
3. What is not generally known is how the rule is applied., If a man could produce
on the land he sharecropped 20 piculs of rice,, he paid 10 piculs to his landlord.
Under the new regime each parcel of land is assed'as to a quota, i e, what
the land should produce according to the Communist Party agent, The same parcel
which produced only 20 piculs is perhaps given a quota of 80 or 100 piculs, The
13 per cent is not only assessed upon the rice, but also on all other produce
and on everything which is used on the farm. Thirteen per cent of the pigs
raised are turned over to the government; 13 per cent of truck garden produce is
turned over, 13 per cent of winter wheat or other crops are also turned in. '
Thirteen per cent of all water hauled, of all fuel used, of all manure and ferti-
lizer used is turned over to the government,
4, Many farmers are forced-to buy elsewhere in order to meet their quota. The crucial
and most shocking fact of the whole system, however, in this-, each person's quota
amounts to only two mom of land. This is equal to 1/3 of an acre,' There is usually
only one alternative to starvation; join the army,
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL/US OFFICIALS ONLY
Ix
1, The following is an authentic incident. A rich Yangtze river farmer was brought be-
25X1 fore a Communist agent whom he recognized as a friend of his. After a friendly
discussion,, the farmer agreed to give up all his land to be divided-among the.
25X1 people, There was no trial before a peoples' court and the matter was settled.
Later, when the agent reported to his superiors, he was denounced, and sent to
a training center for intense re-indoctrination. The farmer was brought to
trial, fiercely accused, then stoned to death. The element of class struggle
was too important to be left out,
2,. Everybody is agreeably surprised to learn that under the new regime they will
have to pay only 13 per cent of their produce (instead of the former 50 per cent)
to the government. This is a very strong propaganda weapon,.and forms an impor
taut part of the agrarian land reform program,
JZZ
FBI
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
DATE DISTR. // May 1951
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
Approved For Release 2007/10/23: CIA-RDP80-00926A003400040024-5
 Approved For Release 2007/10/23: CIA-RDP80-00926AO03400040024-5
`'', 25X1
CONFIDENTIAL/US OFFICIALS.ONLY
-2-
5. Thus, the great Chinese Communist Field Armies are indeed made up partly of
recruits who are volunteers in a technical sense. These men preferred the risk
of death at the front to certain death at home from starvation.
6. In the division of land, families are deliberately broken up. Each person's
share of twc. mou may be located in different localities, far apart. 'A wife's
lot may be many miles from her husband's. and the son's, many miles in a
different direction.
CONFIDENTIAL/US OFFICIALS ONLY
Approved For Release 2007/10/23: CIA-RDP80-00926AO03400040024-5