CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1952/09/24

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05973624
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: June 6, 2019
• Document Release Date: June 27, 2019
• Publication Date: September 24, 1952

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24 September 1952
Copy No.
57
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
Office of Current Intelligence
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NO CHANGE IN LASS. "
0 DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: T.Sej Ca �
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
AUTH: hR 70-2
DATE/
- CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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SECyJPY INFORMATION
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REVIEWER:.
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COP CRET
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SUMMARY
SOUTHEAST ASIA
1. French commander in Indochina sees Paris "enthusiastic" for
continuing war (page 3).
2. Magsaysay may enter 1953 Philippine presidential race (page 3).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
3. Iran begins to inflate its currency (page 4).
4. Comment on new President of Lebanon (page 4).
5. Field Marshal Montgomery lends support to Greek request for aid
(page 5).
6.
EASTERN FUR opE
4filbanian situation
(page 5).
WESTERN EUROPE
7. Head of German Evangelical Church reportedly to visit Moscow
(page 6).
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SOUTHEAST ASIA
1. French commander in Indochina sees Paris "enthusiastic" for
continuing war:
Minh.
General Salan, Commander in Chief of the
French forces in Indochina, states that there
is an "enthusiastic climate" in France for
continuing the military effort against the Viet
In his conversation with Ambassador Heath the day after
returning from Paris, he said that he had been assured parliament
would pass the 1953 Indochina budget without difficulty.
General Salan expressed his appreciation
of the action of the United States Government in expediting the delivery
of additional planes.
Comment:
Salan would have difficulty in obtaining planes for his proposed airborne
operations in Indochina this fall. NO change is apparent in the French
public's apathy toward the war, and the general may have been influ-
enced by a recent decision of military authorities in France to send
him planes, pilots, and maintenance crews by 1 November.
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2. Magsaysay may enter 1953 Philippine presidential race:
Philippine Defense Secretary Magsaysay
is seriously considering entering next year's
presidential campaign, according to an
American journalist in Manila. He would
use the Philippine Veterans Legion as a vehicle to gain his political
ends.
The American Embassy in Manila has also
been told that a group of young Filipino leaders recently sought support
for Magsaysay's candidacy from a prominent opposition party member.
The Embassy believes that with the support of such young leaders and
the Philippine Veterans Legion, Magsaysay might be able to defeat
the established political machines.
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Comment: Magsaysay has no close connection
with Quirino's Liberal Party machine. The Embassy has previously
noted indications of his intent to use the Philippine Veterans Legion as
a political vehicle. The Legion was active in the 1951 campaign for free
elections and sponsored the recent 'Southeast Asia veterans' conference in
Manila.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
3. Iran begins to inflate its currency:
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about $12, 000, 000 worth of new bank
notes have been issued in the past two
weeks. On the basis of the increased note circulation, larger drawings
have been made by the National Iranian Oil Company, the Seven�Year
Plan Organization, and the government for grain and opium purchases.
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the over-a]3.3(h)(2)
increase can be held to the planned 20 percent without substantial oil
sales or foreign aid.
Comment: The issuance of approximately
$50, 000, 000 in additionarank notes was secretly authorized in early
September.
4. Comment on new President of Lebanon:
The election on 23 September of Camille
Chamoun as President of Lebanon by the Chamber of Deputies
restores the country to constitutional government and ends the five-day
rule of General Chehab.
The new French-educated President, a
Maronite Christian in keeping with the Lebanese tradition, is generally
considered to be pro-West in his views. He has a long backgrcund
of British support and has been accused of being a British agent. He
has opposed the former Khouri regime since 1948.
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Chamoun must still cope with widespread
corruption in government and the basic, economic problems of the
country. He also faces the problem of securing the cooperation of
the Chamber of Deputies which has not been dissolved and accord-
ingly includes a majority of Khouri supporters.
5. Field Marshal Montgomery lends support to Greek request for aid:
Deputy SHAPE Commander Montgomery
has presented a signed memorandum to _
the Greek Chief of Staff stating that Greece
cannot maintain the present level of its
armed orces without outside aid. He recommended that Greece
ask NATO how large an army it will be expected to make available
in the event of war, and hOw many troops it should keep-on active
peacetime duty. Montgomery also suggested that Greece should
inquire if NATO would meet the expenses of any forces required
beyond Greece's financial capabilities.
Comment: The Athens government has
already attempted to exploit similar statements by Montgomery to
obtain further aid from the United States, which opposes a reduction
in the Greek armed forces.
EASTERN EUROPE
Albanian situation:
will be =overthrown.
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there is a normal amount
of discontent and unrest in Albania, but
little chance that the Cominform regime
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Comment: This analysis of the Albanian
situation contrasts with the more alarmist tone of Yugoslav propa-
ganda.
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F-4.mong Albanian refugee groups has increased recently. There
is no evidence, however, that the Yugoslays could at this time engineer
a coup from within Albania and set up a substitute government.
WESTERN EUROPE
7. Head of German Evangelical Church reportedly to visit Moscow:
Bishop Dibelius, head-of Germany's 3.3(h)(2)
Evangelical Church, is expected to accept an
invitation from Russian church leaders to
visit Moscow, probably at the end of November.
American officials in Berlin comment that
Dibelius is "not a Niemoeller" and that his subsequent statements on
the USSR may offset much of Niemoeller's harmful propaganda. They
believe that the invitation reflects a Kremlin belief that the Evangelical
Church can still be exploited for exerting pressure in West Germany
for unity talks and for postponing ratification of the Bonn and Paris .
treaties.
Comment: Despite his frequent statements
in support of the Adenauer government and West GermanSes.integration
with the West, Dibelius appears to be still strongly influenced by the
fear of losing contact with the 40 percent of the members of his church
living in East Germany.
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