CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/10/26

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03161870
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: October 26, 1956

Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
Af
L � .1 L
CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
171 #4,�0/
DECLASSOE0
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
NEXT REVIEW CATE:
TS S CLASS. CHANGED TO:
DATE: /4/
AUTH: 70-2
7 REVIEWER.
/4/74
/#44
26 October 1956
Copy No. 11
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
ere a e/ed/Vjffz,e/A "I" -6 C- lit -Er -T- ez,Z150e007/
Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
pproved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870K
AP"
Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
Approved7o7R�elea�s-e7`67-6/1-0723 C03161870
'Noe 11.1111011111110
CONTENTS
1. THE HUNGARIAN SITUATION
2. THE SITUATION IN POLAND
30
(page 3).
(page 5).
OLENCE CONTINUES IN NORTH AFRICI
(page 7).
.7170RE STUDENTS CLASH WITH POLICE
(page t9).
5. U NU REPORTEDLY TO IES11ME BURMESE PRE-
MIERSHIP IN FEBRUARY (page 10).
6. LEBANESE PRESIDENT BELIEVES ARAB STATES
SHOULD JOIN BAGHDAD PACT (page 11).
26 Oct 56
T ARAB-TSRAELI SITUATION
(page 12)
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 2
7011EC-RET---
Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
'oar' �ftwoof
1. THE HUNGARIAN SITUATION
Fighting continued in Budapest through the
evening of 25 October and there was
growing evidence that the disturbances
had spread to the provinces. Early on
26 October the government ordered a
general attack against the rebels and
closure of all offices and factories.
Pecs radio in southern Hungary broad-
cast during the late evening hours on the
25th announcements denying the existence of a revolutionary
committee. The broadcast stated: "There is no revolution-
ary committee. Irresponsible elements have posed as a
revolutionary committee. They broke into the studio and
read an announcement' The American legation in Budapest
has also heard reports of disturbances in Debrecen, Szeged
and Miskolc.
Some Hungarian troops have joined the
insurgents and legation officers personally witnessed on the
afternoon of the 25th some Soviet tanks and their crews who
had also joined the rebels. The legation reported that anti-
government forces appeared to be moving freely in part of
the city and at least one of the four bridges in the central
Budapest area was under their control. Soviet forces and
Hungarian security forces have established defensive positions,
including heavy guns, in the downtown area around the gov-
ernment buildings. A crowd assembled in front of the lega-
tion during the afternoon to ask for assistance; earlier, the
legation area had been the scene of a "big battle."
In an effort to bolster the government's
position, Premier Imre Nagy announced at 1525 Budapest
time on the 25th that the "Hungarian government is initiat-
ing negotiations on relations with the USSR on the basis .
26 Oct 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 3
SECRET
Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
Approved for Rele�a�se 721717/10/23 C03161870
vitriumi
of national independence and equality between Communist
parties and will ask for the withdrawal of the Soviet forces
stationed in Hungary when order is restoredc!' An uncon-
firmed press report indicated that Nagy% statement fol-
lowed talks with Soviet presidium members Mikoyan and
Suslov� who left Budapest at noon on the 25th. Nagy's state-
ment followed the replacement of Erno Gero in the top party
post at an early morning politburo meeting by natiOnal
Communist Janos Kadar.
The major party shake-up which occurred
on the night of 23 October and Gero's subsequent ouster as
party first secretary complete the victory of the moderate
national Communists in their fight for control of the Hungarian
party. These elements may be presumed to have the support
of most of the party membership. Nagy has reaffirmed his
complete fidelity to his program of liberalization and prom-
ised that after the restoration of order he will submit a re-
form program embracing all important problems of national
life. He added that implementation of this program will
necessitate a major change in government personnel on the
basis of the rallying of the popular front and the broadest
democratic national forces.
26 Oct 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 4
tEleRET�
Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
Approvealc;r14-era's7:70-1976/231rC03161870
Nmei
2, THE SITUATION IN POLAND
The Gomulka regime has taken several
steps to strengthen its position and pop-
ular support. The Sejm (parliament)
has approved the reorganization of the
presidium of the Polish Council of
Ministers by eliminating the two posts
of first deputy premier and decreasing
from eight to four the number of deputy
premiers. First Deputy Premier Zenon
Nowak was demoted to deputy premier
Joswiak-Witold was dropped. Both were
removed from the politburo on 21 October. Stefan Ignar,
president of the United Peasant Party, was appointed deputy
premier in a bid for peasant support. Marshal Rokossowski
was retained as a deputy premier.
Gomulka reportedly has promised sev-
eral Catholic deputies that he will review the case of Cardi-
nal Stefan Wyszynaki, theprimate of Poland, who has been
under arrest since September 1953, and that he will make
an effort to resolve the problem of church-state relations.
The release of Wyszynski and the negotiation of a new agree-
ment more favorable to the church would result in a sub-
stantial increase in popular support for Gomulka's policies.
The Sejm also announced that the elec-
tions scheduled for 16 December have been postponed to
20 January. The government may need more time to pre-
pare electoral lists, giving the people some choice between
candidates.
Gomulka told a rally of several hundred
thousand people in Warsaw on 24 October that "It depends
entirely on our opinion whether and how long Soviet special-
ists are required in our army," He also stated that as long
as NATO bases remain in West Germany, the presence of
26 Oct 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 5
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
Approved for Relea-S�e:�Z1-9715/2'3�003161870
_
the Soviet army in East Germany is "in agreement with
our highest state interests," and added that the presence
of Soviet troops in Poland is closely connected with the
presence of Soviet forces in East Germany.
After the rally, several thousand
youths marched through the streets shouting anti-Soviet
and pro-Hungarian slogans. While some clashes between
the youths and Communist workers resulted, the security
police arrived quickly and quieted the situation. The ma-
jor problem of the regime is to consolidate its support
among the people without allowing anti-Soviet sentiments
to get out of hand as they have done temporarily in Warsaw
and Wroclaw, lest they develop into large-scale violence
as in Budapest.
26 Oct 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 6
Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
v.ammoi
3. VIOLENCE CONTINUES IN NORTH AFRICA
Violence continues in North Africa in
response to France's seizure on 22 Octo-
ber of five top leaders of the Algerian
National Liberation Front (FLN).
In Tunisia, where growing numbers of
strikes and anti French popular dem-
onstrations have occurred during the
last three days, the Bourghiba govern-
ment has charged--and French military
authorities have denied--that a French
military convoy forced its way past
5 October and clashed with Tunisian troops.
In Morocco, the bloody reprisals against
French settlers appear to have subsided somewhat, at least
for the time being, but tension continued to mount as a
24-hour strike of some 50,000 French civil servants vir-
tually paralyzed public services on 25 October. The Rabat
government moved a step closer to an outright rupture with
France by following Tunis in the recall of its ambassador
from Paris. Reports of French troop movements and dem-
onstrations at various points in the country are further ex-
acerbating the situation, as Moroccan officials consider
these activities a violation of French assurances in mid
October that no French forces would be moved for the time
being without the sultan's consent.
The Algerian rebels are seeking to mini-
mize the effects of the loss of their Cairo leadership.
Tewfik el-Madani, a former
moderate who joined the FLN in April, has by prearrange-
ment succeeded Ben Bella as chief spokesman for the re-
sistance. He does not, however, have Ben Bella's personal
authority.
the rebels
will not suffer militarily from the capture, as the victims
26 Oct 56 Current Intelligence Bulletin
Page 7
Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
Nos.4.00
are not believed to have had any significant military infor-
mation with them and actual operations will continue to be
directed, as before, from within Algeria.
tne new ieduel :pulp bl.1.1.1
plans to send representatives to the United Nations and to
form an Algerian government-in-exile. (NOFORN)
26 Oct 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 8
Approved for for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
v,..104109
lerftiori
4. SINGAPORE STUDENTS CLASH WITH POLICE
The clashes between Singapore police
and Chinese students which began on
25 October were apparently precipitated
by a government order to parents to get
striking students out of closed schools.
In these outbreaks of violence the stu-
dents are reported to be supported by
pro-Communist labor groups.
British troops have been alerted and the
police have moved into the school grounds
to dislodge the students. The situation
is described as "explosive" and the col-
ony has been placed under curfew.
The student strike began as a protest
against a government order banishing six China-born sub-
versives, who are still being held in Singapore. Their
prolonged detention may aggravate the tense situation in
the colony. Deportation has been an important weapon
against the Communists in both Singapore and Malaya, but
a Malayan official told the American consul general re-
cently that only a very informal arrangement exists with
Communist China on banishment, and that Peiping might
decide at any time not to accept any more deportees.
26 Oct 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 9
Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
Approved forg-eiea-7 5019/10/23 C03161870
Nftpurof
5. U NU REPORTEDLY TO RESUME BURMESE PREMIERSHIP
IN FEBRUARY
Deputy Prime Minister Kyaw Nyein
recently stated that U Nu would re-
sume his post as Burma's prime min-
ister in February,
Ambassador Satterthwaite is inclined to accept
the report, even though it runs counter to the general
analysis since Nu's resignation that he would not in fact
return to power because of his growing conflict with
Socialist Party leaders, particularly Kyaw Nyein.
Comment When Nu resigned last June, it was an-
nounced he would return to office within
a year, but this has been generally considered a face-saving
device.
Prime Minister Ba Swe dislikes day-to-
day government routine and the public limelight. Should he
step aside for Nu, he and other Socialist leaders are likely
to insist on closer control of Nu's activities than during his
previous tenure. Nu's freewheeling in foreign affairs and
in investigating governmental corruption antagonized the
Socialists and was a major cause for his resignation.
Nu is now in Peiping attempting to nego-
tiate a settlement of the Sino-Burmese border problem.
Success in this effort would strengthen the prospect that he
will again become prime minister.
26 Oct 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 10
Approved for for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
Approved To r7Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
Nurmailf
6. LEBANESE PRESIDENT BELIEVES ARAB STATES
SHOULD JOIN BAGHDAD PACT
Lebanon's President Chamoun and
Foreign Minister Lahoud are con-
vinced that "the secret of peace and
stability" in the Middle East is for
erasrares to join the Baghdad pact, according to the
Iranian foreign minister's account of his recent conversa-
tions with them in Tehran. They believe that Saudi Arabia
is the key prospect.
Chamoun reportedly intends to send a
personal message to King Saud, which he proposes would
be followed by strong representations by the Shah during
his visit to Saudi Arabia in December. Lahoud said that
a line-up of Saudi Arabia, the Sudan and Libya with Iraq
and Lebanon would obtain control of the Arab League's
political committee. Jordan was originally viewed as
another possibility, but the recent elections have cast
doubt on prospects there.
Comment While Chamoun and other pro-Western
Arab politicians have said privately they
favor an expanded Baghdad pact, they have never been will-
ing to take such a stand publicly in the face of Egypt's grow-
ing prestige.
A Lebanese approach to King Saud is
likely only to increase his suspicions that Chamoun is a
Western tool. Saud almost certainly would refuse to join
any pro-Western bloc at least until his disputes with Britain
were settled to his satisfaction.
26 Oct 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 11
TOP SECRET
Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870
� Approved for Re-l-e-a-s.e7. 20710/23 C03161870
�Is\mr,
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 25 October)
A large-scale mobilization of taxis and
trucks was reported under way in the Tel Aviv area on 25
October by the American army attache. He said large num-
bers of Israeli army vehicles were reported moving north,
possibly to the Haifa depot, and some elements of the 11th
Armored Infantry Brigade were leaving their base camp. The
attache commented that this pattern is identical with that early
last April, when Israeli-Egyptian tension was high as a result
of the incursions of Egyptian-sponsored fedayeen terrorists.
At that time Israel brought its forces up to some 125.000 men�
the highest level since the end of the Ailestine war.
26 Oct 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 12
�SEC-RE-T�
Approved for Release: 2019/10/23 C03161870