CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/05/19

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03185112
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: May 19, 1956

Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 C03185112
CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
TOP SECRET
1.9 May 1956
Copy No.4*Wisk
-
DOCUMEN1 NO.
CHANGL IN CLA.
DECLASS11::ILD
_ _
CLASS. CHANCiED IO. I3 U
ND: DAlE.
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
viLWERI
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP SECRET
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Ask
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11-4 16.1L.I
'1401=
CONTENTS
. EGYPT MAY OBTAIN ARMS FROM COMMUNIST CHINA
(page 3).
\i2. KOREAN ELECTION REFLECTS RIME'S DIMINISHED
PRESTIGE (page 4).
3. TOKEN WITHDRAWAL OF SOVIET TROOPS FROM EAST
GERMANY page 5),
4. URUGUAY WILLING TO RECEIVE MIKOYAN
(page 6).
5. CROWN PRINCE OF YEMEN TO Vi IT SOVIET UNION
(page 7).
'16. DANISH-SOVIET TRADE AGREEMENT
(page 8).
'17. LENIN'S CRITICISM OF STALIN PUBLISHED IN USSR
(page 9).
8. YUGOSLAVS AGREE TO INCREASE IN US MILITARY AID
STAFF (page 10).
9. SINGAPORE SITUATION
19 May 56
(page 11).
* * * *
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(page 12)
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ET
1. EGYPT MAY OBTAIN ARMS FROM COMMUNIST CHINA
The speed with which
Communist China reacted to the Egyptian request for arms
makes it probable that Moscow and Peiping had co-ordinated
their aims. According to press reports, Egypt will soon
send a military mission to China to examine the types and
quantities of arms available. (Concurred in by
ORR)
19 May 56
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12411.4.11.31772-
*te
2. KOREAN ELECTION REFLECTS RHEE'S
DIMINISHED PRESTIGE
The South Korean election reflects
considerable dissatisfaction with
the administration of President Rhee
and a decline in Rhee's personal
prestige.
With fewer than 300,000 votes not
tallied, Democrat Chang Myon re-
tains a lead of almost 75,000 votes over Rhee's running
mate, Yi Ki-pung. The uncounted ballots are from the
antiadministratiOn stronghold of Taegu. Liberal Party
� spokesmen there have accused the Democrats of bribing
election officials, and have called for a new election in
Taegu and a nationwide recount.
, anti-
government crowds continue to gather in the cities, and tear
gas has been issued to army units.
While opposition sentiment has always
been strong in the cities, the failure of rural areas to pro-
vide Yi Ki-pung with sufficient majorities suggests that
Rhee's prestige even among rural voters is no longer suf-
ficient to offset the unpopularity of the Liberal Party.
19 May 56
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3.. TOKEN WITHDRAWAL OF SOVIET TROOPS FROM
EAST GERMANY
Comment on:
Moscow's withdrawal of one troop train
of Soviet forces from East Germany
four days after the announcement of the
plan to cut Soviet armed forces by
1,200,000 was probably intended as
evidence of the USSR's intention to carry out these reduc-
tions. The Soviet leaders probably believe that this with-
drawal will strengthen West German opponents of the con-
scription legislation soon to be considered by the Bundestag.
They also may hope that their announced plan to withdraw
30,000 troops from East Germany will increase West German
interest in exploring the possibility of reunification based on
general disarmament and neutralization.
The withdrawal would constitute the first
permanent reduction in Soviet ground strength in East Germany
since the immediate postwar period.
Withdrawal of 30,000 troops would consti-
tute a 7-percent reduction in Soviet strength in East Germany
which includes 437,000 ground and air troops. Security in
East Germany can be maintained by a much smaller number
of troops. The small cut at this time suggests that the USSR
may be reserving further reductions of forces in East Germany
for future political advantage.
19 May 56
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f7tritir
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tAil 1if171161-1-21-1:2-
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4, URUGUAY WILLING TO RECEIVE MIKOYAN
Comment on:
The Uruguayan foreign minister
Informed an Ame.eican embassy of-
� ficial on 4 May that he had told the
Soviet minister. Uruguay was willing
to receive A. I. . Mikoyan, a first
deputy premier of the USSR. Although
the Soviet minister to Uruguay observed that he had no of-
ficial notification of a trip by Mikoyan,rumors of such a
trip have persisted over the past few weeks both in Moscow
and Latin American capitals.
A trip through several Latin American
countries by Mikoyan would be in line with intensified
Soviet bloc diplomatic and commercial efforts in the area.
Argentina,.. Brazil, and Uruguay are particularly suscepr.
tibie_to Communist commercial offers in view of their agri-
cultural surpluses and serious balance-of-payments prob-
lems,
19 May 56
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TrefFIDENTI4-12�
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TOP SECRET
5. CROWN PRINCE OF YEMEN TO VISIT SOVIET UNION
Comment on:
The visit of Crown Prince Badr of
Yemen to Moscow on 20 May will be
the first state visit of a high-ranking
Arab to the Soviet Union. The trip is
not only symbolic of increasing Soviet
influence in the Arab states, but reflects the Soviet effort
to disrupt British and American interests in the Arabian
Peninsula.
Yemen and the USSR signed a treaty of
friendship in October 1955. This spring Soviet and Czech
economic missions visited Yemen and a trade agreement with
the USSR was signed. A similar pact with Czechoslovakia is
expected to be concluded shortly. These contacts have been
encouraged by Egypt to undermine the British position in the
Aden Protectorate.
19 May 56
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COMMENTIAL *4,
6. DANISH-SOVIET TRADE AGREEMENT
In the Danish-Soviet trade agreement
signed in Copenhagen on 14 May the
Danes gave in to the Russians on impor-
tant points. They agreed to construct
two 10,000-ton cargo vessels with a
speed rated above that now considered
� acceptable by COCOM for exceptional export, failing at the
same time to secure a Soviet commitment to purchase
larger quantitites of agricultural products. The Soviet
� negotiators apparently made the signing of .a new agree-
ment conditional on Denmark's agreeing to construct the
two vessels.
The pressure of domestic agricultural
Interests for more diversified markets was a major factor
In Anducing the Danish government to negotiate a new agree-
� ment to replace the one which expired in 1954. Negotiations
for a new agreement broke doWn at that time when the Danes
refused to construct tankers for the Soviet Union. During
his visit to Moscow in March, however, Prime Minister
Hansen indicated willingness to permit delivery of cargo ves-
sels to the Soviet Union.
The Danish agreement to construct the .
two vessels is indicative of the prevailing view among many
Western countries that trade with the Soviet bloc should be
expanded. (Concurred in by .ORR)
19 May 56
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CriffilliEtlitr�TICAL
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T-01\1141DEINTIAL
7. LENIN'S CRITICISM OF STALIN PUBLISHED IN USSR
The 18 May 1956 issue of Komsomolskaya
Pravda, official newspaper of the Commu-
nist Youth League, revealed to the Soviet
public that Lenin, shortly before his death,
had sharply criticized Stalin and warned the party against his
use of power. The information was contained in an article
entitled "A Young People's Guide to Stalinism." It was one
of the strongest attacks on Stalin and the "cult of the individual"
yet published.
"Lenin, in the last year of his life," the
newspaper stated, "pointed out that such negative features of
Stalin's character as rudeness, lack of respect for working
comrades, capriciousness and inclination toward}.abuse of
power could lead to a violation of the rules of collective lead-
ership. Unfortunately it happened just that way."
The youth league's newspaper was selected
as the medium for publishing Lenin's criticism because the
youth of the Soviet Union is the group most firmly indoctri-
nated with Stalin hero worship, and more explanation is neces-
sary in this case to justify the blackening a Stalin's name.
The newspaper, however, continued the
established line that Stalin in his earlier years had made a
positive contribution to the party and the Soviet state. The
notes, which have become known as Lenin's testament, were
quoted to show that Lenin had recognized the characteristics
in Stalin that might lead to the establishment of a hero cult,
but no mention was made of Lenin's proposal for his comrades
on the central committee "to find a way to remove Stalin" from
the position of secretary general of the party.
The full text of the testament was not pub-
lished, probably because it would have the effect of putting
Trotsky in a more favorable light than the current regime is
willing to do.
19 May 56
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8. YUGOSLAVS YUGOSLAVS AGREE TO INCREASE IN US MILITARY
AID STAFF
Yugoslav foreign secretary Popovic
told Ambassador Riddleberger on
16 April that the Yugoslav govern-
ment would permit the immediate
aacution ot live persons to the American Military Aid
Staff (AMAS). Saying he was expressing the considered
views of Marshal Tito, Popovic emphasized that his gov-
ernment recognized the importance of the American mil-
itary aid program. American aid had enabled Yugoslavia
to hold its own against the Soviet bloc and thereby helped
effect the changes in Soviet policy which are now apparent.
Popovic said that, as the flow of deliv-
eries under the military aid program is resumed, his gov-
ernment would cause no difficulty on further personnel ques-
tions. He strongly urged, however, that the United States
not force the pace on new personnel assignments in order
not to make more difficult Yugoslavia's policy toward the
USSR.
Ambassador. Riddleberger considers that
this Yugoslav action has re-established the validity of the
1 October agreement between Tito and Deputy Under Secre-
tary of State Murphy in which Yugoslavia agreed to accent
at least 16 additional AMAS personnel.
19 May 56
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SECRET A.
9. SINGAPORE SITUATION
Comment on:
Talks on self-government for Singapore,
which collapsed in London on 15 May,
apparently will not be reSumed by the
present Singapore government despite
Chief Minister Marshall's request to do so on the basis of
a new approach. Marshall does not have the support of his del-
egation, and the British colonial secretary has therefore
refused to resume the talks.
If Marshall carries out his threat to re-
sign when he gets back to Singapore, the Labor Front, of
which he is the leader, or the Liberal Socialists will probably
be given an opportunity to form a new coalition government.
Such a government may hold successful negotiations with the
British, but with representation in the legislative assembly
already unrepresentative and with Communist subversion grow-
ing, any agreement would have little chance of gaining popu-
lar support.
New elections appear to be inevitable un-
less Britain exercises its right to suspend them. The Com-
munist-manipulated People's Action Party appears likely to
win any election in the near future. There are some indica-
tions that the British might risk dealing with a People's Action
government rather than suspend the constitution.
19 May 56
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I
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 18 May)
The UN chairman of the Israeli-Syrian
Military Armistice Commission told the American army at-
tach�n Damascus on 16 May that he had reliable information
Israel had moved 20 Sherman tanks into the Rosh Pina-Nazareth-
Lake Tiberias area, and that he personally had seen 10 truck-
loads of personnel and equipment heading for Rosh Pina. He
believed these movements were an advance party for a unit.
Rosh Pina is about 6 miles southwest of Banat Yacov. The of-
ficial added that he and other observers had searched the de-
militarized zone limt failed tn find pillidar troops or equipment
inside the zone. I
cnair man also saia that the unusual'
volume of Israeli complaints against Syria submitted to the
commission, including many trivial items, leads him to be-
lieve that Israel is trying to build up a case against Syrian ob-
servance of the cease-fire agreement to present to the UN. The
Israeli representative to the commission admitted
Israel had ordered any viblation, however slight, was
to be reported. The chairman said he doubted there was much
basis for many of the T _sraP1i 211PcrafifIns
19 May 56
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