CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/02/17

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03149176
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: February 17, 1956

PAV f/l/ii/PA TOP SECRET
CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
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V 14
17 February 1956
Copy No. 103
DOCUMENT NO. IT
NO CHANGE IN CLASS
DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE. 2010
AUTH: HR 70-2
DATE. 14 MI, to REVIEWER:
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP SECRET
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
A
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Amok, otes..
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CONTENTS
1. STATE OF SIEGE IN PERU
(page 3).
20 HEAVY COMMUNIST MILITARY MOVEMENT TOWARD
TAIWAN STRAITS REPORTED (page 4).
3. BULGARIA PLANS TO REQUEST RESUMPTION OF
RELATIONS WITH US (page 6).
4. COMMUNIST CHINA TO CELEBRATE PRODUCTION OF
FIRST MOTOR VEHICLE (page 7).
5, WET MINH PROPAGANDA THREATENS VIOLENCE ON
ELECTION DAY IN SOUTH VIETNAM (page 8).
6. DEATH OF ITALIAN BUDGET MINISTER VANONI
page 9).
17 Feb 56
* * * *
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(page 10)
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 2
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LCNL
1. STATE OF SIEGE IN PERU
President Odria's declaration of a
nationwide 30-day state of siege re-
flects what is apparently serious
concern of the Peruvian regime over
the sudden uprising of the army garri-
son at Iquitos. Although a government spokesman has
stated that with the exception of Iquitos the country was
completely quiet, with the government in control, uncon-
firmed reports suggest that the movement may be spread-
ing.
The rebels' manifesto, demanding the
end of Odria's authoritarian regime and full guarantees for
the 3 June presidential elections, in effect reiterates the
demands made by the political opposition in recent months.
Antiregime sentiment among the Peruvian military as well
as the general populace has been developing as a result of
Odria's refusal to accede to these demands. Developments
in the past several months have all pointed to a well-directed
plan by Odria to ensure the continuation of his regime in power
by installing a hand-picked successor through rigged elections.
General Marcial Merino Pereira, who re-
portedly initiated the revolt, was a member of the military
junta which emerged from the 1948 Arequipa revolution, fol-
lowing which General Odria was elected head of state.
17 Feb 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 3
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2, HEAVY COMMUNIST MILITARY MOVEMENT TOWARD
TAIWAN STRAITS REPORTED
Chinese Communist military truck
traffic on the highway between Canton
and Swatow, at the southern end of the
Taiwan Strait, was "very heavy" dur-
ing the last 10 days of January,
All of this traffic was at night.
_ CONTIOEFMAi
milmigimpo PRIMAFiY ROAD
SECONDARY ROAD
5p 1yo ilo sm
50 io'o 1O NM
all in-
land river boats in the Canton area were ordered assembled ,
for "license inspection" at Canton harbor during the same
period.
Comment
This information may be related to
another report that some
60,000 troops arrived in Canton in early January and were
17 Feb 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin
Page 4
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to be deployed to the coastal areas of Kwangtung Province.
Air photos taken last year indicated an extensive barracks
construction program was under way in the Swatow area.
Only one army of about 50, 000 troops is currently located
in the area
Other reports have indicated a recent
strengthening of Communist ground forces in the area be-
tween Foochow and Amoy.
The inspection of boat licenses in Can-
ton seems part of the Communist program for the control
of civilian shipping which can be mobilized in time of war.
17 Feb 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 5
Y' LP
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3. BULGARIA PLANS TO REQUEST RESUMPTION OF
RELATIONS WITH US
The Bulgarian minister in Paris is
seeking an appointment with Ambas-
sador DiIlion in order to make a
formal request for the reopening of
re ions with nited States. He told the American
counselor that his government was interested in some
prior indication of how the demarche would be received.
When reminded that the mistreatment
of US legation personnel was an important reason for the
rupture of American-Bulgarian relations, the Bulgarian
minister said that "those days were past" and that he saw
no reason why American diplomats in Sofia would not now
be treated as well as any others, including representatives
of the USSR.
Comment The Bulgarian request is the latest move
by a Soviet bloc country in support of
Moscow's efforts to improve relations of the bloc with the
United States.
The United States broke relations with
Bulgaria in February 1950 following Bulgarian charges
that the American minister in Sofia was involved in a plot
to overthrow the Bulgarian Communist regime. A few
months after Stalin's death, Premier Chervenkov publicly
expressed a wish to re-establish full normal relations be-
tween his country and the United States, Yugoslavia, and
Greece. Subsequently, Sofia took the initiative in restor-
ing normal relations with Yugoslavia and in undertaking
negotiations with Greece, but no direct approach was made
to the US until this month.
The French minister to Tirana recently
told American representatives in Paris that Albania, the
only other Satellite not represented in Washington, was ex-
ceedingly interested in resuming normal diplomatic relations
with the United States. Restrictions on the movement of
Western diplomatic personnel in Albania are considerably
greater than in Bulgaria.
17 Feb 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 6
IfeRE-T-
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'OM ILE I T1A L
4
4 COMMUNIST CHINA TO CELEBRATE PRODUCTION
OF FIRST MOTOR VEHICLE
The Chinese Communists will have
produced their first motor vehicle
by August 1956 and intend to make
a "great show" of the event,
Peiping will send invitations to
persons in most countries of Southeast Asia.
Comment Peiping radio has stated that China's
first motor vehicle factory, at Chang-
chun in Manchuria, will be producing vehicles by 1 October
1956, six months ahead of schedule. The plant is sched-
uled eventually to produce 30,000 Soviet-model four-ton
trucks per year.
Peiping could be expected to make a
major celebration of the plant's official opening, because
it will be one of the first large new machine building plants
built under the Communist regime. The construction site
at Changchun has been a showplace on official tours given
to impress foreign visitors with industrial progress in
Communist China.
Such displays may impress many Asians
with Peiping's propaganda line that China's rapid develop-
ment is possible because it is a Communist state that has
Soviet support. (Prepared jointly with ORR)
17 Feb 56
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1.016111,604W
5. WET MINH PROPAGANDA THREATENS VIOLENCE
ON ELECTION DAY IN SOUTH VIETNAM
Hanoi radio on 10 February broad-
cast the strongest statement to date
in the Viet Minh's propaganda cam-
paign against the national assembly
elections scheduled for 4 March in
le nam. The broadcast stated that "the Vietnam-
ese people who know how to act will not recognize the
faked elections" and will "transform them into a bloody
reply to the Americans and their lackeys." The broadcast
added that President Diem will undoubtedly win the elec-
tions as he did in the "referendum farce."
These are the first Viet Minh statements
strongly implying violence in connection with the 4 March
elections. The Viet Minh had previously condemned the
elections in more general terms and called for an election
boycott.
It now appears likely that the Viet Minh
will attempt to foment extensive disorders to embarrass
the Diem government by creating the impression of insta-
bility and widespread repression. Since the Viet Minh lacks
the capability to prevent the holding of the elections or to
force Diem out in the immediate future, such an effort would
probably be part of a long-term campaign to get a govern-
ment in the south that would cleal with the Viet Minh.
17 Feb 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 8
_sgettri'
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Lt./114r ibtbrii-i-fick-E-
6. DEATH OF ITALIAN BUDGET MINISTER VANONI
The sudden death of Italian budget
minister Vanoni may revive the con-
flict on financial policies which nearly
caused the government's fall and re-
sulted in the resignation of Treasury Minister Gava late
in January. Gaya resigned in protest against rising gov-
ernment expenditures and was replaced on an acting basis
by Vanoni, who favored an expansionist policy focusing on
the ten-year economic development plan which bears his
name�
The Vanoni plan, which seeks a heavy
reduction in unemployment, Italy's chief economic ill, has
been approved by the OEEC in principle and has captured
the imagination of the Italian public. It is widely considered
the Christian Democratic government's most effective polit-
ical weapon against the Communists, but the government has
been slow in working out its final formulation. Vanoni's death
will probably further impede government action on it, particu-
larly if he is succeeded by Gaya, as may be the case.
17 Feb 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 9
rili1rITIWNIT1 A I
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towe' Nvai
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 16 February)
The small selective Israeli call-up of personnel
and vehicles reported on 15 February is continuing, but the
American army attach�n Tel Aviv believes that it does not
indicate an impending large-scale action. This call-up may
be connected with a late December statement by a high Israeli
officer that divisional maneuvers would be held in the Neaev
in January or February.
The Egyptian military attacne in Damascus nas
stated that Egypt believes the period from 1 March to 1 June
will be the most critical in Arab-Israeli relations, since up to
June Israel could mount an attack with some hope of early suc-
cess. From June on, however, Egypt will be too strong for
any attack. The attach�elieves Prime Minister Nasr is rely-
ing to a large extent on the UN Security Council to force Israel
to make some concessions. If this can be done, he believes
there is a chance Nasr would openly advocate peace. The at-
tach�lso said Egypt's "new weapons" were now all in use.
Egyptian pilots are adapting well to the 1V1IG's but are having
some trouble with the IL-28's. The attach�as not very en-
thusiastic about the Soviet T-34 medium tanks, but said the
J5-3 heavy tanks were able to knock out any TsraPli tank
The Syrian UN representative told American of-
ficials in New York on 15 February that his government was
unlikely to press for a Security Council meeting, since Israeli
prime minister Ben-Gurion had stated that plans to resume work
at Banat Yacov were "shelved."
17 Feb 56
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