CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1957/11/17

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03176907
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2019
• Publication Date: November 17, 1957

t,
er/f zff A r://)4/
A roved for Release: 2019/12/10 C037907."
17 November 1957
0
ve'
CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
Copy No. 13
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
)
NO CH.ikNO[ IN C.,LASSI1pC,
CL 1S. CHANGED TO: Titato
NEXT REVIEW DALE:
AUTH: 7
DATIk.
If 110
REVIEWER:
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP S RET f %%/
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907
#.a/k AII1N
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907
%me '���01
CONTENTS
)Lc 1. SOVIET PARTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE MAY MET
AGAIN IN DECEMBER (page 3).
01- fz_
2. AMERICAN MISSION SEES NO MAJOR CRISIS IMMINENT
IN BERLIN (page 4).
3. MANY NATO MEMBERS PLAN FURTHER DEFENSE CUTBACKS
(page 5).
4. TURKS REDUCE FORCES ALONG SYRIAN BORDER
(page 6).
5. LAOTIAN COMMUNIST PARTY EXPANDING ACTIVITIES
(page 7).
((AL 6. SITUATION IN GUATEMALA
17 Nov 57
(page 8).
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 2
TOP SECRET
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907
1. SOVIET PARTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE MAY MEET
AGAIN IN DECEMBER
Comment on:
Party Secretary Nikolai Belyayev, thought to be a Khrushchev
protege, wanted to carry the purge of Zhukov further by purg-
ing all government and party officials guilty of the "cult of
personality." Khrushchev's policy of
moderation won out, but it is possible that the issue is still
fermenting and that a meeting of the central committee has been
called for next month to consider the issue further.
Although Khrushchev was apparently not
the target of Belyayev's campaign at the October plenum, a
further discussion of the "cult of personality" issue might re-
flect on Khrushchev. Khrushchev's position appears to be
firmer than ever, but recent reports from behind the iron cur-
tain assert that there is strong opposition to some of his pol-
icies. even
suggested that the base of Khrushchev's political power has
been weakened by the purge of Marshal Zhukov,
17 Nov 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 3
TOP SECRET
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907
talur.i. A' 1..L.P./..21 .111.11.1-X1.1
Naloi4 V4111'
2. AMERICAN MISSION SEES NO MAJOR CRISIS
IMMINENT IN BERLIN
Comment on:
The American mission in Berlin be-
lieves the Russians will prevent the
East German government from taking
any action in Berlin which would pre-
cipitate a major crisis at this time.
Mission officials have the impression that the Russians in
Berlin are going out of their way to be friendly. They see
the possibility, however, that the Russians may renounce
responsibility for police power with respect to the Western
Allies in East Berlin and East Germany in an effort to push
the two Germanies concept and compel the Allies to nego-
tiate with East Germany.
The East German regime may tighten
customs and police controls even further in an effort to re-
duce the flow of new currency to the West and to curtail the
serious loss of manpower to the West. In order to make a
formal show of its "sovereign" rights to do so, the regime
might attempt to supervise the movement of Allied rail and
highway traffic to Berlin. The mission believes, however,
that East Germany's desire to reap the benefits of the new
interzonal trade agreement which is to provide the East
German economy with indispensable items may act as a
deterrent to any substantial interference with West Berlin's
communications lines.
17 Nov 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 4
_gavri jia-AaLza.
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907
3. MANY NATO MEMBERS PLAN FURTHER
DEFENSE CUTBACKS
Comment on:
The current annual review of NATO
defense plans reveals a continuing
trend toward cutbacks among those
members defending the central Euro-
pean area. American Ambassador
Burgess, permanent representative
to the North Atlantic Council, believes
that if this trend is not promptly ar-
rested, it will do "great damage" to the prospects of main-
taining adequate "shield" forces on the European continent.
Despite the wide expression of concern
over recent Soviet developments, the need for greater scien-
tific and technical cooperation within NATO, and the general
need for greater unity in the alliance, members feel no obli-
gation to maintain even their present efforts to support the
"shield" forces. Some link continuation of present plans to
receipt of new technical information from the United States,
such as plans for nuclear submarines.
Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, and
Norway all are planning reductions. Most cuts are keyed to
defense budget ceilings--Belgium has operated under the same
ceiling since 1952.
These countries are influenced by the
known lags and cutbacks of the major European NATO mem-
bers, whose plans are still to be formally examined. Ger-
many is lagging in submitting details on long-range plans,
which still call for fulfilling only about two thirds of the
original 500,000-man goal for NATO-committed forces; Am-
bassador Houghton in Paris has pointed to a serious deteri-
oration in the effectiveness of French army forces; and
Britain is soon to make formal approaches for approval of
a second reduction of its forces in Germany.
17 Nov 57 Current Intelligence Bulletin
Page 5
srenr,74
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907
S./...1
NM, �141111
4. TURKS REDUCE FORCES ALONG SYRIAN BORDER
About one half of the Turkish troops
along the Syrian border were or-
dered on 14 November to return to
their normal stations, according to
Ambassador Warren in Ankara. Deployments in August
and September had brought the number of Turkish troops
in the Syrian border area to 50,000. Reduction of this
force by one half would still leave approximately twice
as many troops as were there prior to August. The size
of the remaining force indicates continued anxiety in
Ankara over internal developments in Syria.
The Damascus government will prob-
ably continue to complain that the remaining Turkish mil-
itary forces are menacing Syria and aggravating the situ-
ation in the Middle East.
17 Nov 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 6
-SECRET
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907
,..��
Noe' NEW
5. LAOTIAN COMMUNIST PARTY EXPANDING ACTIVITIES
Comment on:
The Laotian Communist party has ex-
panded its membership during 1957
from 2,000 to around 3,800,
this party, which
was formed in March 1955, will remain covert but will dom-
inate and direct a political organization which is to operate
legally under the terms of the royal government-Pathet Lao
settlement. The Pathets estimated at the end of 1956 that out
of a total population of about 1,200,000, some 170,000 people
throughout an area covering three fifths of Laos had been or-
ganized into their front group,
Thailand may soon
be affected by developments in Laos. ethnic
Thai propaganda teams from Communist China have been
working in recent months in association with the Pathet Lao,
with which they have a close cultural affiliation.
February 1957 that Thai cadres
undergoing training in Communist China were clandestinely
returning to Thailand across northern Laos.
17 Nov 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 7
TOP SECRET
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907
IJA..al %OA A. A�I A
Nod
6. SITUATION IN GUATEMALA
Comment on:
he present instability in Guatemala
eems likely to continue and there are
ounting indications that a military
oup may be imminent.
Moderate political and military forces
are making no progress in their attempts to form a centrist
coalition to oppose both rightist Miguel Ydigoras Fuentes and
the Communist-infiltrated Revolutionary party in the 19 Jan-
uary national elections. These moderates, seriously weak-
ened by factionalism and conflicting personal ambitions, are
becoming increasingly aware that they have no presidential
candidate with the required army support as well as general
popular appeal.
There is a growing belief among army
officers, most of whom strongly oppose both Ycligoras and
the Revolutionary party, that the army will have to take over
There is reason to believe that the defense minister, Colonel
Roberto Lorenzana, and a group of his colleagues may already
have decided on the members of a junta which is to seize the
government no later than 29 November.
Any military government would almost cer-
tainly have to deal with strong popular and organized political
reaction against any postponement of the scheduled elections.
During the mob violence last month, army leadership was in-
decisive and vacillating.
17 Nov 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 8
SECRET
Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03176907