CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1951/03/07

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02682861
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: March 18, 2019
• Document Release Date: March 28, 2019
• Publication Date: March 7, 1951

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7 March 1951 
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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN 
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NEXT REVIEW DATE: 
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DATE )2 ".11--f/REVIEWER; 
Office of Current Intelligence 
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 
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SUMMARY 
NEAR EAST 
1. Moslems react vigorously to recent events in Morocco (page 3). 
EASTERN EUROPE 
2. Soviet officer appears as new Commander-in-Chief of Polish 
Air Force (page 3). 
3. Soviet troops reported in Albania near Yugoslav border (page 4 
WESTERN EUROPE 
4. Italian Christian Democrats involved in Trieste agitation (page 5). 
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NEAR EAST 
1. Moslems react vigorously to recent events in Morocco: 
Recent events in French Morocco 
have resulted in a violent Moslem 
reaction from Tunisia to India. The 
success of the French in imposing 3.3(h)(2) 
their demands on the Sultan, forcing 
him to denounce the Nationalist party 
and restricting his already limited 
powers, has caused a wave of denunciations by Moslem political groups 
and newspapers, not only against French actions in North Africa, but 
also against the continued presence of British troops in the Suez Canal 
area and against the US air base agreement for Morocco. In Egypt a 
state of emergency was proclaimed on 4 March as a result of anti-
French student demonstrations; and the Arab League has summoned 
its Political Committee to a special meeting on 10 March in Cairo to 
discuss the Moroccan situation. 
Comment: There are indications 
that Arab hostility, initially aroused against the French alone, is now 
being directed to a considerable extent against the West as a whole. 
The re-emergence of popular criticism against the British base in 
Egypt may become sufficiently substantial to counter-act the gradual 
progress being made by Egypt and the UK on the difficult treaty issue. 
EASTERN EUROPE 
2. Soviet officer appears as new Commander-in-Chief of Polish Air Force:  
The government-controlled Polish press re-
vealed on 27 February that Colonel General 
Ivan Lukich Turkel, a high-ranking Soviet 
Air Force officer, is now Commander-in-
Chief of the Polish Air Force. No mention was made of the officer 
previously believed to hold that post. US Embassy Warsaw notes that 
this press reference indicates a sudden change in the top command of 
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the Polish Air Force, and that, with the reported appointment of Soviet 
Admiral V. S. Cherokov to command the Polish Navy, all major 
branches of the Polish Armed Forces are now under direct Soviet con-
trol. 
Comment: It is probable that the appointment 
of General Turkel, who is believed to have been Inspector General of 
the Soviet Air Force, will hasten the current strengthening of the 
Polish Air Force. After his appointment as Poland's Minister of 
Defense in November 1949, Soviet Marshal Rokossovsky began a thor-
ough reorganization of the Polish Armed Forces. Recent information 
has indicated that the Air Force is now in process of reorganization 
and expansion, apparently at a more rapid rate than that of any other 
European Satellite. There have been indications that a Polish equiva-
lent to the Soviet Fighter Defense Force is being created. In Feb-
ruary 1951, new Soviet-type jet aircraft appeared at the Warsaw/Bor-
nerowo airfield, which is occupied by a Polish fighter unit. No other 
European Satellite is known to have received Soviet-built jet aircraft. 
3. Soviet troops reported in Albania near Yugoslav border: 
2,000 Soviet troops are encamped north of 
Shkoder (Scutari), near the Yugoslav border. 
Their mission and the date of their arrival are unknown. 
Comment: Although Soviet military and civil-
ian advisers and technicians, probably to the number of several thou-
sand, are active in Albania, the presence of Soviet troop units has never 
been confirmed. 
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During the past winter, Albanian troops have 
reportedly been working on fortifications in the northern border area, 
and problems concerning the border with Yugoslavia are frequently 
given prominence in Albanian propaganda. 
WESTERN EUROPE 
4. Italian Christian Democrats involved in Trieste agitation: 
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US Ambassador Dunn believes that recent 
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Italian irredentist activities in Trieste orig-
inated chiefly in the Christian Democratic 3.3(h)(2) 
Party. The party can be restrained from a 
"provocative anti-Allied Military Government campaign" by British 
representations and reassurances as to present UK policy when Premier 
de Gasperi visits London in mid-March. At that time De Gasperi is 
expected to urge that the 1948 declaration of the W:�stern powers re-
garding Trieste be reaffirmed and that Italian representatives be in-
cluded in any substantive discussions of the problem. 
Comment: The Christian Democrats are in-
creasingly anxious to improve their position for the forthcoming com-
munal elections in Trieste and Italy by championing nationalist causes. 
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