THE PRESIDENT'S INTELLIGENCE CHECKLIST 21 AUGUST 1961

Document Type: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
0005959008
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
T
Document Page Count: 
3
Document Creation Date: 
September 16, 2015
Document Release Date: 
September 16, 2015
Sequence Number: 
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
August 21, 1961
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tta 41, Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/05/04 : CIA-RDP79T00936A000200070001-7 50)(1 21 AUGUST 1961 CHECKLIST (COPY) 1. BERLIN. AS OF THIS MORNING, TRAFFIC ON THE AUTOBAHN INTO BERLIN REMAINED NORMAL, DESPITE THE WIDE CURRENCY YESTERDAY OF RUMORS THAT CLOSURE BY THE EAST GERMANS WAS IMMINENT. WE BELIEVE THE RUMORS CAN BE TRACED TO A REMARK CREDITED TO AN EAST GERMAN POLICEMAN THAT THE "BORDER CROSSING IS TO BE CLOSED IN THE NEAR FUTURE." IF SUCH A STEP WERE, IN FACT, TAKEN THE EAST GERMANS WOULD MOST LIKELY ALLEGE THE NEED FOR REPAIRS 50X1 50X1 BOTH MAYOR BRANDT AND THE WEST BERLIN PRESS HAVE REGISTERED THEIR SATISFACTION WITH THE STEPS TAKEN BY THE US. AMBASSADOR DOWLING DESCRIBES THE VICE PRESIDENT'S VISIT AS AN OVERWHELMING ' SUCCESS--THE MOST SIGNIFICANT EVENT IN BERLIN HISTORY SINCE LIFTING OF THE BLOCKADE. MOSCOW HAS REACTED WITH PREDICTABLE INDIG- NATION, BUT THE EAST GERMANS HAVE ASSUMED A STUDIED DISDAIN. THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE CHANGE IN THE SITUATION IN EAST BERLIN. US MISSION OFFICERS ON 18 AUGUST NOTED TWO LARGE TANK PARIS IN THE CENTER OF THE CITY, BUT OBSERVED FEWER UNIFORMED PERSONNEL THAN EARLIER LAST WEEK. THERE HAVE BEEN INDICATIONS, HOW- EVER, THAT THE REGIME IS PLANNING AN EARLY CURRENCY REFORM. ON THE MILITARY SIDE, THERE HAS BEEN SOME INCREASE IN SOVIET TRANSPORT ACTIVITY, AND THE GRADUAL AUGMENTATION OF EAST GERMAN FIGHTER 50X1 STRENGTH, UNDERWAY FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, CONTINUES. 50X1 ARCHIVAL RECORD 50X1 PLEASE RETURN TO Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/05/04: :71X:RDP 4 194T0090000200070001-7 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/05/04 : CIA-RDP79T00936A000200070001-7 ^rob 50X1 THERE .ARE ALSO NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THE MOVEMENT OF SMALL UNITS OF SOVIET AND EAST GERMAN GROUND FORCES. AT PRESENT, HOWEVER, BEST INDICATIONS ARE THAT THIS ACTIVITY IS CONNECTED WITH IMPENDING FIELD EXERCISES, REGULARLY STAGED AT THIS TIME OF YEAR. 50X1 alm5oxi 2. MOSCOW'S DISPLAY OF "CENTO DOCUMENTS': OUR EMBASSY SEES THE PROPAGANDA SHOW STAGED LAST FRIDAY AROUND THE PURPORTED EVIDENCE OF CENTO AGGRESSIVENESS AS SERVING SEVERAL PURPOSES: (A) EXTENSION OF THE DRAMATIC THREATS OF NUCLEAR ATTACK MADE EARLIER AGAINST ITALY AND GREECE TO US MIDDLE EASTERN ALLIES; (B) BOOSTING OF THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST FOREIGN BASES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE UPCOMING NEUTRALIST CONFERENCE, AND, ?(C) DISTRACTION FOR THE SOVIET PUBLIC FROM THE BERLIN BORDER CLOSING. NOTES A. FRONDIZI, STILL UNDER FIRE FOR HIS MEETING WITH GUEVARA LAST FRIDAY, IS NOW PLANNING A RADIO REPORT TO THE NATION TONIGHT ?TO EXPLAIN HIMSELF. QUADROS, WHO AWARDED THE CUBAN A HIGH DECORATION ON THE FOLLOWING DAY, IS ALSO GETTING SOME STATIC, ESPECIALLY FROM THE BRAZILIAN MILITARY. B. OUR MILITARY MISSION IN SOUTH VIETNAM MARKS UP THE 13-16 50X1 AUGUST OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE VIET CONG AS A WELL-MANAGED SUCCESS. 50X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/05/04 : CIA-RDP79T00936A000200070001-7 50X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/05/04 : CIA-RDP79T00936A000200070001-7 C. THE NORWEGIAN PRIME MINISTER'S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER TOLD OUR EMBASSY LAST FRIDAY THAT KHRUSHCHEV IS SEEKING SOME ACCEPTANCE OF A DIVIDED GERMANY AND THAT SOME SORT OF DE FACTO RECOGNITION IS UNAVOIDABLE. NORWEGIANS, HE SAID, DO NOT WANT TO BE BLOWN UP FOR "THE ADENAUER LINE." D. LAST MINUTE OPINION STILL GIVES CHEDDI JAGAN THE EDGE IN TODAY'S BRITISH GUIANA ELECTIONS. E. THE CHINESE COMMUNISTS ARE DOING CONSIDERABLE DIPLOMATIC LOBBYING AMONG THE NEUTRALISTS HOPING TO BLUNT ANTICIPATED INDIAN AND YUGOSLAV CRITICISM AT THE BELGRADE CONFERENCE. F. , A LONDON OBSERVER CORRESPONDENT HAS REPORTED THAT BOMB FRAGMENTS FOUND IN AN ANGOLAN VILLAGE BOMBED BY THE PORTUGUESE ON 29 JULY ARE STAMPED "PROPERTY OF THE US AIR FORCE." Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/05/04 : CIA-RDP79T00936A000200070001-7 50X1 50X1