CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1952/01/24

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02046531
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: May 24, 2019
• Document Release Date: May 30, 2019
• Publication Date: January 24, 1952

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SECIJRTTY INFORMATION
24 January 1952
Copy No.
4 9
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLAS � yr---
f DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: T3
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
AUTivit I-IR 719,ii
DAT44114.,ri
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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SEC INFORMATION
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SUMMARY
FAR EAST
1. Chinese Communists concentrate forces near Indochina pass (page 3).
2. Viet Minh capabilities greatly increased (page 3).
3. Viet Minh headquarters reports on French losses (page 5).
4. France would refuse transit of Indochina to"General Li Mi (page 6).
5. Britain reportedly will continue support of Burma Socialists (page 6).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
6. Turkey continues to insist on inclusion in Admiral Carney's command
(page 7).
7. Egyptian officials desire US aid in solving Anglo-Egyptian dispute
(page 7).
WESTERN EUROPE
8. Portuguese scientists offered atomic research facilities in France
(page 8).
9. Large antibiotic transshipments made through Switzerland (page 8).
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FAR EAST
1. Chinese Communists concentrate forces near Indochina pass:
�
French intelligence in Hanoi accepts as 3.3(h)(2)
confirmed the presence of 60, 000 Chinese
Communist regulars in the region between
Nanning and Pingsiang, the best pass into
Indochina. (SEE MAP) The US Consul comments that, if this report is
true, the "picture is not good," since a force of this size in such a small
area appears unnecessary for local security control.
Comment: Numerous reports indicating a
build-up of Chinese Communist forces in the border area as a whole have
not been confirmed. However, reports
lave been received in recent weeks of an influx of Chinese regu3.3(h)(2)
lars into the eastern section of the border area. The reported 60,000
troops constitute the largest single concentration which has been reliably
reported. /
3.3(h)(2)
It is possible that deployment of Chinese
Communist troops is designed to divert the attention of the French or to
cause enough displacement of French forces to benefit the Viet Minh
without actually involving China in hostilities.
2. Viet Minh capabilities greatly increased:
A French official told the American Consul In
Hanoi that despite De Lattre's strategy and
increased American aid, the situation in Tonkin
is "more grim" than a year ago. The Viet
Minh army is now a far more efficient force, is receiving far more Chinese
logistic support, and despite heavy casualties, appears to have "inexhaustible"
manpower reserves. The Consul comments that a feeling of futility seems
to be spreading among the French.
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co,
sWen-shan
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.�
��./ Lao Kay
LAOS
H3 Giang
� .L.,;,ng�-ch:.-.1
Na Charn
TONKIN
N A
I HANOI
St
Nan-rjrz,
La-ping
AREA OF REPORTED
TROOP CONCENTRATION
GULF OF TONKIN
:jor pass into ichina
Road Raroad
50
100
Miles
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Comment: When De Lattre arrived in Indo-
china a year ago the French were in grave danger of being driven out of
Tonkin. -
In the past, reserve manpower has been the
greatest problem of the Viet Minh military effort. Viet Minh infiltration
of the Tonkin delta during recent months has provided it with access to a
manpower reservoir which it has evidently been exploiting with great
success.
A French Admiral in Saigon, recently returned
from Tonkin, said the French command was "preoccupied" with the ability
of the Viet Minh to maintain pressure aginst the French defenses in the
delta over such a prolonged period.
3. Viet Minh headquarters reports on French losses: 3.3(h)(2)
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3.3(h)(2)
Central Annam, detailing French losses in Tonkin
from 10 November to 31 December, states that
there were 6, 637 killed and 1,319 captured, plus an uncalculated number of
wounded. The capture of large supplies of ammunition, weapons and equip-
ment was also claimed.
Comment: This listing of French per-
sonnel losses is roughly equivalent to losses claimed in Viet Minh broad-
casts and might be designed as internal propaganda.
According to General Salan, Acting Commander
in Chief of French-Vietnamese forces, French losses during this same period
were 572 killed, '780 missing, and 1, 000 wounded. Since the French figures
apparently pertain only to the area of heaviest fighting, however, the Viet
Minh figures for prisoners may not be greatly exaggerated. General Salan
estimates at 23, 000 the, number of Viet Minh losses during the same period.
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4.
France would refuse transit of Indochina to General Li Mi:
The French Foreign Office has asked the
French High Commissioner in Saigon "to
refuse formally any visa for Indochina to
General Li Mi, Commander of the Chinese
Nationalist units which are operating in upper
Burma. t'
Comment: Burma had asked France to 'take
this step in order to prevent Li Mj Treturn to that country from Formosa.
Present indications are that he will not return to Burma, and there is no
evidence that he intends to seek entry into Indochina.
3.3(h)(2)
5. Britain reportedly will continue support of Burma Socialists:
Current British policy toward Burma is to 3.3(h)(2)
support the Burma Socialist Party, especially
if Premier Thakin Nu is retained as head of
the government,
The British believe that the Socialists will continue in power indefinitely
despite any efforts by Commander in Chief Ne Win to establish a military
regime.
Comment: This report is supported by Mac-
Donald's public and private statements, and there are no indications that
the British Cabinet will alter this policy.
Although in control of a government which
is fighting Communist insurgents, the Burma Socialists consider them-
selves to be a Marxist-Leninist party. Their neutral foreign policy is
largely based upon a desire to avoid antagonizing Communist China.
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NEAR EAST - AFRICA
6. Turkey continues to insist on inclusion in Admiral Carney's command:3.3(h)(2)
Turkey has reiterated its desire to be included
in Admiral Carney's Southern European Com-
mand rather than in a separate command com-
posed of Greece and Turkey. A Turkish Foreign
Office official has expressed to the Greek Am-
bassador in Ankara his country's concern and surprise over the reported
acceptance of the separate command principle by the Greek Military Attache
in Washington.
Comment: Turkey's insistence on inclusion in
a European command stems from prestige considerations and from the real-
istic view that Turkey's defense will best be assured if it is tied to European
defense as a whole. The Turks cherish a deepseated suspicion that a sepa-
rate command would fall to British control and be used as an instrument of
British policy in the Near East.
7. Egyptian officials desire US aid in solving Anglo-Egyptian dispute
The Egyptian Ambassador in Washington has
expressed his belief that a solution of the Anglo-
Egyptian crisis is possible if the "neutral and
respected" United States plays a leading role
and if face-saving formulas are found for Britain
and Egypt. The Ambassador suggested that
Britain might guarantee that it would evacuate
its troops within a certain time and that Egypt
might then declare its readiness to discuss the Western defense proposals.
The Lebanese UN delegate, Charles Malik, has
also expressed his belief that the US should "step in and take an active part"
in solving the Anglo-Egyptian crisis. According to Malik, the Egyptian
Foreign Minister has indicated that he or the Prime Minister may come to
Washington for the purpose of finding a way out of the current impasse.
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Comment These two expressions of interest
in American mediation efforts inaicate that the Wafd government is anxious
to find a compromise solution to the present crisis despite the intransigent
attitude expressed by Egyptian officials in public.
WESTERN EUROPE
8. Portuguese scientists offered atomic research facilities in France
The French Ambassador in Lisbon has been
instructed to inform the Portuguese Government
that France's Atomic Energy Commission is
willing to authorize Portuguese scientists, engi-
neers, and technicians to conduct research at
its processing plants and laboratories.
3.3(h)(2)
Comment: There has been no indication of
Portuguese reaction to a similar French proposal made to Premier Salazar
last March. By this current offer the French Government is showing its
appreciation for the 71 tons of radioactive minerals recently shipped from
Mozambique to France. \
9. Large antibiotic transshipments made through Switzerland:
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
Approximately 7, 500 metric tons of streptomycin
were transshipped to Prague through a Swiss firm
during 1951, accorang to the British Consul in
Basel. About 20 percent of this quantity reportedly
cap to Switzertand through Israel. The Consul states that the shipments
were sent to Prague via Swissair and KLM.
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Comment: It is most improbable that such a
large amount of streptomycin was sfiipped by air through Switzerland
during the�past year. During the past three years, the Soviet bloc has
been getting large quantities of antibiotics from such widely separated
points as the United States, Britain, Denmark, Australia, Italy, and
Macao. Switzerland, Hongkong, and Israel have been frequently used
as transshipment points. The Soviet bloc's success in procuring anti-
biotics is underscored in part by the capture by UN forces in Korea of
antibiotics manufactured in America.
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