CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1953/07/15

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Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
02050145
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RIPPUB
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U
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8
Document Creation Date: 
July 15, 2019
Document Release Date: 
July 22, 2019
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Publication Date: 
July 15, 1953
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PDF icon CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULL[15677556].pdf294.96 KB
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TY INFORMATION Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 RET 15 Iuly 1953 Copy No. CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Ak.11H: DAM. Office of Current Intelligence CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY TOPS ET SECU INFORMATION Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2050145 Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2050145 ,44.00TOP bRE SECURITY INFORecumu,N 3.5(c) SUMMARY GENERAL 1. UN secretary general to delay poll on reconvening General Assembly (page 3). 2. 3.3(h)(2) SOVIET UNION ,Commenton Malyshev replacement (page 4). Yugoslav charge in Moscow reports arrest of Soviet generals (page 5). FAR EAST 5. American embassy comments on South Korean repudiation of economic agreement (page 5). 6. Chinese Communists reportedly raid main Nationalist-held offshore islands (page 6). SOUTH ASIA 7. Indian Communist Party allegedly to increase contacts with Chinese embassy (page 6). NEAR EAST - AFRICA 8. Caffery blames British military for new crisis in Egypt (page 7). WESTERN EUROPE Neiel More trouble anticipated in East Berlin (page 8). * * * * 3.5(c) 2 "ISIP--SEeRET 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2050145 Approved for Release: 5019/07/10 CO2050145 vftwiTOP SECRET SECURITY INFORMATION 3.5(c) GENERAL 1. UN secretary general to delay poll on reconvening General Assembly: Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold assured3.3(h)(2) a member of the American UN delegation on 13 July that he is opposed to reconvening the Gen- eral Assembly prior to the signing of a Korean armistice. He said that he would delay polling UN members on the issue at least until next week. 2. Comment: General Assembly president Pearson stated last week that in accordance with the formal request from Indian prime minister Nehru, he would ask the secretary general on 14 July to poll UN members about the desirability of a special session. Pearson feels that no further delay is possible. The secretary general is obliged under UN rules of procedure to conduct such a poll immediately upon a formal request from any UN member state. However, Hammarskjold apparently feels that he can administratively delay the poll for at least a short time. - 3 - 3. 3(h)(2) 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2050145 Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2050145 ET SECURITY INFORMATION 3.5(c) 3.3(h)(2) SOVIET UNION 3. Comment on Malyshev replacement: The revelation in Evening Moscow that I. I. Nosenko has replaced V. A. Malyshev as minister of transport and heavy machine building, a key economic post, has aroused speculation that Malyshev is the first of many high-level figures to be purged in the wake of Beria's arrest. Part of the Associated Press report on Malyshev's replacement was not passed by the Moscow censor which may indicate either that his status was not known by the censor or that a suggestion of his being purged was cut out. While his purge remains a possibility, it should be noted that Malyshev has had no known connection with Beria. His appearance at the Bolshoi Theatre on 27 June with 1.1. of the 14- member presidium suggests that he had replaced Melnikov, who was absent, as an alternate member of that body. Malyshev, a top-flight administrator with engineering background, was once reported as involved in producing equipment for Russia's atomic energy program. He may have moved out of his previous ministerial position to take over the direction of atomic energy in place of Beria. Nosenko, who has been Malyshev's deputy since 1950, is also a top-flight engineering administrator and a logical choice for his present position. - 4 - TOP'S1 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2050145 Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2050145 3.5(c) 4. Yugoslav charge in Moscow reports arrest of Soviet generals: The American embassy in Moscow reports that one of its more reliable sources, the Yugoslav charge, has "confirmed" recent rumors concerning the arrest of certain army officers including General Sintlov, chief of the Moscow garrison, and General Artemev, commander of the Moscow Military District, The Yugoslav's source, a Red Army colonel, reportedly added that rumors were circulating in army circles that the government planned a reduction in the armed forces. 3.3(h)(2) In the opinion of the Yugoslav charge, the Beria case was a serious blow to the regime, and he expressed appre- hension that a feeling of weakness might lead the Soviet leaders "into actions which otherwise they might not take." He also believed that a stiffening in the Soviet attitude would take place in the immediate future. Comment: Both Sinilov and Artemev have held their present posts for many years. As head of the Moscow Mill- tail District, Artemev has provided troops on occasion as auxiliaries to MVD forces for government protection and in 1939 was reported to have commanded a motorized rifle division for security police operations. An earlier reported rumor of Marshal Zhukov's arrest has been negated by a press report of his presence at a Mongolian embassy reception on 12 July. The Soviet regime probably does not feel so unstable as to consider it necessary either to go to war or to make major concessions to the West to maintain itself in power. Indications since Beria's ouster suggest that the Soviet leaders will continue the "conciliatory" post-Stalin foreign policy. FAR EAST 5. American embassy comments on South Korean repudiation of economic agreement: The South Korean government has informed 3.3(h)(2) American officials that it will not honor its previous agreement relative to a hwan-dollar - 5 - T(DP-SRT 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2050145 Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2050145 NmeTOP ET SECURITY INFORMATION 3.5(c) exchange rate, and that it has "decided not to advance any more hwan" to the UN Command. The note, dated 10 June but only delivered within the last week, asserted that the exchange rate will remain at 60-1 unless the United States agrees to a permanent rate of 180-1, and announced that the United States must settle for all hwan drawings since 30 April at the former rate. The American embassy comments that South Korea's "bare-faced" disregard of its commitments as well as of eco- nomic realities, shows that in the economic as well as military and political fields, the government believes that the United States cannot afford to withdraw its support. 6. Chinese Communists reportedly raid main Nationalist-held offshore islands: Small groups of Chinese Communist troops during the first week of July raided Chinmen and two other Nationalist-held islands close to Amoy in Fukien Province Several Chinese Nationalist soldiers were captured by the Communists before their withdrawal. Comment: These raids may have been made to gain basic information prior to a major attack. Chinmen, the largest of the Nationalist-held islands immediately off the China coast, is now garrisoned by approximately 50,000 men. The Chinese Communists are currently con- ducting a campaign against the Tachen Islands about 400 miles to the north. SOUTH ASIA 7. Indian Communist Party allegedly to increase contacts with Chinese embassy: A. K. Gopalan, Communist party leader in the Indian parliament and recent visitor to Moscow, allegedly has stated that he wishes - 6 - 3.3(h)(2) 3.3(h)(2) 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2050145 Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2050145 Nee TOP SEKET CURITY INFORMA 3.5(c) to shift the contacts of the Indian Communist Party from the Soviet to the Chinese embassy in New Delhi, 3.3(h)(2) Gopalan added that the Soviet Union desires that the Indian Communist Party give special emphasis toward affiliation with the Chinese. According to Gopalan, the Soviet embassy is prepared to supply the New Delhi Communist headquarters with about $20,000, provided Indian Communists follow the current Moscow line. Comment Aside from the issue of greater affiliation with the Chinese embassy, this information is consistent with known facts and current analysis. It therefore appears that Soviet influence over the Indian Communist Party is dominant but that the USSR and Communist China are aware of each other's programs and are work- ing together. NEAR EAST - AFRICA 8. Caffery blames British military for new crisis in Egypt: Ambassador Caffery feels that the British 3.3(h)(2) military authorities at the Suez base "have again upset the apple cart" in Egypt and is convinced that the whole affair is the result of "almost incredible blundering of the British military." The fact that the British seem honestly surprised at Egyptian reaction, Caffery considers evidence of their failure to grasp the real temper of Egypt. He believes that the British "ultimatum" to the subgovernor of Ismailia for the return of the RAF airman, allegedly abducted by a "well-known thug" and an Egyptian officer, and the subse- quent military controls established around the town have laid the British open to current inflammatory Egyptian statements. According to Caffery, British embassy spokesmen have stated categorically that the Suez military officials took action in reference to the airman on their own initiative. British charge Hankey left the impression with Caffery that he was extremely upset by the affair and trying hard to play it down. - 7 - TOY3 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2050145 Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2050145 TOP SECRET SECURITY INFORMATION 3.5(c) WESTERN EUROPE 9. More trouble anticipated in East Berlin: American officials in Berlin believe that the 3.3(h)(2) partial withdrawal of Soviet military forces from the city is designed to salvage the prestige of the East German Communist Party by demon- strating confidence in its ability to control the situation without Soviet assistance. The slow-down campaign in the factories and the demonstrated weakness of the East German government make it possible, however, that there will be further uprisings, which could be put down only by Soviet force. Some heavy military equipment and several thousand Soviet troops are still in or near Berlin. The factory workers are continuing to make both economic and political demands, but they appear to lack effective organization above the factory level. Comment: Reports that strikes are planned In a number of East German cities for mid-July suggest that the eco- nomic reforms have been insufficient to placate the population. An East German Christian Democratic paper is said to have called for "a basic political solution" for the zone's "grave internal illness." - 8 - T ECRET 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2050145