CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1954/04/04

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02058866
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 20, 2019
• Document Release Date: August 30, 2019
• Publication Date: April 4, 1954

Approved for Release. 2019/08/02 CO2058866 ,
7YS'E'CRET 44
4 April 1954
Lopy NO. 7C,
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO. en_
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
CI DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE-
AUTH: HR 70-2
DATE:47,0aZ9. REVIEWER:
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2058866
Approved for Release: 2619/08/02 CO2058866
vie 1U1' (.K.t1
SUMMARY
GENERAL
1. British observers note success of Soviet tactics on collective
security (page 3).
FAR EAST
2. Japanese still hamper American investigation of atomic incident
(page 3).
3. Rhee seeking further to increase his personal control over South
Korea armed forces (page 4).
4. Hong Kong air defenses prove inadequate (page 5).
SOUTHEAST ASIA
5. Military situation throughout Indochina held steadily worsening
(page 5).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
6. Jordan's chief of staff blames Palestinian Arab refugees for
Negev bus incident (page 6).
7. Embassy comments on Greek minister Markezinis (page 7).
WESTERN EUROPE
8. Austrians fear competitive disadvantage as result of COCOM
relaxation (page 7).
t/ 9.
LATE ITEM: DIEN BIEN PHU
-2
pto, qi_,
TO1SECRET
Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2058866
4 Apr 54
Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2058866
'err 1 lJ1' L,Kt I
GENERAL
1. British observers note success of Soviet tactics on collective security:
Competent observers in London, including
Foreign Office officials, believe that the
Soviet Union is achieving some success in
its attempts to remove Western 'Communists
from isolation and form a broad front based on "anti-Fascism" and
"collective security."
Commenting on the 31 March Soviet note, one
observer stated, "in this age of atomic horror and political terror no
obstensibly constructive proposal for peace, however absurd in details,
should be laughed off; the timing was perfect/Foincidin 7as it did With
Strauss' announcement on the bomb, /and should be en seriously. "
All observers deplored the failure of the United
States to consult its allies before making a public statement on the Soviet
note.
Comment: The Soviet Union has corrected its
blunder at Berlin of excluding the United States from any European
security plan, and can now concentrate on the long-range effects of
its proposals. The concept of an all-European security pact is no
longer considered absurd by Western European leaders.
On 1 April French foreign minister_ Bfdault
expressed his belief to Ambassador Dillon that the divergencies between
this proposal and Molotov's Berlin position merited serious study by the
three powers and that there might well be further unexpected action by
the Soviets. Bidault did not believe that the proposal had been made
primarily as an attempt to forestall EDC ratification in France.
FAR EAST
2. Japanese still hamper American investigation of atomic incident:
Subordinate Japanese officials continue to
deny Americans access to the 23 Japanese
atomic test victims, despite specific
- 3 -
4 Apr 54
Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2058866�
Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2058866
authorization from two cabinet ministers. Japanese medical authorities
informed American doctors that the patients were "too nervous" to see
them, but the patients would discuss the matter among themselves and
put it to a vote on 2 April.
Meanwhile, contrary to earlier assurances,
the Foreign Ministry did not inform the American embassy of the
arrival in port of two other fishing vessels described by the press
as radioactive. One has already departed to dump its "contaminated"
catch in the ocean.
Comment: Ambassador Allison has now appealed
to Prime Minister Yoshida to assert Control Over his subordinates and secure
their cooperation in this matter of common interest to both nations.
3. Rhee seekin g further to increase his personal control over South Korean
armed forces:
General Yi Hyong-kun, chairman of the South
Korean joint chiefs of staff, said on 29 March
that he had been told by President Rhee that
the, latter was making new efforts to take
over 'personal control of the armed forces,
Rhee on 24 March signed a decree giving
General Yi authority over all military matters and relegating Defense
Minister Sohn to administrative affairs. When Sohn and the three serv-
ice chiefs of staff threatened to resign if Yi became supreme commander,
Rhee withheld announcement of the appointment.
Comment: General Yi's projected appoint-
ment followed a 23 March meeting in which First Army Commander
General Paek and Army Chief of Staff General Chong again told Rhee
it was impossible to unify Korea by independent military action. Yi
is reportedly second in Rhee's favor only to General Won, notorious
provost marshal commander. Rhee's un-
familiarity with military matters, may result in unrealistic and pro-
vocative policy decisions,
4
TOP CRET
Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2058866
4 Apr 54
Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2058866
yew 1 UF CKL1
4. Hong Kong air defenses prove inadequate:
In the opinion of the American air force liai-
sOn officer in Hong Kong, the colony's air
warning system is vulnerable to sabotage
and breakdown and would almost certainly
fail in the event of an attack. 'The system
Is not in operation at night or on holidays.
A Royal Air Force air defense exercise held
at Hong Kong on 8 February showed that an initial "enemy" attack
was successful because of a communications failure.
The inadequacies of Hong Kong's air defenses
were further revealed on 23 March, when the contrail of an aircraft,
believed to be a Chinese Communist jet, was sighted by British pilots
at 40,000 feet over the colony. Radar did not detect the intruding plane
until it was flying out of the colonial area to the northeast. According
to the American consul general, this was the first instance of a possible
Chinese Communist flight over Hong Hong.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
5. Military situation throughout Indochina held steadily worsening:
While discounting the military :significance
of Dien Bien Phu, the senior French adviser
to the Vietnam army observed that the mili-
tary situation throughout Indochina is steadly
icer feared that commitment of the three reserve
paratroop battalions in the delta to Dien Bien Phu would open vital
installations in the Hanoi and Haiphong areas to successful enemy
attack.
5
4 Apr 54
Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2058866
Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2058866
U1-1 Z> 'Kt-1
He said that the present deterioration was
such that two well-trained divisions of "Koreans or Americans" were
necessary to restore the situation.
Comment: Viet Minh strength inside the
delta perimeter is at an all-time high and includes approximately
20,000 regulars and 55,000 auxiliary troops. These forces have by
no means exerted their full capabilities.
This danger will remain until the onset of
the rainy season, regardless of the outcome at Dien Bien Phu.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
6. Jordan's chief of staff blames Palestinian Arab refugees for Negev
bus incident:
Lieutenant General Glubb, the Arab Legion
chief of staff, told Ambassador Mallory
in Amman on 1 April that a Jordanian
police investigation indicated that the
e Negev desert had been carried out, not
by Jordanians, but by Palestinian Arab refugees now living in Sinai.
Glubb added that "gangs" from Egyptian territory have often com-
mitted crimes in Israel and have then sought to confuse their pursuers
by proceeding to Jordan before returning to Egypt.
Glubb suggested that the UN Mixed Armistice
Commission be given this information privately in order to permit
the investigation to proceed further without incurring Egyptian resent-
ment against Jordan.
Comment: Israel has consistently held
Jordan responsible for the Negev bus incident despite the lack of
evidence to support this charge. Even if investigation by the commis-
sion confirms the Glubb report, Israel is not likely to withdraw its
charges against Jordan.
-6
TOP
Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2058866
4 Apr 54
Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2058866
I kJir" Z') Kt 1
General Glubb's findings are supported by a
report of 1 April from Cairo that the attackers were living along the
Egyptian-Israeli border.
. Embassy comments on Greek minister Markezinis:
The resignation of Spyros Markezinis as
Greek minister of coordination on 2 April
followed unsuccessful attempts on his
part to expand his influence by naming
supporters to vacant cabinet posts, according to the American em-
bassy in Athens. He is believed to have resigned on impulse, possibly
hoping his resignation would not be accepted.
The acceptance of Markezinis' portfolio by
his deputy, Thanos Kapsalis, suggests a breach in the Markezinis
bloc.
Comment: Shrewd and ambitious, Markezinis
has been one of the strongest and ablest members of the present govern-
ment, Although Prime Minister Papagos has now halted Markezinis'
political rise by accepting the resignation, Markezinis probably consider$
this setback as only temporary.
64-e ft--
WESTERN EUROPE
8. Austrians fear competitive disadvantage as result of COCOM relaxation:
Austrian officials have expressed concern to
the American embassy in Vienna that prior
knowledge by COCOM countries of impending
decontrol of specific items may give the latter
a headstart in the race for Orbit markets. The officials asserted that
other European manufacturers had sold industrial ball bearings on
the basis of the new control plan long before Austria had been informed
of its acceptance in COCOM. They stated that adherence to Austria's
present small COCOM quotas in current trade negotiations would work
to Austria's disadvantage in the event that later relaxations would per-
mit increased exports.
4 Apr 54
Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2058866
Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2058866
L.
Recently the Austrians have requested a
larger aluminum quota in order to meet current Polish demands
for a substantial increase in Austrian exports of semi-fabricated
aluminum.
Comment: There is some evidence that
recent Orbit orders for specific items have been motivated by a
desire to increase pressure for such decontrol.
9. Dien Bien Phu situation
eases but further attacks expected:
t,
coirii75
e Castries reported on the morn-
ing f 4 April that Viet Minh attacks on
Dien Bien Phu the previous night from
the northwest and southwest had been re-
pulsed. His over-all impression was
that the enemy's offensive power had
been weakened by combat fatigue and re-
placement of casualties with raw troops.
Prisoners recently captured showed very
Low morale compared with that of those
taken early last, week.
De Castries' intelligence chief states
that the Viet Minh appears now to be
parceling out its artillery ammunition.
He foreseeslwever, the possibility
that the 312th vision, which has not
been identified in action since 30 March, will carry the burden of
another major assault within the next three or four days.
According to French headquarters in
Hanoi, 500 paratroop reinforcements were dropped into Dien Bien
Phu during the nights of 1-3 April. Viet Minh antiaircraft fire con-
tinues to force French planes to drop supplies from high altitudes.
However, the French are now using delayed-action pakachutes to
prevent these supplies from falling into enemy hands.
- 8 -
4 Apr 59
Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2058866
Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2058866
a I
VI"
Meanwhile, a high French official in
Saigon says that despite Viet Minh losses and supply difficulties
there is every indication, including the converging of many more
troops, that the enemy is continuing to concentrate on an all-out
effort to capture Dien Bien Phu regardless of cost.
Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2058866