CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/03/29

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02995589
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: March 29, 1956

Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995589
CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
29 March 1956
Copy No. 103
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS. 104,
I DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S Cizolo
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
HR 70-
DATE!
EVIEVVER:
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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h.1
411.1
CONTENTS
1. USSR PROPOSES NEW APPROACH TO DISARMAMENT
(page 3).
2. PRAVDA JUSTIFIES ATTACK ON STALIN
(page 4).
3. ICELANDIC PARLIAMENT DEMANDS WITHDRAWAL OF
AMERICAN TROOPS (page 5).
4. SOVIET NAVY TO EMPHASIZE ADVANCED WEAPONS
(page 6).
5. YUGOSLAV POLICE WATCH INTERNAL REACTION TO
SOVIET PARTY CONGRESS (page 7).
6. RHEE ENDORSES YI KI-PUNG AS VICE-PRESIDENTIAL
RUNNING MATE (page 8).
29 Mar 56
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(page 9)
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dik SECRET osok
1. USSR PROPOSES NEW APPROACH TO DISARMAMENT
After bluntly rejecting the Anglo-
French disarmament proposal at the
UN disarmament subcommittee meet-
ing on 27 March, Soviet delegate
Gromyko submitted a new Soviet plan. His proposal con-
tained elements from both the Anglo-French "working
paper" introduced by French delegate Moch on 19 March
and the American proposals for limited "confidence-
building" measures, as well as the original Soviet plan
of 10 May 1955. In contrast to Moscow's more detailed
plan of 10 May, the new approach leaves wide latitude for
prolonged negotiations by which Moscow probably hopes to
sharpen any divergences among the Western powers�
The proposal's most significant depar-
ture from the 10 May plan is the absence of provisions for
the prohibition and destruction of nuclear weapons. The
preamble of the new plan, however, maintains that it would
assist in reaching an "indispensable" agreement on banning
nuclear weapons, but the plan itself calls only for a reduc-
tion of conventional armaments and armed forces.
Moscow probably expects that this new
plan will be unacceptable to the Western powers. This is
suggested by the inclusion of the proposal at the end of
Gromyko's speech that, independent of reaching any dis-
armament agreement, the powers should adopt the three
"partial measures" outlined by Khrushchev in his speech
to the Soviet 20th Party Congress. These would include
the immediate cessation of thermonuclear weapons tests,
prohibition of atomic weapons on German territory, and a
15-percent reduction in military budget allocations.
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-I- JR. -IL ./..1
Iteri �It0
2� PRAVDA JUSTIFIES ATTACK ON STALIN
A long editorial in the 27 March issue
of Pravda provides the first official
puEllilreil justification of the anti-Stalin
drive. The editorial divides Stalin's
career into two phases. It says that
"Stalin rendered great services to our party, the working
class, and to the international labor movement" but treats
his rule from the early thirties onward as a prolonged ab-
erration. The present leaders disclaim any responsibility
for the excesses of the purge era, when, in the face of
Stalin's absolute dominance and the myth of his infallibility,
opposition to his policies was futile. However, they evi-
dently feel it would be unwise to reject the earlier period
of Stalin's rule, which produced the policies of collectiviza-
tion and Five-Year Plan industrialization. In addition, by
treating with respect the early phase of Stalin's career, the
regime leaves the generation of Communists who grew up
under Stalin with a part of the myth to believe in, and renders
the destruction of the rest more palatable.
Stalin's egomania, Pravda charges,
created the "cult of the individual" which in turn led to "un-
justified repression" and encouraged "servility." Behind
these charges there apparently lies a real need to revital-
ize the bureaucratic machinery and restore intellectual
initiative within the Soviet state.
Determination to prevent re-establishment
of one-man dictatorship is also indicated in Pravda's editorial.
The attack on Stalin is intended, it says, "to preclude any
possibility of a revival of the cult of the individual in one or
another form."
29 Mar 56
�Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 4
CONFIDENTIAL
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1.-4 Cf.( .11_11.1i _I I 1 14-11-d
3. ICELANDIC PARLIAMENT DEMANDS WITHDRAWAL
OF AMERICAN TROOPS
The Icelandic parliament's 28 March
resolution calling for a withdrawal of
American troops makes it certain
that Iceland will insist on a revision of
the Defense Agreement of 1951 with the United States,
whereby American forces man the NATO air base at Kef-
lavik. Even the Conservative Party, which alone opposed
the resolution, will undoubtedly advocate some revision
during the campaign for parliamentary elections, probably
to be held on 24 June. The base has become increasingly
unpopular with a large segment of the Icelandic people.
The Progressives, second party in the
government coalition headed by the Conservatives, with-
drew from the cabinet on 27 March to force the elections.
They favor a revision of the agreement whereby the Ice-
landers would themselves undertake to guard and maintain
the installations. In accordance with Article VII of the
agreement, the Icelanders can force an American evacua-
tion in 18 months.
Most "revisionists" hope that Iceland
would continue to receive dollar earnings by maintaining
the base.
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'No
1...1.111-1 'LA -I_ 11-.1-1
4. SOVIET NAVY TO EMPHASIZE ADVANCED WEAPONS
Comment
Recent articles by
high-ranking Soviet naval officers have indicated widespread
interest in the development of torpedoes with atomic warheads,
atomic mines, ship-borne guided missiles, and nuclear pro-
pulsion for naval vessels.
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014 I / 00114
5. YUGOSLAV POLICE WATCH INTERNAL REACTION
TO SOVIET PARTY CONGRESS
Comment
Belgrade undoubtedly wishes to quash
at its source any rumor that it will
now return to its pre-1948 relations with the USSR. Yugo-
slav officials have stated that their government does not
intend to abandon its caution in dealing with the USSR de-
spite recent developments there.
The Yugoslav interior secretary told
the Yugoslav National Assembly on 27 March that of the
15,800 Cominformists prosecuted between 1948 and 1955,
only 19400 are still in jail.
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CON1DEN MAL
%se keit
6. RHEE ENDORSES Y1 Iii-PUNG AS VICE-PRESIDENTIAL
RUNNING MATE
President Rhee's belated endorsement
of Yi Ki-pung, speaker of the National
Assembly, for the South Korean vice
presidency virtually assures Yi's elec-
tion.
Election of Yi to the vice presidency
would increase the likelihood of an orderly succession in
the event of Rhee's death in office. Yi has developed strong
political backing in the dominant Liberal Party and is ac-
ceptable to most of South Korea's military and national police
leaders.
Although lacking in Rhee's qualities of
leadership, Yi is regarded as a capable administrator.
American-educated, he is a political moderate who has been
co-operative with American officials. A former minister of
national defense, Yi resigned after opposing Rhee in the use
of troops to quell a domestic political disturbance. Since
1953, ho er he has been closel associated with Rhee's
policies.
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I anurm
1011101
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 28 March)
Egyptian troops in the El Auja sector
again directed small arms fire on an Israeli patrol inside
Israel, according to a military spokesman in Tel Aviv. (Press)
of the more than 90 IL-28 light
jet bomber experts now in Egypt, the Egyptian government pro-
posed to retain only about 15 in various fields of specialization.
This plan suggests that all of the 45 IL-28's ordered by Egypt
have been delivered and assembled and that some basic instruc-
tion has been given in their use and maintenance. Further train-
ing of crews for these aircraft is believed to be taking place in
the Soviet bloc.
15 Sherman tanks be returned immediately from
reserve stocks at the El Arish ordnance depot, near the Israeli
frontier, to a motor pool in the Cairo area. This reduction in
combat reserve stocks may provide further indication that Egypt
is forming new combat units in the canal zone, or may indicate
a new shipment of armor to one of its allies.
he two
Egyptian destroyers on order from Britain will not be completely
refitted until late May or early June. The two destroyers which
Israel is to receive from Britain are not expected to depart un-
til later than the previous estimate of 1 April; however, they
should reach the eastern Mediterranean well ahead of the Egyp-
tian vessels.
Within one month, the first recruits from
South America will arrive in Israel to serve one year as volun-
teers, according to a statement by Israeli Brigadier Carmel,
minister of communications, upon return from a trip to South
America, Tel Aviv has encouraged recruiting of foreign volun-
teers "to strengthen Israel's borders." In November 1955 an
appeal was made to Jewish communities abroad for 100,000
volunteers for work in the border settlements.
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