CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1954/08/08

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03000923
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: August 20, 2019
• Document Release Date: August 30, 2019
• Publication Date: August 8, 1954

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8 August 1954
uopy NO. 80
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO
NO CHANGE IN CLASS $
Li DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: IS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE: .100.10
AUTH: HR 70-2
DATE. "I TA-stit F1EVIEWE
Clak
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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SUMMARY
SOUTHEAST ASIA
1. French official warns against Vietnamese bid for direct US aid
(page 3).
2. Ho Chi Minh's prestige in south underscored (page 3).
3. Increased number of Overseas Chinese students going to Communist
China (page 4).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
4. Comment on the change of truce supervisors in Palestine
(page 4).
EASTERN EUROPE
5. Belgrade radio reports Balkan Alliance to be signed on 9 August
(page 5).
6. Comment on abolition of Soviet octupation laws in East Germany
(page 6).
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I I.J
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SOUTHEAST ASIA
French official warns against Vietnamese bid for direct US aid:
Jacques Raphael-Leygues, French emissary
charged with studying the "possibilities of
reinforcing" the Vietnamese government,
told Ambassador Dillon in Paris on 5 August
that the chief aim of the Vietnamese authorities is to obtain American
aid directly rather than through the French He called this "dangerous"
and ascribed it to "oriental reasoning," which in this instance requires
that steps be taken to prepare for possible accommodation with the
enemy.
Pointing to the Chinese Nationalists who in
1948-19.49 went over to the Communists with their weapons, he argued
that if the Vietnamese authorities had control of American supplies
they would be able to 'buy amnesty" from the Viet Minh.
� Comment: The French have consistently
opposed Vietnamese requests for direct control of American-supplied
materiel. In the past the French have usually claimed that the Viet-
namese lacked the organization for effectively processing and utiliz-
ing this aid.
Continued French control over such supplies
would considerably strengthen the French position at the expense of
the national government, a scarcely concealed French aim.
o CM Minh's � resti e in south underscored:
high :French civil official in Saigon informed
the American embassy, on 5 August that 240
out of 250 employees of the leading Saigon
printing establishment would unhesitatingly
vo e or o n in a national election. The American embassy in
Saigon sees in this near unanimity of opinion a striking indication of
the current low prestige of the Vietnamese national government. Its
unpopularity with these Vietnamese, who are well above average in
terms of background, training and salary, is cited as a measure of
the difficulties to be encountered in rallying anti-Communist forces in
south Vietnam.
8 Aug 54
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*41111101 '41111111
Comment: The high personal esteem
in which Ho Chi Minh has been held throughout Vietnam for almost
a decade is evidence primarily of the nationalistic fervor of the
people rather than of an ideological trend.
3. Increased number of Overseas Chinese students going to Communist
China:
during
the quarter ending 30 June, three
many Chinese between the ages
left Malaya for Communist China
the same period last year.
times as
of 12 and 25
as during
young Chinese
rate of 200
are now leaving Thailand at the
than double that estimated for last year.
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The American consulate general at Singapore
comments that the increase in student departures seems likely to
continue now that Communist China is "at peace" in Korea and Vietnam,
and as Peiping expands its propaganda appeals to Overseas Chinese.
Comment: High school and university-
level education on the mainland holds great attraction for young Oven-
seas Chinese because of the almost complete lack of equivalent
facilities, either in the countries of their residence or in Taipei.
It has been traditional for Chinese in South-
east Asia to return to China for study. Many of those doing so now
are expected to return to Southeast Asia as Communist agents.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
4. omment on the c n e of truce supervisors in Palestine:
Arab and Israeli initial reaction to the
appointment of a new UN truce supervisor
in Palestine--Canada's Major General Burns
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to replace Denmark's Major General
Bennike�suggests that the move will not
improve the situation in Palestine.
The Arabs are unusually bitter in assail-
ing Bennike's removal as the result of "Jewish pressure" and in
decrying the Jewish influence in the United Nations. They question
the continued objectivity of the UN Truce Supervision Organization
and urge the Arab. states to boycott it. They may be initially cool to
General Burns.
The Israelis, whom American observers on
the scene hold largely responsible for the present discredited con-
dition of the truce machinery, are restrained in their rejoicing over.
Bennike's removal. The Israelis insist that with the appearance of
General Burns, there must also be a general housecleaning of the UN
staff in Palestine, and a new approach to the problem. Disturbed by
the Suez settlement, and the prospects of more Western aid to the
Arabs generally, Israel is likely to continue to be demanding and dif-
ficult in its relations with the UN truce apparatus, even though the
arrival of General Burns may result in an initial appearance of co-
operation.
EASTERN EUROPE
. Belgrade radio reports Balkan Alliance to be signed on 9 August:
The official Yugoslav radio reported on
7 August that nothing now stands in the
way of the signing of the Balkan Alliance,
which is scheduled for 9 August. The broadcast stated that the final
text of the alliance was agreed on at a meeting of the Greek, Turkish,
and Yugoslav foreign ministers on 7 August at Bled, Yugoslavia.
Comment: This broadcast, while not an
official government announcement, indicates that the three foreign
ministers have successfully resolved differences concerning the text
of the alliance which persisted as recently as 2 August.
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'ttire
6. Comment on abolition of Soviet occupation laws in East Germany:
The USSR Council of Ministers on 6 August
canceled ail orders and instructions on
political, economic and cultural affairs in
East Germany which were enacted by the Soviet Military Adminis-
tration and High Commission from 1945 to1.953. This legislation has,
however, all been paralleled by laws of the German Democratic
Republic which will remain in effect. The control functions of the
Soviet authorities in East Germany are maintained by existing Four-
Power agreements. The GDR has stated that it will adhere to the
obligations stemming from these agreements.
The Soviet announcement is another stage in
the gradual extension of the trappings of sovereignty to the East German
regime, and will probably be contrasted in Communist propaganda with
the situation in Western Germany, where legislation of the three occu-
pation powers is still in effect. Another purpose is to support the
intensified Communist campaign for East German participation in
international meetings and in direct talks with West Germany. West-
ern countries, including West Germany. are likely to receive the
move with great skepticism.
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