CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1954/09/05

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03000936
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: August 20, 2019
• Document Release Date: August 30, 2019
• Publication Date: September 5, 1954

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5 September
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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS X
E1 DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: IS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE 2.IQ
AUTH: HR 70-2
DATE: .11744 D REVIEWER:
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
IOP SEC
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SUMMARY
GENERAL
1. 138 navy aircraft shot down by Soviet fighters off Vladivostok (page 3
FAR EAST
2, Morale on Quemoys reported questionable (page 3).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
3. Comment on Syrian political situation (page 4).
LATIN AMERICA
4. Imminent attack on Costa Rica threatened (page 4).
5 Sept 54
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GENERAL
I. US navy aircraft.shot down by Soviet fighters off Vladivostok:
Comment: The most recent incident in which
a US aircraft was shot down by Soinet aircraft occurred on 29 July 1953,
when an RB-50 was attacked by M1G's south of Vladivostok and crashed
about 30 nautical miles off the coast.
In a note of 5 September the USSR protested
that the Neptune had violated Soviet territory and had fired on the
MIG's, which were attempting to warn it to leave.
FAR EAST
2. Morale on Quemoys reported questionable:
5 Sept
The populace and Nationalist troops on the
Quemoy Islands were "jittery" even before
the Communist artillery bombardment of
the Quemoys on 3 September, according to
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 3
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an American naval officer who returned to Taipei on that date from
a three-day visit to the islands. The Nationalist commanding general
indicated to the source that, in the event of a Communist landing, he
would be forced to abandon some part of the island.
Comment: This eyewitness account con-
flicts with Nationalist statements to the effect that troop morale is
high and that determined defense of the islands will be made at all
costs.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
3� Comment on Syrian political situation:
Syria is likely to have a relatively stable
government by traditional civilian ele-
ments as a result of the agreement an-
nounced on 4 September between the leading
political parties to participate in the 24
September elections as a "general national
union" under the leadership of ex-president
Shukri Quwatli.
This announcement means that Quwatli has
succeeded in organizing the old-line politicians behind his candidacy
for the presidency. If this alliance is maintained, he will have halted
the steady deterioration of the Syrian situation which has been of bene-
fit to only the extreme socialists and the Communists.
A Syrian government under Quwatli--who
has been subsidized while in exile for the past five years by Egypt and
Saudi Arabia--would be basically pro-Western. twouldheelaUvely
moderate in its approach to the Israeli question.
LATIN AMERICA
4. Imminent attack on Costa Rica threatened:
An armed force is now organized in
Chiquimula, Guatemala, in preparation
for an attack against the Costa Rican
TELLIGENCE BULLETIN
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government of Jose Figueres,
attack may be made between b and 8 September or, if not
made then, will be postponed for 45 days.
Comment:
It is probable that the anti-Figueres forces
of former Costa Rican dictator Calderon Guardia already have re-
ceived some assistance from the Nicaraguan and Venezuelan govern-
ments, which strongly desire the overthrow of Figueres. Somoza of
Nicaragua has in effect promised the United States not to intervene
directly in Costa Rica, but Venezuela has given no such assurance
and has the capability to give the Calderon forces some air support.
Given sufficient aid, including air transport,
from their various backers, the anti-Figueres forces could probably
stage a successful invasion of Costa Rica, and might succeed in seiz-
ing control of the goven4nent.
5 Sept 54
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