CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/03/23

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03161853
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: March 23, 1956

Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 C03161853
CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
TOP SECRET r
23 March 1956
,Z7
Copy No. 103
DOCUMENT NO. 5q
NO CHANGE IN CLASS al
1-1 DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE. 1440
AUTH: HR 70-2
DATE. I 14 DCP. g 0 REVIEWER
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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CONTENTS
1. AMBASSADORS APPRAISE VIEWS OF ISRAELI CABINET
(page 3).
2. FRANCE ASKS NATO FOR STATEMENT SUPPORTING
TROOP TRANSFERS TO ALGERIA (page 4).
3. BONN REPORTED DRAWING UP DEVELOPMENT PLAN
FOR MIDDLE EAST (page 5).
4. USSR BEGINS ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON JAPAN AS LONDON
TALKS BREAK OFF (page 6).
5. SOVIET TWIN-JET TRANSPORT FLIES TO LONDON
(page 7).
6. REPORTED SINKING OF BATTLESHIP LINKED WITH
SHAKE-UP IN SOVIET NAVAL HIGH COMMAND
(page 8).
7. NORTH KOREA MAY BE ADOPTING COLLECTIVE LEADER-
SHIP (page 9).
23 Mar 56
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
page 10)
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 2
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10 AMBASSADORS APPRAISE VIEWS OF ISRAELI CABINET
The American and British ambassadors
in Tel Aviv appraise the attitude of
Israeli prime minister Ben-Gurion and
the majority of his cabinet as including
the following elements:
(1) No settlement with the Arabs is
possible for a long time. The Israelis are convinced that
the Arabs, from their present position of strength, desire
at best a type of settlement which would merely facilitate
the subsequent destruction of Israel.
(2) Israel distrusts Anglo-American
moves for a settlement, because it feels Western strategic
interests will "load the dice" heavily against Israel. The
Israelis also believe the West underestimates Egypt's ex-
pansionist tendencies.
(3) Any intervention, if it occurred at
all, would come too late to protect Israel, particularly
against air bombardment.
(4) Militarily, the Israelis are confi-
dent they could defeat an Arab attack within the next few
months or contain it until the end of the year if Soviet arms
are not effectively absorbed by Egypt. They now believe,
however, that even a military victory would give them only
a temporary respite, and have shelved the idea of initiating
a preventive war. They nevertheless may react strongly
against Arab terrorist tactics or continued "breaches" of
the armistice agreement, even at the risk of war.
(5) Israel wants neither war nor an arms
race It does, however, want sufficient arms to protect it-
self during an initial period of attack until outside assistance
could become effective.
23 Mar 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 3
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441 %.0
2. FRANCE ASKS NATO FOR STATEMENT SUPPORTING
TROOP TRANSFERS TO ALGERIA
he French have asked the North
tlantic Council to consider issuing
public statement of political sup-
ort for French troop transfers to
lgeria. (These transfers have been
t the expense of France's NATO com-
itments in Western Europe.) The
rench stressed the necessity to dem-
onstrate NATO solidarity in an area recognized by military
authorities as necessary to NATO's strategic interests.
� They hope for a decision by 27 March.
Ambassador Perkins reports that the
Belgian, German and Italian representatives were initially
favorable to this request, which involves a new departure
for NATO. The British Foreign Office feels committed not
to oppose the French� The Netherlands, Norway and Den-
mark felt their governments would need to give careful
consideration to the implications of such a statement.
Canada and others indicated they were awaiting instruc-
tions.
Comment Among the many problems this request
presents is whether to categorize the
Algerian situation as a French internal or a NATO security
concern. There is sympathy in NATO for the French pre-
dicament, but some members wish to avoid any action that
might provide a precedent on other issues, such as Cyprus
and Goa.
23 Mar 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 4
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1 LH
3. BONN REPORTED DRAWING UP DEVELOPMENT PLAN
FOR MIDDLE EAST
Bonn is reportedly
preparing a cirai "Colombo type" plan
proposing the establishment of a bank-
ing institutew ose unction would be to assist economic
development in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern coun-
tries,
membership in the proposed institute would be "open
to all Western countries--neutrals and Yugoslavia possibly
included."
Comment
The West Germans are seriously con-
cerned over the Soviet economic drive
in underdeveloped areas. The Krupp interests have proposed
a similar type of economic development program for the un-
committed countries of South Asia and the Middle East,
23 Mar 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 5
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4. USSR BEGINS ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON JAPAN AS
LONDON TALKS BREAK OFF
Suspension of the Japanese-Soviet
treaty talks in London has been fol-
lowed promptly by a Soviet move to
force Japan into concluding a peace
treaty through economic pressure.
rhe USSR announced a decree on 21 March restricting
salmon fishing in the North Pacific "until conclusion of
a suitable agreement with interested countries." Both
sides have agreed that a definitive agreement on settling
the fisheries problem will be incorporated as an annex
to the treaty, but the USSR will not discuss the annex
until the treaty itself is agreed upon.
About 90 percent of last year's
Japanese salmon catch came from the area that has
now been restricted by the Russians. Japanese fishing
interests, which exert a powerful influence on the Hato-
yama government, will probably press for a resumption
of the Japanese-Soviet peace talks and for concessions to
Moscow.
The Soviet move, however, may not
provoke a strong official reaction. Influential Japanese
leaders recently expressed the view that the Japanese
people are accustomed to Soviet intransigence, and im-
plied that, far from being able to act like a great power,
Japan was too weak even to protect Japanese fishing ac-
tivities from depredations arising from South Korea's
unilaterally imposed Rhee line. Concurred in
by ORR)
23 Mar 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 6
7/74"171 17VIrt
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Oft
5. SOVIET TWIN-JET TRANSPORT FLIES TO LONDON
A CAMEL (TU-104), the Soviet Union's
first twin-jet passenger aircraft, carry-
ing Soviet security chief Ivan Serov, ar-
rived in London on 22 March. Strict
security precautions were imposed while the aircraft refueled
prior to its return to Moscow.
This trip marked the first appearance of
the CAMEL outside of the USSR and the first indication that
this aircraft is ready for operational use. The CAMEL was
first seen in the July 1955 Air Day show in Moscow. Since
that time no more than two such planes have been observed
simultaneously.
the TU-104 was being used for limited ex-
press flights to the Far East and would be introduced into
regular passenger service this spring.
23 Mar 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 7
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V4.1 Noe
6. REPORTED SINKLNG OF BATTLESHIP LINKED WITH
SHAICE-UP IN SOVIET NAVAL HIGH COMMAND
the Soviet Black Sea Fleet battleship
Novorossiysk capsized in October 1955
after striking a mine near Sevastopol.
Because of panic and a lack of discipline, watertight doors
were not closed in time and the ship reportedly capsized;
900 crewmen were lost.
Following this incident Marshal Zhukov
is reported to have conducted an investigation of Soviet
naval forces and to have found serious deficiencies in com-
bat and political training, as well as poor discipline. As
a result, Admiral Kuznetsov, commander in chief of the
Soviet fleet, was removed from his post, reduced in rank
to vice admiral,and retired.
Comment In mid-October an inspection of the Black
Sea Fleet by Marshal Zhukov, party
secretary Khrushchev and Premier Bulganin is known to
have taken place. Admiral Kuznetsov has not appeared at
public functions since July 1955 and may have been in eclipse
as early as that time. He apparently has been replaced by
Admiral S. G. Gorshkov, head of the Black Sea Fleet until
mid-1955.
The Novorossiysk, the largest ship in
the Soviet navy, is the 29,000-ton ex-Italian battleship Julius
Caesar.
Extended inactivity is
sometimes caused by the entry of the ship into drydock for
routine repairs.
23 Mar 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 8
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�..4�51 11_1114.1 N / 1.H.L4
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7. NORTH KOREA MAY BE ADOPTING
COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP
The first indication that the Soviet-
endorsed principle of collective
leadership may be applied to a Far
Eastern Satellite has been noted in recent North Korean
broadcasts. Heretofore the North Korean home radio
has consistently accompanied its evening broadcast with
the slogan, "Long live Marshal Kim Il-sung, the respected
and beloved chief of the Korean people." Since 19 March
this slogan has been omitted,
Soviet influence is paramount in North
Korea, and the recent emphasis on collective leadership
in the USSR is likely to have repercussions in North Korea.
Kim was installed as premier by the USSR in 1948, and
North Korean propaganda has long shown him a deference
much like that which was accorded Stalin in the USSR.
Omission of the slogan hailing Kim is not believed to be
an indication that he is in political disfavor.
Propaganda from Communist China and
North Vietnam has continued to give special attention to
the personal leadership of Mao Tse-tung and Ho Chi Minh.
No Far Eastern Communist country has mentioned the
Kremlin's recent denunciation of the "cult of the individual"
or Khrushchev's speech criticizing Stalin.
23 Mar 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 9
CONFIDENTIAL
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THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 22 March)
Egypt claims an Israeli patrol crossed
into Egyptian-held territory in the Gaza strip, resulting in an
exchange of fire lasting 70 minutes during which UN observers
were temporarily pinned down. (Press)
the
Egyptian National Guard personnel in the strip are undisciplined
and untrained. Uncontrolled firing at Israeli targets is common,
although the Israeli actions are often provocative. Young offi-
cers in the Gaza strip are anxious to begin war with Israel.
Many of them claim that Israel would only be the beginning--the
ultimate target would be Turkey.
the Egyptian arms purchas-
ing mission in Prague requested Cairo to "send the navy experts
with a Cony of all previous Czech and Polish contracts."
the Egyptian naval experts are to go to Poland to
complete arrangements for the purchase of destroyers and pos-
sibly other naval equipment. Last September, the USSR approved
the furnishing to Egypt by the Soviet bloc of two destroyers and
two submarines. At least 12 motor torpedo boats, a few 40- to
60-foot landing craft, and possibly some mines have already been
delivered.
23 Mar 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 10
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