CHINESE COMMUNIST MUNITIONS PRODUCTION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00937A000100010073-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 1, 2006
• Sequence Number: 73
• Publication Date: February 23, 1951
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2006/12/01 :. P79T00937A000100010073-0
CONFIDENTIAL _-
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
OFF ICE OF NATIONAL ESTfl1&TE3
23 February 1951
Instructions On File"
=,ORANDUM OF INFOIalATION NO. 28
FOR: Nations]. Estimates Board
SUBJECT: Chinese Camamnist Munitions Production
The most recent G.2 estimate (December 1950) of the Chinese
Communist munitions industry is that the arsenals of mainland China
are capable of producing "substantial quantities" of munitions.
Monthly output is estimated as follows:
Artillery pieces (75 mm) 28
Recoilless pieces 57 m) 12
Mortars 850
Rifles 1$,000
Mortar shells 260,000
Grenades 150,000
Small arms ammunition 30,000,000
The largest and most modern Chinese Communist arsenal is
located In Liukden. During tIorld War II, the Japanese eonplayed 40,000
workers at the Mukden arsenal. Despite Allied bombing and Soviet re-
movals, when the Chinese Nationalists took over the arsenal, the plant
employed approximately 11,000 workers and produced substantial amounts
of rifles, machine guns, mortars, and small arms amanunition until late
1918. The arsenal passed intact into the hands of the Commaini sts and
production was resumed in November 19148. Other large munitions plants
are located in Chungking (where possibly as much as one-third of Cont..
munist total munitions output is produced), Harbin, Tang-yuan (Heir
ungkiang Province, northeast Manchuria),, and Taiyuan (Shansi Province),.
In general, it appears that the munitions industry of ' Cammmx.
mist China is not dependent on outside sources for raw materials.
Available data on current iron and steel output indicate that Communist
China is not dependent on foreign sources of supply to maintain its
current munitions output. Electric power for the munitions industries
is supplied by local hydroelectric installations or indigenous coal
resources. In general, powder production appears adequate, although
Ccii=niat China has been importing such chemical constituents as suf.
phuric acid.
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved For Release 2006/12/01: CIA-R DR79T00937A000100010073-0
AUTH: HA 704
PAT ? -1 'FE "W RE1l7! WER
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANCE IN GLASS. !]
El DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANCED TO: TS S
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