CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A000200010001-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 10, 2004
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 19, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

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19 April 1951
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LETIN
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BUL
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
-1 DECLASSIFIED
,r~
CLASS. CHANGED TO; TS
NEXT FREVIE Nt DATE: G 7
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PATE y ( REVIEWER:
,f-
DIA, USAF and DOS review(s)
completed.
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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..SUMMARY
FAR...EAST....,
1. Viet Minh military preparations in northwest Tonkin (page 3).
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NEAR EAST - AFRICA
3. Iranian Prime Minister plans strong measures (page 4).
4. "Unhealthy" political situation reported in Tripoli, North Africa
(page 5).
EASTERN EUROPE
5. Soviet twin-jet bombers observed in Poland and East Germany
(page 5).
6. US information program faces elimination in Poland (page 6).
WESTERN EUROPE
7. Austrians concerned over signs of increasing Soviet aggression
(page 7).
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FAR.. EAI~
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Viet Minh military Rreparations. in northwest,, Tonkin:.,.
The Assistant. US.. 'tart' Attache, in Indochina
reports that. French r.ces_have reoccupied cer-
tain ,stra egic.,posts in the Tonkin delta .rea
that.. had. been.seized.by.the Viet Minh two weeks
ago and have repulsed Viet'Minh. attacks, of. varying streng_ in other parts
of the delta. Meanwhile, Viet Minh forces in the rugged mountain country.
some 150 miles to the northwest have, been preparing to attack the French-
held post of Laichau. The Attache states -that. French.. officials bei ve
this operation is intended as a "face-saving" venture to compensate for
the failure of recent-Viet Minh attacks,.in, the -delta. The Chinese Com-
munist battalion that entered. Indochina above Laichau two weeks ago is
apparently still occupying the post of Phongtho and vicinity, but the At-
tache sees no indications that a large-scale invasion is imminent
Comment: The post of Latchau is significant
only as. the focus of convergin trails and as a barrier to a hostile in
vasion launched from Yunnan:rovince, Chinas It is located in a. country
of dense forests and 10, 000-foot mountain. peaks and inhabited by primi-
tine That tribesmen of anti Viot Minh and anti-Chinese sentiments --`fac-
tors that would not facilitate a large-scale: Chinese Communist invasion
in this area. Although the Chse force at Phongtho has been reliably
identified as Communist, the trench have interpreted the situation as
being only "a little bit more than a frontier affair. r, The French conten-
tion that the Viet Minh is planning action against Laichau for face-saving
purposes is the latest of several different theories attempting to explain
enemy activity in this area.
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3. Iranian Prime Minister plans strong measures:
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proving and that, if his appointment were confirmed by the lower house,
he would undertake strong measures to suppress the increasingly open
activities of the pro-Soviet Tudeh Party. Ala said he was concerned
about UK action in the present crisis and stated that the Shah also felt
that the UK was not only undermining the present government but the
Shah as well. In this connection, Ala pressed strongly his belief that
no UK frigates, should be sent to Abadan.
Comment, Although the vote of confidence increases
the stability of the government, Alas optimism is not echoed by other
reports from Iran which state that the situation continues to be critical.
Despite the imposition of martial law in the southern oil fields, the
appeals of various political leaders (including National Front member
Mulla Kashani) to the strikers to return to work and the reported agree-
ment by many strikers to do so, the :.majority of workers reportedly
remain oui AIOC officials report that "absenteeism" has spread to
company labor, fat the Abadan airport,
Prior. to receiving a vote of confidence from
-Parliament' s lower house on 17 April, Prime
Minister Hussein Ala informed US Ambassa-
dor Grady that the situation in Iran was im-
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4. "Unhealthy" political situation. reported.in Tr.iaoli,_: North. Africa;
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In. a .17_April report,,.. i .S:Consul Lynch in Tri-
poli described. the., local political situation as
,,most. unhealthy. " He. commented that while
the new Tripolitanian Government probably
contains the best available persons, there is no. effective political or-
ganization. The .most. determined opposition group. is led by Bechir Be
Saadawi, who is reportedly betng subsidized ..by.Egypt and whose "line?
coincides with. that. of. the. local...CQxaamunists, Saadawi has engaged in
rabble-rousing inflammatory speeches against the US, in which he as-
suggests that the planes may remain at Brzeg
serted that the "imperialistic Americans" are preparing to exploit Liby
as an airbase.
Comments For some time. the opportunistic
Saadawi, who has effective connections in Egypt, has been .a consistent
and vocal critic of the present government in Tripolitania. US dif-
ficulties in acquiring land for enlarging its facilities at Wheelus Field
(5 miles east of Tripoli) have provided him with a pretext for his anti-
American propaganda. He has likewise exploited for propaganda purpo
the recent dissatisfaction and confusion created in Tripolitania in con-
nection with the formation of a Libyan state (of which Tripolitania is a
part).
EASTERN EUROPE
5. Soviet twin-
et bombers observed in
Poland and East Germany:
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temporarily to participate in the May Day air show over Warsaw.
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flying north of Berlin on 6, 7 and 9 April
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Soviet "Type 2711 twin-jet bombers were sighted
on the Soviet-occupied airfield. at Brzeg, in
southern Poland, The US Air Force comments
that these planes may be enroute to East Ger-
many, possibly to join units. of the 80th Bomber
Corps of the Soviet 24th Air Army. It further
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Commento. The "Type .27" is. believed. to be the
fir. st _jet.bomber .produc.ed.in_.numbe.rs.by,.the...USS; ,.:. Its-combat radius
is estimated at about ..50.0nautical mmile.s,._wi.th,a..bomb'load of 4400 pounds.
It r.epr.e.sents_.a..consider.able .i npr.avement:.:in ra e.and capacity over
the conventional bombers now being o.eratedb. _.Soviet:,units in Eastern
Europe.
6. US information program faces eliminnaatiala Pl, and:
The US Embassy in Warsaw reports that the
Polish Security _Police have threatened serious
reprisals if USIE?s Polish librarian does not
surrender a complete list of the library's pat-
rons for an official investigation to begin on 18' April. The list of 839
borrowers includes many of Poland's outstanding professional, religi-
ous, scientific and former political leaders who have maintained library
membership as a means of continuing intellectual relations with the
West. The Security Police agent who approached the Polish USIE li-
brarian stated that the US information program in Poland would probably
be completely eliminated within six months. The US Ambassador, who
has taken precautions to safeguard the list, notes that if it fell into the
hands of the Security Police, the careers and possibly the lives of the
individuals concerned would be placed in the gravest jeopardy.
Comment: This is the most drastic step that
the Polish Government has taken against USIE so far and indicates the
government's intention to sever all intellectual and cultural contacts
between Poland and the West. Since'the first of the year, the Security
Police have engaged in a sporadic, but ineffective, campaign of 'harass-
ment against USIE patrons. With respect to Soviet Orbit countries, USIE
is still able to conduct a curtailed form of activity in the USSR, Poland
and; Hungary.
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WESTERN..E:UROPE.
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7. Austrians concerned over signs-of. incr..eastng Soviet aggression:
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recent indications as proof of this build-up. Helmer. appeed Particu-
larly disturbed, however, by.the recent.wave of Sovietr.abducti.ons and
is convinced that a "vigorous reaction" by the Austrian Government is
required to prevent the demoralization of the eastern zone population
and the security forces.
Austrian Minister of the Interior Helmer has.
informed. the US:_Legation in Vienna of his fears
that the . ZSSR is. quietly building, up Soviet troop.
strength 'in Austria, and , a .cited a number of
Comment: Helmer's statements about a Soviet
troop buildup, which are not. confirmed, may represent. an attempt to r
alert US officials to the seriousness of the situation in which he finds
himself vis-a-vis the Soviet Occupation element as a result of his recent
sweeping dismissal of Communists from the Austrian police force.
Nevertheless, Austrian alarm over growing Soviet intransigence and its
consequences for Austrian control of the eastern zone is sincere.
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