CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A001500200001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 12, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 3, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

~A03/10~?a~h~i~~..L~975
3 April 1cJ
:i4
Copy Noo ~' ~
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
dOCUME~JT NO. c'` CJ
~
,
CLASS. CNRNGEd 70:
TS
5
C
J~EXTREVIEWDATE:
~C1d
9
RUTH: FlrR 7C)4
DATE: ~_ REVIEWER:
Office c>f Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
DOS review(s) completed.
r
 -' Approve~~r~~el~se 2003/10/15 :CIA-RDP79T00975A0015~00200001-2
SUMMARY
FAR EAST
2. Pei in maintains ressure for farm collectivization (page 3).
25X1 g,
SOI]THEAST ASIA
4. .Reinforcements deemed essential to hold Dien Bien Phu (page 6).
5. Comment on Viet Minh incursion into Cambodia (page 8).
NEAR EAST -AFRICA
6. Arab states organizing campaign against American aid to
Israel (page 7).
WESTERN EUROPE
7. Belgian Social Christian Party likely to lose parliament;ary
majority (page 8).
25X1
25X1
Approved For Release 2003/10/15 :CIA-RDP79T00975A001500200001-2
 25X1
Appro~~ Rel~
FAR EAST
25X1A
2. Peiping maintains pressure for farm collectivization:
that "agricultural production and mutual aid and cooperation are a
whole task which is unified and cannot be separated. They ;are the
center of all work in the rural areas:'
The spring cultivation directive issued on
31 March by Peiping's Government Admin-
istration, Council informed rural officials
Approved For Rele~
25X1A
3 A px 54
 25X1
~ Approved For Release 2003/10/15 :CIA-RDP79T00975A001500200001-2
Approved For Release 2003/10/15 :CIA-RDP79T00975A001500200001-2
 25X1A
.~ Approved For Rele - - 200001-2
Comment: The spring cultivation dlirective is
a statement of the Peiping regime's basic agricultural policy. Zn
previous years Peiping recognized the unfavorable effects of sociali-
zation programs on agricultural production and discontinueel such
activities in rural areas before spring. Last yeare for example the
annual directive on spring cultivation called encouragement of output
"the central task which supersedes all other tasks9" and..inst:ructed
cadres to postpone or cancel other work which might obstruct spring
cultivation.
The continued formation of mutual aid teams
and farm producers' cooperatives through the growing season was
unexpected and reflects the speed of Peiping's movement toward a
controlled economy. 25X1 A
25X1
Approved For Rele
25X1A
p200001 ~2 Apr 54
 '~ Approva~~rARel a 2003/10/15 :CIA-RDP79T00975A0015 0200001-2
SOUTHEAST ASIA
25X1A
4. Reinforcements deemed essential to hold Dien Bien Phuo
Calonel de Castries said on 2 April that he
could guarantee the defense of Dien Bien Phu
with three more battalions. He added that a
minimum of two reinforcing battalions is
essential to prevent its loss, according to
Ambassador Heath in Saigon.
Heath reports, however, that bad iflying
weather and heavy enemy attacks halted an attempted re%nf~orcement
on 1 April after only 50 men were dropped. Again, as on t;he previous
day, half of the ammunition drop fell into enemy hands. T:he French
estimated on 2 April that Dien Bien Phu's garrison had only enough
ammunition at current rates of fire to last until the morning of 3 April.
Meanwhiley the American consulate at Hanoi
reports French intelligence opinion that enemy attacks are losing force,
possibly owing to personnel losses, fatigue a.nd depletion of ammunition.
If Dien Bien Phu can hold out through the night of 3 April, :E"rench
intelligence believes "there is a chance that the situation may ease."
25X1A
5. Comment on Viet Minh incursion into Cambodia:
harder are believed to number about 600 and present no real
military threat, although they may achieve some local successes.
opera ing in southern Laos. Elements which have crossed tlhe
The incursion into Cambodia by Viet Minh
regular elements reported on 1 April
apparently was undertaken by troops
drawn from a force of four battali~~:ns
This thrust is the first open penetration
of Cambodia by the Viet Minh and augments the scattered force of
1,000 infiltrated regulars already active there. The Viet Minh
has in addition some 69500 regional troops and militia in Carnbodi.a.
Approved For Rele
25X1A
002000'1=~r 54
 25X1A
Approved For Re ease 2003/10/15 :CIA-RDP79T00975A001 0200001-2
25X1A
25X1A
The move may signify a Communist intent to
strengthen the claim to legitimacy of the "Free Cambodia" government
in connection with the Geneva conference. The Viet Minh probably
also wishes to make a further show of military prowess prior to the
conference in order to improve the Communists' bargaining position.
NEAR EAST -AFRICA
6. Arab states organizing campaign against American aid to Israel:
On. 2 April the American press reported
that Jordan was considering the possibility of terminating its Point
IV agreement and notifying Eric Johnston not to return to the area
to discuss the Jordan Valley plan.
On 1 April Ambassador Moose in Damascus
reported that Syrian defense minister Dawalibi spent two hours with
him bitterly criticizing aid to Israel. Moose believes that I)awalibi,
notably pro-Soviet in the past, would not hesitate to seek Soviet aid
if hethoughtthe situation serious enough.
Comment: The Arabs hold the United States
partly responsible for the rails on Qibya and Nahhalin because of
American financial aid to Israel and the latter's use of American
ammunition.
Approved For Rel
25X1A
ase - 020000'1~2Apr 54
25X1
 25X1 A~ L_;
~' ~ '~ Approved For Rel se 2003/10/15 :CIA-RDP79T00975A001 0200001-2
The Arab bloc and Israel are so i.ritent on
competing for American and UN support that there is tittle prospect
of any solution emerging from the proposed Security Counriil consider-
ation of the Arab-Israeli pY?oblem.
WESTERN EUROPE
25X1A
7. Belgian Social Christian Party likely to lose parliamentary majoxity:
in the Senate when national elections are held on 11 April.
Informed sources in the three major Belgian
political parties believe that the Social
Christians will lose theiir majorii:y- in the
Chamber of Representatives and possibly
The establishment of independent electoral
lists by several spliinter groups will hurt the Sociial Christians, who
are expected to lose between 8 and 14 seats iin the Chamber, mostly
to Socialists and Liberals. The Communists are also expected to
lose ground.
Comment: Of the 212 seats in they Chamber,
the Social Christians now ho1~0-$ the Socialists ?7, and the Liberals
20. Only 7 seats are held by Communists.
The mast likely successor government will
be a Social Christian-Socialist coaliition committed to moderate
reforms. Such a coalition would mean little change in foreign policy.
It would, however9 command more support for iits policies than the
present one-party governmentA which has been dominated by con-
servatives.
Approved ~o"rReie
00200~(~1~, 54