CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP79T00975A001700550001-2
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
T
Document Page Count: 
6
Document Creation Date: 
December 15, 2016
Document Release Date: 
March 18, 2004
Sequence Number: 
1
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
August 18, 1954
Content Type: 
REPORT
File: 
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PDF icon CIA-RDP79T00975A001700550001-2.pdf193.18 KB
Body: 
18 August 1954 Copy Noe CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN DOCUMENT NO. NO CHANGE IN CLASS F DECLASSIFIED DATE: I ZQ to REVIEWER: J NEXT REVIEW DATE: 10( 0 AUTH: HR 70-2 /O Office of Current Intelligence CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY State Dept. review completed e 2 0 A A P/O 8 ~ - ~ G-W9 T 0 0 wo /~& 25X1A Approved For,Qelease 2004/07/05 - 75f46'01700550001-2 SUMMARY SOVIET UNION 25X1 1. Comment on further expansion of Soviet "new lands" program (page 3). 2. 3. FAR EAST Ikeda attributes Japan's difficulties to American policies (page 3). American offer of flood relief to China seen desirable (page 4). 25X1A 18 Aug 54 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 2 Approved For Rel 25X1A Approved For@Iease 2004/07/08: CIA-RDP79T00975A01700550001-2 SOVIET UNION 25X1A 1. Comment on further expansion of Soviet "new lands" program: the USSR--calls for a 20-percent increase in the total sown acreage in 1956 over 1953. .The expanded.land reclamation program announced by Moscow on 17 August--the largest such program ever undertaken in The land reclamation decree issued in .March.195 3 called for the cultivation of 32, 000, 000 acres of virgin and reclaimed land by 1955; the new decree raises that figure to 37,000,000 acres by 1955, and to between 69,000,000 and 74,000,000 acres by 1956. The 1954 reclamation quota has been over- fulfilled by a wide margin, and favorable weather has created good harvest prospects. These successes, combined with poor harvest prospects elsewhere ,in the U may have induced.the government to enlarge the .acreage expansion program earlier than anticipated. The land scheduled for use .after 1955, how- ever, is probably even less suitable for cultivation than that scheduled for use in the early years of the program. In most of the areas in- volved, weather conditions unfavorable ,for grain crops have .occu red on an average of two years out of five. 25X1A FAR EAST 25X1A 2. Ikeda attributes Japan's difficulties to American policies-, American occupation policies and, therefore, the United States should be more generous in helping ,Japan recover. He warned that many Japanese believe :Germany has received more benevo- lent treatment than Japan. Hayato Ikeda, secretary general. of the Japanese Liberal. Party, told Ambassador Allison on. 13 August that many of Japan's economic difficulties are due to "mistaken" 1.8 Aug 54 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 3 25X1A Approved For Rel 5A001700550001-2 25X1A Approved ForijOease 2004/07/08 : CIA-RDP79T00975*DO1700550001-2 Ikeda said the prestige of Prime Minister Yoshida and the Liberal Party had never been so low as today, and the government needs increased strength to put American-Japanese co-operation on a permanent basis. He emphasized that Yoshida is still the key to sound Japanese relations with the United.States, and it is thus "indispensable" that the prime minister be given "real presents" on his forthcoming trip to Washington. Ikeda also asserted that his recent remarks urging more flexibility in Japan's Asian policies had been misquoted. He said co-operation with the United States is so basic to all aspects of Japanese policy he had not felt it necessary to dwell on this essen- tial in his remarks. Comment: Ikeda's attitude is typical of a trend among Japanese officials to look to the United States to help Japan in its current crisis, rather than to impose the austerity measures required by the nation's deteriorating economy. American aid is important to Yoshida's position, since his popular strength derives primarily from the belief that he is the man who can best gain maximum benefits from the United States. American offer of flood relief to China seen desirable: 25X1A A semiofficial organ of the Chinese National- ist government has announced a drive for flood relief to victims on the China mainland. The announcement stated that assistance would be sought from the United States. The American embassy at Taipei suggests that an American failure to make some gesture of aid to flood vic- tims will give another opportunity to those who wish to persuade Asian peoples that the United States places a low value on Asian lives. Comment: Peiping would almost certainly reject an offer of flood relief roan the Chinese Nationalists. It seems likely, although less certain, that an offer from the United States government would also be rejected. 18 Aug 54 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 4 25X1A Approved For Rele 5A001700550001-2 25X1A Approved For4gRlease 2004/07/08 : CIA-RDP79T00975M01700550001-2 . There would be a psychological warfare advantage in an American offer of aid, particularly if the USSR failed to offer assistance or offered only token aid. If an American relief offer were made, Peiping would have difficulty concealing the fact. 25X1 18 Aug 54 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN ' Page 5 Approved For Rel - 975A0Q1700550001-2 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/07/08 : CIA-RDP79T00975AO01700550001-2 Approved For Release 2004/07/08 : CIA-RDP79T00975AO01700550001-2