CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A002500110001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 23, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 6, 1956
• Content Type: REPORT

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CURRENT.
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
6 April 1956
Copyo0
103
f1O,7,UMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S
NEXT REVIEW DATE;
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
25
25
F
State Department review completed
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CONTENTS
1. THE FIGHTING ALONG THE GAZA STRIP
(page 3).
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2. PRAVDA DENOUNCES CRITICISM OF PARTY BY MEMBERS
3. FIRST CHINESE COMMUNIST COMMENT ON DENIGRATION
OF STALIN
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4. SOVIET LEADERS ASSIGN TOP PRIORITY TO DISARMAMENT
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5. DIEM CONSIDERING MILITARY ACTION AGAINST ISLANDS
CLAIMED BY CAMBODIA
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6. LAOTIAN PREMIER URGED TO MEET PATHET LAO LEADER
IN HANOI
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THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
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1. THE, FIGHTING ALONG THE GAZA STRIP
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A series of armed clashes between.
Egyptian and Israeli forces along the
Gaza strip culminated in a general ex-
change of small arms, mortar and
artillery fire on 5 April. This is the
most serious incident in this sector since the Israeli raid
on Khan Yunis on 31 August-1 September 1955. While it
is possible that Egypt or Israel may find in this incident
the occasion for further action which could lead in turn to
all-out war, the circumstances suggest that neither side is
deliberately seeking war at this time.
During the past week casualties, includ-
ing fatalities, have become more numerous in the Gaza
ET 7 National Guard
M Palestine Home Guard
0 Infantry
0 Armored
? Armored Infantry
U Corps
Division
x Brigade
u. Regiment
AA Battalion
Company or Battery
0 Egyptian unit
M Israeli unit
Unlocated, but believed
attached to infantry div-
El Faluja
.Miflassim
1
` -
/ 4 ssufimlr~' jj `
110 2030
STATUTE MILES
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clashes. The latest incident appears to have developed
out of the earlier patrol actions in which three Israelis
and one Egyptian were killed.
Egypt has charged that, commencing
at 0030 on 5 April, Israeli forces opened fire on Egyptian
strip settlements of Gaza, Deir el Balah, Khan Yunis, and
Abasan. Egyptian forces then claim to have returned the
fire and a general exchange took place all along the border
throughout the day.
According to an Israeli military spokes-
man, Egyptian forces early in the morning launched the
first of a series of seven attacks against the three Israeli
border settlements of Kissufim, Ein Hashelosha, and
Nahaloz. Other reports assert that the settlements of
Miflassim and Beeri were also attacked. In each case
Egyptian forces withdrew after receiving Israeli fire.
UN truce supervisor General Burns on
5 April ordered a cease-fire by midnight. Earlier on 5
April, Israeli foreign minister Sharett had warned of "grave
results" unless Egypt halted its attacks, asserting that
Israel "reserved freedom of action in self-defense."
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2. PRAVDA DENOUNCES CRITICISM OF PARTY
BY MEMBERS
Pravda's latest comment on the anti-
Stalin drive indicates that destruction
of the Stalin myth has led to criticism
of the Communist Party itself,
In an editorial on 5 April, Pravda states
that at recent party meetings, including one hel in a scien-
tific institute, certain members "utilized inner party de-
mocracy to make slanderous statements directed against
the party's policy and its Leninist foundations." "Under the
guise of condemning the cult of the individual some rotten
elements are trying to question the correctness of the party's
policy."
According to Pravda, the party permits
free discussion of policy but "has never tolerated and will
not tolerate petty bourgeois licentiousness, and particularly
antiparty statements, in its midst, even if they are few in
number."
Pravda's statement of the permissible
limits of criticism is an attempt to keep the reaction to the
anti-Stalin drive within safe bounds. Criticism of the party
is equivalent to criticism of the regime itself. The attack
on Stalin is.apparently produping mare freedom of dis-
cussion than the leadership will countenance. The regime
faces a dilemma in attempting to stimulate intellectual ini-
tiative among such crucial groups as scientists without en-
couraging criticism of fundamentals.
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3. FIRST CHINESE COMMUNIST COMMENT ON
DENIGRATION OF STALIN
Communist China's first comment
on the Soviet re-evaluation of Stalin
appears in a 4 April People's Daily
editorial based on discussions held at a meeting of the
Chinese Communist Party's politburo. The Chinese com-
ment follows, in general, Moscow's justification of its
attack on Stalin.
The editorial does not indicate that the
Kremlin's denigration of Stalin has created any real prob-
lems of party or government policy for Peiping. It calls
for "serious" study of the works of Stalin, especially those
"correctly summarizing Soviet experience in construction."
The Chinese formula has been that Stalin's theories were
applied and developed--i. e., altered where necessary--by
Mao Tse-tung. In the current comment, Stalin's theories
are said to have been "crudely applied" by previously dis-
credited Chinese leaders up to 1935--the year in which
Mao became the party's leader.
The editorial suggests that the Chinese
Communist Party will not abandon its special treatment
of Mao Tse-tung, which has continued since the Soviet party
congress, Stalin's "serious mistakes" are said to have de- .
rived primarily from his isolation from "the masses," where-
as. the Chinese party is said to be based firmly on the "mass
line." Peiping has justified Mao's personal leadership of. the
Chinese party in recent months on the ground that he above
all other Chinese leaders "feels the pulse of the broad masses."
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4. SOVIET LEADERS ASSIGN TOP PRIORITY
TO DISARMAMENT
tion and all others come next:, He expressed agreement
with French premier Mollet's published statement that the
West had been mistaken in placing German unification
ahead of disarmament at the Geneva foreign ministers'
conference.
At a Kremlin reception on 3 April,
Premier Bulganin told the French am-
bassador and the American charge that
the Soviet government attaches first
priorlEy to ament. At the same reception, Khru-
shchev said that "the question of peace, that is to say that
of disarmament, takes first place while the German ques-
The American charge believed that
the Soviet government is confident that it has made such
appealing concessions that the West will find it difficult to
avoid discussing them seriously or to reject them. He also
suggests that the Soviet leaders believe their new proposal
on reduction of conventional armaments will evoke sympathy
in the uncommitted areas and among some circles in Europe
and, if accepted, will increase Soviet resources for self-
development and foreign assistance.
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ISLANDS CLAIMED BY CAMBODIA
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5. DIEM CONSIDERING MILITARY ACTION AGAINST
troops. He is therefore considering sending Vietnamese
South Vietnam's President Diem has
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that his government probably will soon
be involved in a serious controversy
with am odia over two small islands near Phu Quoc. Ac-
cording to Diem, these islands, which he claims are clearly
Vietnamese territory, were occupied recently by Cambodian
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Comment
Cambodia's claim to the islands is vague
and is apparently based on the conten-
tion that sovereignty was illegally transferred when Indo-
china was under French control. Phnom Penh issued a
Current Intelligence Bulletin
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strongly worded communique several months ago denounc-
ing Vietnamese intrusion and interference with Cambodian
fishing vessels.in the area.
Relations between Cambodia and South
Vietnam have recently been severely strained as a result
of a series of border incidents and bitter recriminations
which have led to the closing of the border between the two
countries. Phnom Penh, however, last week indicated a
willingness to seek a settlement of this dispute. Any mili-
tary action as proposed by Diem would seriously prejudice
the possibility of a settlement and stimulate anti-Western
sentiment in Cambodia, where the view is widely held that
the Diem government is under Western influence.
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6. LAOTIAN PREMIERURGED TO MEET PATHET LAO
LEADER IN HANOI
added that the Viet. Minh might well "advise" the Pathets
to accept the government's authority in the two northern
provinces in return for a government pledge not to partic-
ipate in military alliances or to permit the presence of
foreign military installations or personnel in Laos.
Ambassador Yost believes the Indian
diplomat is expressing the views Hanoi wants conveyed to
the Laotian government.
The Indian charge in Vientiane is
promoting the idea of a "courtesy
visit" by Laotian premier Souvanna
Phouma to Hanoi as the best means
of-settling the athet Lao problem, according to Ambas-
sador Yost. The charge said he felt the Viet Minh would
lend its "good offices" for talks in Hanoi between Souvanna
Phouma and Pathet Lao leader Prince Souphannouvong. He
Comment Souvanna Phouma has asserted he will
treat any Comni? nist approach with
"great circumspection:' Unless he feels his government's
grievances against the Pathet Lao are adequately taken
care of at the forthcoming talks of the Geneva co-chairmen
in London, he may be attracted by a Communist offer to
settle the problem without reference to the Geneva agree-
ment.
Viet Minh terms for "persuading" the
Pathet Lao to relinquish control of the two provinces would
presumably include exclusion of American influence in Laos.
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THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 5 April)
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diately concerned over possible action along the Egyptian
See item 1, page 3, for comment on
Egyptian-Israeli fighting along the Gaza strip.
Israeli regular units have been with-
drawn from the Lebanese border during the past two weeks,
according to the Lebanese chief of staff. A similar Israeli
withdrawal from the Syrian frontier was reported previously.
These movements may indicate that Israel is more imme-
border,
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