OFFSHORE ISLAND SITUATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91T01172R000300240010-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 17, 2009
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: February 5, 1955
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2009/03/17: CIA-RDP91T01172R000300240010-3 25X1
COPY NO. 17
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
5 February 1955
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director (Intelligence)
SUBJECT: Offshore Island Situation
General
Except for small scale Nationalist air attacks on Communist
shipping in the Tachen area there has been little military
action in the offshore islands during the past 24 hours. Indi-
cations continue that the Communists are making additional
preparations for an attack on the Tachens.
For the next 24 hours conditions will be generally favorable
for both air and surface operations. Winds are of 10-20 knots
in velocity. Visibility is good except for patches of surface
fog during morning and evening hours. Temporary local fog
conditions could be used by Communist forces to cover close
reconnaissance or mask assembled assault vessels.
Communist naval forces continue to demonstrate their control
of waters in the Tachen area. Five Communist naval ships are
reported maintaining a continuous patrol between Yushan, Nation-
alist outpost 35 miles northeast of the Tachens, and Communist-
held Tungchi island located due north of the Tachens. Six small
Communist junks reportedly conducted reconnaissance patrol. from
Ichiang which came within 6,000 yards of the Tachens. 25X1
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Evacuation of civilians and non-combatants from islands
in the Tachen Defense Command continues. As of 4 February
about 800 civilians had been removed from the Tachens, the
majority by junk lift. Current Nationalist plans call for
the eventual evacuation of 21,000 civilians and military de-
pendents from the Tachens, Yushan, Pishan and Nanchishan.
First mention of civilian evacuation from Nanchishan--85 miles
southwest of the Tachens--came from the Nationalist defense
ministry on 3 February. Plans to remove civilians from Nanchi
suggest that Taipei is not sanguine regarding the future of
island. In November there were indications the Nationalists
planned to convert Nanchishan into a "northern defense anchor"
if a withdrawal from the Tachens became necessary.
Nanchishan, formerly a part of the Tachen Defense Command,
has been placed under an independent command directly subordinate
to the Ministry of National Defense in Taipei. The former
deputy commander of the Tachen Defense Command has been named
as head of the new Nanchi command.
Negative.
Quemoy
Negative.
Prospects for Cease-fire
No change since the last report.
HUNTINGTON D. SHELDON
Assistant Director,
Current Intelligence
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Approved For Release 2009/03/17: CIA-RDP91T01172R000300240010-3