NOTES ON NSC MEETING. 11 FEBRUARY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01443R000200140009-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 12, 1999
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: February 11, 1954
• Content Type: MEMO

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11 Februa
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MEMORANDUM FOR DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
SUBJECT: Notes on NSC Meeting, 11 February
Indochina Military Situation
Little change. Viet Minh battalion from Samneua
h
reac
ed
bend of river - at Luang Prabang - probing French defenses. Will
wait for the 10 forces from Dien Bien Phu coming down - now about
30 miles away. No change at Dien Bien Phu to speak of. Loss of
some 44 posts in the South. Sabotage in the Delta - C-47's and gasoline.
Navarre to Heath
Follows cards closely.
Viet Nam Nationalist Groups
Since last meetings discussion -- had looked into possibility of
using religious groups to inspire nationalist fervor. Picture looks
pretty bad. Strongest religious group is Catholics -- includes intelli-
gensia, trained men strong bishops with influence. Strange Cao
Dai sect -- mixture Catholicism and Buddhism. Saints -- George
Washington, Victor Hugo, Jesus Christ. Still a lot of fence-sitters.
Problem is how to get them to take part. Many feel Bao Dai is the
leader, but Bullitt has reported he is very sick with Malaria -- all
through his system -- means long interruptions in his work.
Ho Chi Minh
DCI on hunt for Ho Chi Minh - strange that dynamic leader hadn't
made personal appearance in over a year.
Could be sent by dead man just as well. Mystery that hasn't been
pierced. Don't know why or where he's being kept under cover.
Rhee's Anti-Communist Front
originated in the Rhee-Chiang meeting in November. Communique
calling for free Asian governments to organize common front. Has
sent two missions to SEA - second left 10 February. Wants Magsaysay
to lead the front - Chinats feel Rhee pushing too far and too fast. No
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sign Magsaysay going to accept. i Qher SEA reactions cool. Burma
and Indonesia unlikely to respond; Thais a little jealous of Magsaysay
as leader SEA; Japs and Rhee unlikely to get together on this or
anything else -- so not much likely to come of this Rhee attempt.
Quite a campaign to stress popular East German dissatisfac-
tion with conference. Some of it planted. We have been working very
closely with the delegation in Berlin on this so as to get an expression
of the East German desire for free elections, etc. Keep the pot
boiling, but without blowing the lid off.
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