What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is Declassified. Today, we examine a July thirtieth, nineteen-forty-nine, memorandum from U.S. intelligence on China. This declassified Secret document, designated as Information Relative to Chinese Communists, offers a snapshot of U.S. intelligence estimates during the critical period of the Chinese Civil War. You can find this record on vault.fbi.gov and documents2.theblackvault.com. This document was released under the Freedom of Information Act, though no specific FOIA case number is cited. The declassification authority is not explicitly stated within the document's header or footer, but it was made public as part of a larger collection of U.S. intelligence records on China. The source for this audio briefing is a text transcription provided by The Black Vault. The document opens with a transmittal memo concerning two attachments: Tab one, a memorandum to General Willoughby, dated July twenty-sixth, nineteen-forty-nine, and Tab two, a report on the Communist Military Situation in Central, East, and South China, from July seventeenth to twentieth, nineteen-forty-nine, by Major Rinalducci. The memo notes that the original report and map had been withdrawn for transmittal to Intelligence Division by Targets Branch, but one copy of the report and a duplicate map were retained for use in the Daily Intelligence Summary. The attached report from Rinalducci on Chinese Communist maps was to be exploited as fully as possible. The main body of the document is a memorandum for General Willoughby, subject: Information Relative to Chinese Communists. Information presented in this memo was obtained from Lieutenant General Fisher. It consisted of seven separate items, including strength and organization of Chinese Communist forces as of May, nineteen-forty-nine. Key excerpts include: First Field Army strength: one hundred twenty thousand men. Commander: Peng Teh-huai. Second Field Army strength: three hundred eighty thousand men. Commander: Liu Po-cheng. Third Field Army strength: four hundred five thousand men. Commander: Chen Yi. Fourth Field Army strength: six hundred eighty thousand men. Commander: Lin Piao. First Army Group: one hundred twenty thousand. Second Army Group: sixty thousand. Third Army Group: sixty thousand. Fourth Army Group: sixty thousand. Fifth Army Group: sixty thousand. Sixth Army Group: sixty thousand. Seventh Army Group: sixty thousand. Eighth Army Group: sixty thousand. Ninth Army Group: sixty thousand. Tenth Army Group: sixty thousand. Eleventh Army Group: sixty thousand. The Chinese People's Liberation Army total strength is estimated at one million, four hundred eighty-six thousand men, with Commander Zhu De, Deputy Peng Teh-huai, and Chief of Staff Yeh Chien-ying. This figure includes only regular troops. Other groups, such as two million thirty-one thousand men of various military headquarters, one million ninety thousand militia, five hundred thirty thousand reservists, two hundred sixty thousand army coolies, one…

Why was this case declassified?

This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked on this page so the citation chain is auditable.

Case File · ARCHIVE-001Declassified

Filed NOV 15 · 2026Runtime 1 min

FBI Today, We Examine A July Thirtieth, Nineteen Forty Nine, Memorandum From U.s.

U.S. public record · FOIAUpdated November 15, 2026

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◆ BLUF — The short version

This is Declassified. S. intelligence on China. S. intelligence estimates during the critical period of the Chinese Civil War. com. This document was released under the Freedom of Information Act, though no specific FOIA case number is cited. S. intelligence records on China.

Date: NOV 15 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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Episode notes

This is Declassified. Today, we examine a July thirtieth, nineteen-forty-nine, memorandum from U.S. intelligence on China. This declassified Secret document, designated as Information Relative to Chinese Communists, offers a snapshot of U.S. intelligence estimates during the critical period of the…

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What was FBI Today, We Examine A July Thirtieth, Nineteen Forty Nine, Memorandum From U.s. about?: This is Declassified. S. intelligence on China. S. intelligence estimates during the critical period of the Chinese Civil War. com. This document was released under the Freedom of Information Act, though no specific FOIA case number is cited. S. intelligence records on China.
Why was this case declassified?: This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. Storyflo narrates it directly from the public release.

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