What did the declassified documents reveal?

This episode of Declassified presents a Central Intelligence Agency record, a memorandum from August twenty-third, nineteen-forty-nine, concerning the proposed recruitment of a Japanese Foreign Legion in China. This document can be found at documents two dot the black vault dot com. This document was released under the Freedom of Information Act. The full text of the memorandum was declassified and made publicly available by the C-I-A, with no redactions. The document’s canonical U-R-L is included in our show notes. We begin with an inter-office memorandum from G-Two G-H-Q, dated August twelfth, nineteen-forty-nine. Subject: Jap Foreign Legion in China. From General Willoughby to Colonel Fortier A. Comment Number one: Just what action could the Diplomatic Section take? Furthermore, you might inquire from the S-G-S or A-G just what they expect the Diplomatic Section to do. Number two: We should step in and keep intelligence reporting in channels. I recall some information from Hong Kong two or three months ago on that same subject. In any event, let us recapitulate what you have in your O-slash-N two and send it upstairs as G-Two Comment, so that they know that we are in on this sort of business. From T-slash-Int to General Willoughby, August twentieth, nineteen-forty-nine. Number one: Reference C-slash-N one, paragraph one. Diplomatic Section handled this action as no action taken. Number two: Reference C-slash-N one, paragraph two. Recommend approval of attached C-slash-S sixty-three, Chief of Staff, Tab two. Two Incl— One: N-slash-C. Two: Draft C-slash-S to Chief of Staff. From T-slash-Int to General Willoughby, August twenty-third, nineteen-forty-nine. Number one: Tab two is C-slash-N one, G-Two to Chief of Staff, subject as above, prepared in final form in accordance with revised draft attached to G-Two file. Number two: Request signature and dispatch. Two Incl— One: N-slash-C. Two: C-slash-N one, G-Two to Chief of Staff. Permanent Record. Do not detach. Another inter-office memorandum from G-Two G-H-Q, dated August twelfth, nineteen-forty-nine. Subject: Jap Foreign Legion in China. From General Willoughby to Colonel Fortier A. Comment Number one: While action is to Diplomatic Section, the material has some intelligence interest. I have some recollection of such a proposition. What do we know about this? One Incl: Radio N-R zero nine one three one nine Z. A-G nine eight six one seven. From Colonel Fortier to General Willoughby, August seventeenth, nineteen-forty-nine. Number one: In recent months, especially since the appointment of Marshal Y-E-N Hsi-shan to the premiership in early June nineteen-forty-nine, T-slash-Int has received frequent reports concerning the proposed recruitment of Japanese for a Nationalist “Foreign Legion” in China and to serve with the Nationalist Air Force. Although the sources of most of this information have been Chinese press releases or C-C-D mail intercepts, an official report from S-A-N-A, Nanking, July…

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-003Declassified

Filed NOV 15 · 2026Runtime 1 min

This Episode Of Declassified Presents A Central Intelligence Agency Record

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

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This episode of Declassified presents a Central Intelligence Agency record, a memorandum from August twenty-third, nineteen-forty-nine, concerning the proposed recruitment of a Japanese Foreign Legion in China. This document can be found at documents two dot the black vault dot com.

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

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What was This Episode Of Declassified Presents A Central Intelligence Agency Record about?: This episode of Declassified presents a Central Intelligence Agency record, a memorandum from August twenty-third, nineteen-forty-nine, concerning the proposed recruitment of a Japanese Foreign Legion in China. This document can be found at documents two dot the black vault dot com.
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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