What did the declassified documents reveal?

Welcome to Declassified. Today, we delve into a declassified C-I-A record concerning U.S. intelligence on China, specifically a November tenth, nineteen-forty-nine memorandum titled "General Nemoto - Formosa". This document offers insights into the political landscape of Formosa—present-day Taiwan—shortly after the Chinese Civil War. This record is available on documents2.theblackvault.com. This document was released under the Freedom of Information Act and made public by the C-I-A on March twenty-seventh, two-thousand-and-seven. No specific F-O-I-A case number is cited in the available archive, but its declassification authority is implicit in its public release. The memorandum is an Inter-Office Memorandum from G-two, G-H-Q, marked "For use within G-two only" and "Secret". It states: "Attached herewith are reports concerning trip of General Nemoto to Formosa. Previous copies of these reports were sent to you with briefs I had prepared for General Willoughby. However, the briefs were based on reports which were poorly translated and I am forwarding these copies which are more intelligently translated for your files and information." The document includes a section titled "Information On FORMOSA (H-H-T - twenty-eighth August forty-nine)". It notes: "This intelligence report is a compilation of information obtained from sources closely associated with Chinese residing in Japan. The information on FORMOSA obtained from sources residing in Japan is very poor. The observation at the end of the report is that of the writer." Under "A. Personal relationships of Chinese leaders in FORMOSA and JAPAN," the document states: "One. Relationship of CHIANG Kai-shek and CHEN Cheng. CHEN Cheng, after reaching FORMOSA in nineteen-forty-eight, apparently planned to take exclusive possession of CHIANG Kai-shek's wealth and become lord over FORMOSA... When CHIANG Kai-shek, TANG En-po and WANG Wen-cheng conferred in SHANGHAI in January nineteen-forty-nine, TANG and WANG advised CHIANG to hurry to FORMOSA to adjust his relations with CHEN. CHIANG, thereafter, went to FORMOSA and restrained CHEN Cheng. The present relationship of CHIANG and CHEN is believed to be good on the whole. But it is believed that CHEN will not necessarily choose to commit double suicide with CHIANG when the Nationalist Government is on the verge of collapse, but rather that CHEN is watching for a chance to succeed CHIANG." A note on CHEN Cheng describes him as "an extreme rightist in the Nationalist Government, he has an aversion to foreigners and is disliked by United States officials." Under "B. The Chinese Army in FORMOSA," the document states: "The total strength is reported to be four hundred thousand to five hundred thousand, but there seem to be only about one hundred fifty thousand or two hundred thousand at the most who are adequately equipped. The entire army, from officers right down, are fearful of defeat and their morale is gone." Under "C. Political Picture in FORMOSA," it…

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 13 · 2026Runtime 1 min

CIA General Nemoto Formosa

U.S. public record · FOIAUpdated November 13, 2026

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Welcome to Declassified. S. intelligence on China, specifically a November tenth, nineteen-forty-nine memorandum titled "General Nemoto - Formosa". This document offers insights into the political landscape of Formosa—present-day Taiwan—shortly after the Chinese Civil War. com. This document was released under the Freedom of Information Act and made public by the C-I-A on March twenty-seventh, two-thousand-and-seven.

Date: NOV 13 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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Welcome to Declassified. Today, we delve into a declassified C-I-A record concerning U.S. intelligence on China, specifically a November tenth, nineteen-forty-nine memorandum titled "General Nemoto - Formosa". This document offers insights into the political landscape of Formosa—present-day…

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What was CIA General Nemoto Formosa about?: Welcome to Declassified. S. intelligence on China, specifically a November tenth, nineteen-forty-nine memorandum titled "General Nemoto - Formosa". This document offers insights into the political landscape of Formosa—present-day Taiwan—shortly after the Chinese Civil War. com. This document was released under the Freedom of Information Act and made public by the C-I-A on March twenty-seventh, two-thousand-and-seven.
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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CIA General Nemoto Formosa

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