What did the declassified documents reveal?

Declassified. Today, we examine a declassified C.I.A. record concerning the Communist takeover of Yunnan Province, dated December seventh, nineteen-forty-nine. This document provides an early intelligence report on the impending political changes in China, sourced from archive.org and also available via documents2.theblackvault.com. This memorandum was released by the Central Intelligence Agency under Executive Order twelve-thousand-nine-hundred-fifty-eight, section three-point-three, subsection B one, confirming its declassification. It offers a glimpse into U.S. intelligence gathering during a pivotal moment in Chinese history. The document reads: Central Intelligence Agency, Washington twenty-five D.C. December seventh, nineteen-forty-nine. Memorandum. The following report, from a reliable source, has just been received. On three or four December nineteen-forty-nine, Lu Han's, Nationalist Governor of Yunnan Province, representative in Macao asked the Macao Air Transport to fly from Kunming to Macao forty-two-thousand ounces of gold worth about two million United States dollars for Lu Han's personal account as Lu expects a Communist coup in Yunnan and a formal announcement of the take-over on seven December nineteen-forty-nine. The deadline for landing in Kunming is sundown of five December nineteen-forty-nine. The Macao Air Transport refused to risk losing the plane if unable to take off although Lu expected that the Army would be able to control the airfield from three to five December. Lu did not request that the plane evacuate himself. C.A.T., Chennault's airline, was not asked to fly out the gold because it would be confiscated at Haiphong or Hong Kong. Comment: The Hong Kong press of six December gives unconfirmed reports that the Yunnan Nationalist troops who are in contact with Chu Chia Pi and Communist guerrillas mutinied on five December nineteen-forty-nine. The document is signed: R.H. Hillenkoetter, Rear Admiral, U.S.N., Director of Central Intelligence. The Central Intelligence Agency's own archival summary notes that this document provides intelligence on the Communist takeover of Yunnan Province, detailing a request by the Nationalist Governor for the evacuation of gold ahead of the anticipated coup. It also references contemporary press reports of mutiny among Nationalist troops. This record reflects the intelligence community's immediate assessment of rapidly unfolding events in China during nineteen-forty-nine. This is what the public record looks like at its most ordinary. storyflo.com. Find this document at archive.org/download/us-china-intel-CI00302/CI00302djvu.txt.

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-007Declassified

Filed NOV 13 · 2026Runtime 1 min

CIA Today, We Examine A Declassified CIA

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

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◆ BLUF — The short version

Declassified. A. record concerning the Communist takeover of Yunnan Province, dated December seventh, nineteen-forty-nine. com. This memorandum was released by the Central Intelligence Agency under Executive Order twelve-thousand-nine-hundred-fifty-eight, section three-point-three, subsection B one, confirming its declassification. S. intelligence gathering during a pivotal moment in Chinese history.

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

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Declassified. Today, we examine a declassified C.I.A. record concerning the Communist takeover of Yunnan Province, dated December seventh, nineteen-forty-nine. This document provides an early intelligence report on the impending political changes in China, sourced from archive.org and also…

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What was CIA Today, We Examine A Declassified CIA about?: Declassified. A. record concerning the Communist takeover of Yunnan Province, dated December seventh, nineteen-forty-nine. com. This memorandum was released by the Central Intelligence Agency under Executive Order twelve-thousand-nine-hundred-fifty-eight, section three-point-three, subsection B one, confirming its declassification. S. intelligence gathering during a pivotal moment in Chinese history.
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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