What did the declassified documents reveal?

Declassified. This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record, a letter from Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek to Colonel Johnson, dated May twenty-third, nineteen-fifty, requesting United States military assistance for Taiwan. This document is available on documents2.theblackvault.com. This document was released under the Freedom of Information Act. It details Chiang Kai-shek's observations on Russian influence in East Asia and his plea for immediate military aid to strengthen Taiwan's defenses against communist forces. The document begins: "May twenty-third, nineteen-fifty. My dear Colonel: We have recently had a five day visit of thirty representatives of the United States press and radio networks. We provided them with an opportunity to look at anything on the Island and made every effort to give true, clear and comprehensive answers to any questions they presented. During their stay here and upon their departure the visiting journalists gave every evidence of having been favorably impressed. In this they corroborated the favorable views of the various United States press representatives who are now permanently stationed in Formosa. It has been a long time since we have been visited by official representatives of the Department of Defense — except of course the air, naval and military attachés attached to the United States diplomatic representation in Formosa. We would very much like to have the pleasure of welcoming any representative you may wish to send us. I am sure they could have a more vivid and more comprehensive picture both of the internal situation and of the critical aspects of the world problems in relation to Formosa. I do not think that there could be many informed observers in the United States who can any longer ignore Russian intentions and Russian activities that have now become so pronounced and dynamic in their efforts to seize control of all East Asia and the western Pacific. It has been reliably reported that extensive work is being done to the airfields in Hainan. Russian air power is being rapidly extended through Eastern China right down to the Indo-China border, and airfields are being repaired throughout China. Modern anti-aircraft batteries to defend these airfields have already been established on many key bases. They consist of radar controlled guns, and they have lately been using the 'proximity' fuse, which apparently is now under production in Russia. Modern Russian aircraft are being mobilized throughout Eastern China. These include some of the latest jet types, as well as some of the newer Japanese zero fighters. It is our conviction that many of these planes, particularly the zero fighters and the jets, are flown by foreign pilots — Japanese and Russian. However, on this point we do not yet have firm confirmation. Up to the present moment the communists have not used any of their aircraft against Government controlled areas and therefore have avoided the risk of identification of the nationality of…

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-005Declassified

Filed NOV 10 · 2026Runtime 1 min

Central Intelligence Agency Record, A Letter From Generalissimo Chiang Kai Shek

U.S. public record · FOIAUpdated November 10, 2026

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◆ BLUF — The short version

Declassified. This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record, a letter from Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek to Colonel Johnson, dated May twenty-third, nineteen-fifty, requesting United States military assistance for Taiwan. com. This document was released under the Freedom of Information Act.

Date: NOV 10 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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Declassified. This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record, a letter from Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek to Colonel Johnson, dated May twenty-third, nineteen-fifty, requesting United States military assistance for Taiwan. This document is available on documents2.theblackvault.com. This…

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Questions about this case

What was Central Intelligence Agency Record, A Letter From Generalissimo Chiang Kai Shek about?: Declassified. This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record, a letter from Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek to Colonel Johnson, dated May twenty-third, nineteen-fifty, requesting United States military assistance for Taiwan. com. This document was released under the Freedom of Information Act.
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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Central Intelligence Agency Record, A Letter From Generalissimo Chiang Kai Shek

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