What did the declassified documents reveal?

This Declassified briefing presents a top-secret cable from the State Department to General MacArthur's headquarters, detailing a potential United States assistance plan for anti-communist activities in China. This document, dated May twenty-sixth, nineteen-fifty, provides a rare glimpse into early Cold War intelligence gathering and covert operations. It is publicly available via vault.fbi.gov and documents2.theblackvault.com. This document was released under the Freedom of Information Act. While a specific FOIA case number is not provided on the available copy, it was declassified by an Army review authority, the A-A-R-O, on February ninth, nineteen-ninety-five. The original classification was Top Secret. The document is a cable from the State Department in Washington D.C. to D-A, O-U-S-F-E Washington D.C., and S-C-A-P, U-S-P-O-L-A-D Tokyo Japan. It reads: Former professor Nanking University Li Sih-Sheng, Hong Kong, claiming contact mainland guerrillas called C-O-N-G-E-N, May twenty-fifth. Said guerrilla leader, relative of his in Anhwei, yesterday got word to him that Liu Lin-Chuan contacting number of guerrilla leaders Anhwei and Honan Provinces, claiming he just returned from Taipei where representative of General MacArthur promised him U.S. dollars twenty-six million for subsidizing anti-commie guerrillas. Liu reportedly asking leaders take him to their hideouts to count their numbers with purpose proper allocation funds and distribute weapons, ammo and radios. Also said families of leaders could be transported to Japan for safety if entrusted to him. Li suspects this is commie plot to identify hideouts but said guerrilla groups not want overlook opportunity badly needed aid if proposition genuine. Said American help in establishing identity of Liu of vital importance to protection safety of sixty-six thousand five guerrillas in Ta Piehkshan area. Departments comment requested. Signed Rankin. The cable also carries a routing instruction to "Consult Crypto before declassifying. Paraphrase not required. Handle as correspondence of classification carried hereon per paragraphs seventeen a one two and forty-one c two three and g one, A-R three eighty dash five, fifteen November nineteen forty-nine." The Black Vault’s archival entry for this document notes that it pertains to United States intelligence on China and United States assistance for anti-communist activity. This cable is one of many that reveal the complex and often uncertain intelligence landscape faced by American agencies during the early stages of the Cold War, particularly concerning covert operations and the reliability of sources. This is what the public record looks like at its most ordinary. Find this document and more at storyflo.com and at archive.org/download/us-china-intel-CI00351/CI00351djvu.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-006Declassified

Filed NOV 10 · 2026Runtime 1 min

FBI This Declassified Briefing Presents A Top Secret Cable From The State

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

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This Declassified briefing presents a top-secret cable from the State Department to General MacArthur's headquarters, detailing a potential United States assistance plan for anti-communist activities in China. This document, dated May twenty-sixth, nineteen-fifty, provides a rare glimpse into early Cold War intelligence gathering and covert operations.

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

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What was FBI This Declassified Briefing Presents A Top Secret Cable From The State about?: This Declassified briefing presents a top-secret cable from the State Department to General MacArthur's headquarters, detailing a potential United States assistance plan for anti-communist activities in China. This document, dated May twenty-sixth, nineteen-fifty, provides a rare glimpse into early Cold War intelligence gathering and covert operations.
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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FBI This Declassified Briefing Presents A Top Secret Cable From The State

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