What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record titled Comments on Mr. Clubb’s memorandum of April twenty‑fifth, nineteen fifty‑one, dated May first, nineteen fifty‑one. The memorandum is notable because it reflects internal assessments of U.S. intelligence operations in the Far East during the early Cold War period, and it offers insight into policy discussions concerning China and the Nationalist government. The document was released to the public through The Black Vault as part of a Freedom of Information Act disclosure. The release was posted online on the archive site, and the full text is available at the URL archive dot org slash download slash us‑china‑intel‑CI00719 slash CI00719djvu dot txt. No additional declassification authority is noted beyond the standard archival release. Standard Form Number sixty‑four, subject: Comments on Mr. Clubb’s memorandum of April twenty‑fifth. Far Eastern Affairs, May fourth, nineteen fifty‑one. Assistant Secretary: I would like to make the following comments on this memorandum. I believe that any project that we can embark upon, that has any chance of success, is worthwhile considering. The stakes are so high that no effort of this kind would be expensive in the light of possible results. However, this memorandum does not give me any idea of the method of operation, and at the moment I am unable to formulate in my own mind a proper line of procedure. It must be borne in mind that these “experts” are probably the best known State Department officials to both the Nationalist and Communist officials. It also appears to me that, rightly or wrongly, the personnel proposed are definitely tagged as anti‑Chiang Kai‑shek. I cannot help but believe that the knowledge of the forming of such a group would raise a terrific furor among the Kuomintang and its proponents. Since the personnel proposed are all language officers, I presume that all or most of them would operate in Taipei and/or Hong Kong, if not behind the “bamboo curtain.” I submit that the arrival of two or more of the principal officers in Taipei or Hong Kong would create a sensation almost equal to the landing of a battalion of Marines. The germ of this idea, although not novel, might well be implemented, but I believe that the method of operation would have to be covert. I recommend that this idea be given to Policy Planning and/or Ken Krentz, et al. No additional contextual statement was provided by the Central Intelligence Agency regarding this memorandum. This is what the public record looks like at its most ordinary. storyflo dot com, archive dot org slash download slash us‑china‑intel‑CI00719 slash CI00719djvu dot 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.

CIA Comments On Mr

◆ BLUF — The short version

This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record titled Comments on Mr. Clubb’s memorandum of April twenty‑fifth, nineteen fifty‑one, dated May first, nineteen fifty‑one. S. intelligence operations in the Far East during the early Cold War period, and it offers insight into policy discussions concerning China and the Nationalist government.

Date: OCT 20 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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Episode notes

This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record titled Comments on Mr. Clubb’s memorandum of April twenty‑fifth, nineteen fifty‑one, dated May first, nineteen fifty‑one. The memorandum is notable because it reflects internal assessments of U.S. intelligence operations in the Far East…

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Questions about this case

What was CIA Comments On Mr about?: This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record titled Comments on Mr. Clubb’s memorandum of April twenty‑fifth, nineteen fifty‑one, dated May first, nineteen fifty‑one. S. intelligence operations in the Far East during the early Cold War period, and it offers insight into policy discussions concerning China and the Nationalist government.
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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