What did the declassified documents reveal?

This Declassified briefing focuses on a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record, a letter from July eleventh, nineteen-fifty-one, discussing radar scope photographic reconnaissance operations over China. It offers a glimpse into early Cold War intelligence gathering on Chinese targets. This document is available on documents2.theblackvault.com. This document was released under the Freedom of Information Act and made public by The Black Vault, an independent civilian archive, on February twenty-first, two thousand twenty. It was declassified by the National Archives and Records Administration in accordance with Executive Order one three, five, two six. The document is a letter from Headquarters Far East Command, Office of the Chief of Staff, to Major General T. S. Power, Headquarters Strategic Air Command. It reads: Dear General Power: As in the past, most of my time has been spent on the radar scope photo reconnaissance program. I feel that we are now making progress along this line. You have received the T-W-X from General Terrill which outlines what targets we have covered so far, and those that we intend to cover next. As indicated to you, C-I-N-C-F-E at the present time does not have the authority to permit reconnaissance over China except over the Shantung Peninsula. C-I-N-C-F-E is requesting the necessary authority from J-C-S to allow us to cover all Chinese targets listed in S-A-C Operations Plan sixty-one, fifty-one. I hope that the authority will be forthcoming prior to your receipt of this letter. As soon as authority is received, we will continue with our program. I am pleased to report that our method of conducting these missions has been as follows: General Terrill and I pick the targets to be covered on a given mission or missions. We then request F-E-A-F to procure from C-I-N-C-F-E the necessary authority. This having been received, F-E-A-F directs General Terrill as Bomber Command Commanding General to accomplish the mission or missions. Of course, what this means is that S-A-C (X-RAY) has control of the whole operation including operational control of the ninety-first for radar scope reconnaissance. General Weyland has been most cooperative and seems to realize the importance of our program more readily than do most members of his staff. C-I-N-C-F-E has also been sympathetic to the urgency of our requirements. As you know, we have conducted three missions—each mission covering two targets each. On only one of these have we encountered any aerial opposition. You are familiar with this mission, since after receiving the report; you queried us on additional information concerning the opposition encountered. Since F-E-A-F received their copy of S-A-C Operations Plan sixty-one, fifty-one, on fourth July, they have accomplished little or nothing to plan for the implementation of requirements placed upon them by this plan. As I had mentioned in a previous letter to you, they would not take any action until they had received the…

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 This Declassified Briefing Focuses On A Declassified Central Intelligence

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This Declassified briefing focuses on a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record, a letter from July eleventh, nineteen-fifty-one, discussing radar scope photographic reconnaissance operations over China. It offers a glimpse into early Cold War intelligence gathering on Chinese targets. com.

Date: OCT 18 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was CIA This Declassified Briefing Focuses On A Declassified Central Intelligence about?: This Declassified briefing focuses on a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record, a letter from July eleventh, nineteen-fifty-one, discussing radar scope photographic reconnaissance operations over China. It offers a glimpse into early Cold War intelligence gathering on Chinese targets. com.
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 This Declassified Briefing Focuses On A Declassified Central Intelligence

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