What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record titled United States intelligence assessment of Taiwan’s defense organization, dated August nineteenth, nineteen fifty‑one. The cable is notable because it provides a contemporaneous U.S. analysis of the political and military structures governing the Republic of China’s armed forces during the early Cold War. The document was released to the public through a Freedom of Information Act request filed with the Central Intelligence Agency. The release appeared on The Black Vault website on an unspecified date, and the declassification authority is listed as the CIA. The full text can be accessed at the Black Vault URL archive dot org slash download slash us‑china‑intel‑CI00800 slash CI00800djvu dot txt. The document reads as follows: Co secret Department of the Army message, staff communications office. Secret. From: USARMA Taipei Formosa, S.G.D. Barrett. To: C.S.U.S.A. Department, Washington D.C., for G‑2. Number: AT two‑four‑zero. Date‑time group: nineteen zero one two Zulu, August nineteen, nineteen fifty‑one. Urgent message one two one six four three two. While we believe aging, cantankerous, suspicious Gimo may be expected to resist certain aspects of U.S. military aid, particularly anything which he considers affects such highly sensitive matters as secret police activities, political work in the armed forces, manner of employment of Taiwanese in the army, reorganization of the army involving reduction in number of units, and any change in the present status of his pet armored force and combined service force, we believe he will yield any point which we press firmly, patiently and diplomatically. While in one of the fits of rage for which he is famous he may have said the Chinese government cannot hope for aid from the United States, we do not believe in his heart he thinks any such thing. He is no fool and records past aid so plainly and prospects future so bright that it seems impossible he would be so stupid. Gimo is perfectly capable of throwing about water glass or even his false teeth one day, and after a cooling‑off period of more or less duration eventually makes a sensible decision provided he knows nothing is to be gained by chucking his weight about. To define the present powers and functions of the political department, Ministry of National Defense, and the Security Bureau is extremely difficult, particularly since it is unlikely these are clearly understood by any one: Chinese, no matter how highly placed. These powers and functions overlap and conflict in many spheres and they also vary from time to time in accordance with the power of their respective leaders and other vague and often highly complicated factors. Changes undergone by the Security Bureau since the time when its parent organization, the Bureau of Formation and Statistics of the Military Affairs Commission under Tai Li, was probably the most powerful and certainly most feared organ of the Chinese…

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 United States Intelligence Assessment Of Taiwan’s Defense Organization

◆ BLUF — The short version

This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record titled United States intelligence assessment of Taiwan’s defense organization, dated August nineteenth, nineteen fifty‑one. S. analysis of the political and military structures governing the Republic of China’s armed forces during the early Cold War.

Date: OCT 17 · 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 United States intelligence assessment of Taiwan’s defense organization, dated August nineteenth, nineteen fifty‑one. The cable is notable because it provides a contemporaneous U.S. analysis of the political and military structures…

View the primary source document

Questions about this case

What was CIA United States Intelligence Assessment Of Taiwan’s Defense Organization about?: This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record titled United States intelligence assessment of Taiwan’s defense organization, dated August nineteenth, nineteen fifty‑one. S. analysis of the political and military structures governing the Republic of China’s armed forces during the early Cold War.
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 United States Intelligence Assessment Of Taiwan’s Defense Organization

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