What did the declassified documents reveal?

This Declassified briefing details a Central Intelligence Agency record from January twenty-fourth, nineteen-fifty-five, concerning Chinese Nationalist and Chinese Communist Order of Battle Figures. This document offers insight into intelligence assessments during a critical period of Cold War tensions in Asia. This record is publicly available from The Black Vault, at documents2.theblackvault.com. This document was released under the Freedom of Information Act. It carries a declassification authority that has rendered it suitable for public disclosure. The original classification was Secret. The document, titled "Chinese Nationalist and Chinese Communist Order of Battle Figures," is a two-page briefing paper. It reports: "Source: Naval Message (1) Military and Civilian population of Tachen Islands: No 7126/7125; Guerrilla: 9,658. Civilian: 2,652. D.I.G.: 14,500. Nanchishan: 2,523 guerrillas, 704 civilians, 2,100 D.I.G. Pishan: 1,551 guerrillas, 1,000 civilians. Yushan: 654 guerrillas, 500 civilians. Total: 12,181 guerrillas, 5,741 civilians, 18,100 D.I.G. (2) Analysis of naval reports of Chinese Communist naval strength indicate the following: (a) ChiCommies possibly have two P.F., two P.G., four P.T., two F.S., eleven Y.P., four L.S.M. slash L.S.T. and various smaller craft presently in Tachen-Chousan Shan area. (b) Possibility exists that the Soviet Union has transferred two GORDIY class destroyers to Chi Coms in addition to two M-V class submarines now accepted in ChiCom naval O.B. (c) No known mine fields exist in Tachen area. (d) ChiComs capable of interfering with U.S. naval and air operations in Tachen area. (3) Recap of Chinese Communist air O.B. in Shanghai-Ningpo area: (a) Maximum of approximately four hundred thirty-nine aircraft including three hundred sixteen jet fighters, eighty-six piston fighters, nineteen ground attack aircraft, eighteen piston light bombers, and unknown number of jet light bombers. (b) Fifty-seven piston light bombers also based at Nanking. (c) Strong possibility that fifty-three additional piston light bombers unlocated in East China area. (d) Jet fighters also located at Nanchang and piston fighters located at Wuhu. (4) Chinese Communist ground strength between Shanghai and Wenchow estimated at approximately two hundred fifty thousand. (a) Sixty to sixty-five thousand presently deployed on mainland opposite to Tachen and on islands adjacent to Tachens. (b) Estimated that remaining one hundred ninety thousand troops can be deployed in coastal regions within four days." This is what the public record looks like at its most ordinary. Find more at storyflo.com and the document's canonical U.R.L. at archive.org/download/us-china-intel-CI01169/CI01169djvu.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.

This Declassified Briefing Details A Central Intelligence Agency Record

◆ BLUF — The short version

This Declassified briefing details a Central Intelligence Agency record from January twenty-fourth, nineteen-fifty-five, concerning Chinese Nationalist and Chinese Communist Order of Battle Figures. This document offers insight into intelligence assessments during a critical period of Cold War tensions in Asia.

Date: SEP 27 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was This Declassified Briefing Details A Central Intelligence Agency Record about?: This Declassified briefing details a Central Intelligence Agency record from January twenty-fourth, nineteen-fifty-five, concerning Chinese Nationalist and Chinese Communist Order of Battle Figures. This document offers insight into intelligence assessments during a critical period of Cold War tensions in Asia.
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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