What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is Declassified. Today, a declassified Central Intelligence Agency memorandum from March seventeenth, nineteen fifty-five, regarding the offshore island situation, documenting intelligence on Chinese actions and American statements during a period of heightened tensions. This document is available on vault.fbi.gov and documents2.theblackvault.com. This document was approved for release on March seventeenth, two thousand nine, under the declassification authority of the Central Intelligence Agency's Historical Review Program. Its original classification has been excised. This is a declassified record, presented verbatim. Central Intelligence Agency. Office of Current Intelligence. March seventeenth, nineteen fifty-five. Memorandum for Deputy Director (Intelligence). Subject: Offshore Island Situation. General. Radio Peiping on sixteenth March took note that Secretary of State Dulles the previous day "reiterated threats that the U-S would use armed force to prevent China from liberating Taiwan (Formosa), the Penghu (Pescadores) islands and 'related areas' ...." The broadcast quoted the Secretary to the effect that "it might in the future be judged...that the defense of Quemoy and Matsu was called for.'" The broadcast also observed that "Dulles tried to intimidate the people of the world" by citing the presence in the Far East of "'a strategic force with a high degree of striking power...' equipped with atomic weapons." According to a somewhat doubtful report, pilots of four Chinese Nationalist F-84 jet fighters on fifteenth March sighted what appeared to be construction of a new airfield on the southeastern China coast. The site is said to be two miles long and three thousand five hundred yards wide. It is located about forty miles southwest of Swatow, on the road between Canton and Swatow. No photo confirmation of this development was made by the Nationalist planes, ostensibly "owing to poor weather conditions." M-A-A-G reports, however, that at about the same time a formation of M-I-G-15's from Canton tried to Nationalist P-A-A-G comments that this report of an "attempt" in the Swatow area. Communist planes, however, were reported patrolling in this vicinity on one previous occasion last November. Without photos, the construction of this "airfield" near Swatow is difficult to accept. Nationalist pilots have recently reported four other large cleared sites in the same area, about forty to fifty-six miles southwest of Swatow. The Nationalist defense ministry reports that they are intended for a state mechanized farm. [Four lines redacted under exemption B1] Matsu. Nothing significant to report. Quemoy. A M-A-A-G test team reports that there has been a marked improvement in general alertness of Nationalist troops in Quemoy. Test firing of final protective lines and a night blackout move by a tank battalion were well done, in a recent exercise involving a mock landing by enemy troops. The team concluded that the beach barrier system is still…

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.

Today, A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum From March

◆ BLUF — The short version

This is Declassified. Today, a declassified Central Intelligence Agency memorandum from March seventeenth, nineteen fifty-five, regarding the offshore island situation, documenting intelligence on Chinese actions and American statements during a period of heightened tensions. com. This document was approved for release on March seventeenth, two thousand nine, under the declassification authority of the Central Intelligence Agency's Historical Review Program.

Date: SEP 26 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was Today, A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum From March about?: This is Declassified. Today, a declassified Central Intelligence Agency memorandum from March seventeenth, nineteen fifty-five, regarding the offshore island situation, documenting intelligence on Chinese actions and American statements during a period of heightened tensions. com. This document was approved for release on March seventeenth, two thousand nine, under the declassification authority of the Central Intelligence Agency's Historical Review Program.
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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