What did the declassified documents reveal?

From the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a declassified document about intelligence on China, dated April twenty-first, nineteen-fifty-five. This record outlines the perceived threat of Chinese Communist air power in the Formosa Straits area. Sourced from vault.fbi.gov. This record was released to the public under the Freedom of Information Act, declassified by an interagency automatic declassification review. The original classification was Top Secret. The document is titled, "Build-Up of Chinese Communist Air Strength Challenging the Control of the Formosa Straits Area." It is a report by the Chief of Naval Operations to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Problem. To inform the Joint Chiefs of Staff of CINCPAC’s request for authorization to permit the Chinese Nationalists to attack Communist mainland airfields threatening the control of the Formosa Straits area. Facts Bearing on the Problem. Chief MAAG Formosa reports a build-up of Chinese Communist air strength on the mainland of China across the Straits from Formosa sufficient to challenge the control of the Straits. Air reconnaissance reports of recent air build-up are as follows: a. About sixty M-I-G-s at Hsiang Tang airfield near Nan Chang. b. Forty-two M-I-G-s at Luchiao airfield. c. Construction of an airfield near Swatow. d. Expansion of Foochow airfield. e. Movement of Communist jet bombers from Manchuria to Tsinan in Shantung Province. CINCPAC reports, quote, "There is unmistakable evidence as to C-H-I-C-O-M increased build-up Luchiao and Foochow airfields. In addition there appears new airfield construction vicinity Pai An Fou near Swatow. Minimum forty-two M-I-G-fifteens at Luchiao can support C-H-I-C-O-M attack Matsu Group. C-H-I-N-A-T-s have been advised to prepare plans for air attack to prevent build-up. Anticipate possible early request for such attack," unquote. Chief MAAG Formosa reports that Defense Minister Yu Ta Wei requests the U.S. Government's early concurrence in Chinese bombing of enemy air bases in Swatow, Foochow, and Luchiao. Approximate distances from the three Chinese Communist air bases, mentioned by Minister Yu, to Chinese Nationalist targets are as follows: Matsu, Quemoy, Formosa. Swatow: two-hundred-forty, one-hundred-fifteen, one-hundred-eighty-five. Foochow: twenty-six, one-hundred-twenty, one-hundred-twenty. Luchiao: one-hundred-thirty-five, three-hundred, two-hundred. Applicable U.S. policy states, quote, "Do not agree to G-R-C actions against mainland Communist China except under circumstances approved by the President. Agree to G-R-C actions against mainland Communist China which are prompt and clear retaliation against a Chinese Communist attack; provided such retaliation is against targets of military significance which meet U.S. criteria as to feasibility and chance of success and which are selected with due consideration for the undesirability of provoking further Chinese Communist reaction against Formosa and the Pescadores," unquote. Conclusions. U.S…

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.

Case File · ARCHIVE-390Declassified

Filed SEP 26 · 2026Runtime 1 min

FBI From The Joint Chiefs Of Staff, A Declassified Document About Intelligence

U.S. public record · FOIAUpdated September 26, 2026

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From the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a declassified document about intelligence on China, dated April twenty-first, nineteen-fifty-five. This record outlines the perceived threat of Chinese Communist air power in the Formosa Straits area. gov. This record was released to the public under the Freedom of Information Act, declassified by an interagency automatic declassification review.

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

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From the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a declassified document about intelligence on China, dated April twenty-first, nineteen-fifty-five. This record outlines the perceived threat of Chinese Communist air power in the Formosa Straits area. Sourced from vault.fbi.gov. This record was released to the…

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What was FBI From The Joint Chiefs Of Staff, A Declassified Document About Intelligence about?: From the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a declassified document about intelligence on China, dated April twenty-first, nineteen-fifty-five. This record outlines the perceived threat of Chinese Communist air power in the Formosa Straits area. gov. This record was released to the public under the Freedom of Information Act, declassified by an interagency automatic declassification review.
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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