What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency memorandum titled Support of Anti‑Communist Salvation Army (Guerrillas), dated November eighteenth, nineteen fifty‑five. It is notable because it records the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s deliberations on U.S. assistance to Nationalist Chinese guerrilla forces after the Korean armistice. The document was released through a Freedom of Information Act request filed with the Central Intelligence Agency. The release appears on The Black Vault website, with the declassification authority listed as the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The full text is available at the archive link provided in the episode notes. TOP SECRET TOP SECRET THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF Washington 25 D C 18 November 1955 MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE Subject: Support of Anti‑Communist Salvation Army (Guerrillas) 1. Reference is made to C I N C P A C message to Chief, M A A G, Formosa, 16 1957 Z of September 1955. 2. On 6 July 1955 the Ministry of National Defense, Nationalist Government of the Republic of China, reported to Chief, M A A G, Formosa, that the CHINAT guerrilla forces on the offshore islands had been reorganized into two Anti‑Communist Salvation Army regiments. These regiments were placed under the command of G H Q Army, M N D and cordially invited Chief, M A A G, to render continued support to these regiments. 3. Chief, M A A G, Formosa, in a letter to C I N C P A C dated 12 August 1955, recommended that the following action be taken relative to the eleven‑thousand irregular troops which are now non‑supported: a. No U S S support to be provided for the guerrillas at this time. b. Advise Chinese to remove guerrillas from Kinmen to Penghu or elsewhere. c. Advise Chinese to reduce guerrillas to a battalion—one thousand men—having a true guerrilla capability. Distribution: (2) Secy to C N O (J C S). Director J S (J C S 2118/85 – Approved as amended – 18 Nov 55) C I N C P A C’s preliminary reply, referred to in paragraph 1, concurred in general with the above recommendations as a long‑range course. In addition C I N C P A C: a. Considered it inadvisable to approach M N D with this plan at this time as it would create economic, military and psychological problems for N G R C. b. Pointed out that M N D may logically expect limited support to guerrilla forces due to extensive support rendered in the past by the C I A. c. Offered as an acceptable alternative that plans should provide for a gradual decrease of size of guerrilla forces to that

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 Support Of Anti‑communist Salvation Army (guerrillas)

◆ BLUF — The short version

This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency memorandum titled Support of Anti‑Communist Salvation Army (Guerrillas), dated November eighteenth, nineteen fifty‑five. S. assistance to Nationalist Chinese guerrilla forces after the Korean armistice. The document was released through a Freedom of Information Act request filed with the Central Intelligence Agency.

Date: SEP 23 · 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 memorandum titled Support of Anti‑Communist Salvation Army (Guerrillas), dated November eighteenth, nineteen fifty‑five. It is notable because it records the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s deliberations on U.S. assistance to Nationalist Chinese guerrilla…

View the primary source document

Questions about this case

What was CIA Support Of Anti‑communist Salvation Army (guerrillas) about?: This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency memorandum titled Support of Anti‑Communist Salvation Army (Guerrillas), dated November eighteenth, nineteen fifty‑five. S. assistance to Nationalist Chinese guerrilla forces after the Korean armistice. The document was released through a Freedom of Information Act request filed with the Central Intelligence Agency.
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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