What did the declassified documents reveal?

Declassified presents a Central Intelligence Agency memorandum, dated February tenth, nineteen-fifty-eight, concerning the Republic of China's position regarding the use of its Special Forces. This document offers insight into Cold War-era military agreements and strategic differences between the United States and the Republic of China. You can find this record at documents2.theblackvault.com. This document was released to the public under the Freedom of Information Act and is part of a larger collection of declassified United States intelligence on China. The declassification authority for this record falls under Executive Order one-three-five-two-six, with its release date not specified in the public archive. This is an internal Office Memorandum addressed to Mr. Jones, from Ralph N. Clough, dated February tenth, nineteen-fifty-eight. The subject is "G-R-C Position Concerning Use of Special Forces." "In October, nineteen-fifty-seven, when M-A-A-G was authorized to begin the training of three-thousand 'Special Forces' of the G-R-C, the Embassy was instructed to inform the G-R-C that our understanding was that these forces would be subject to the provisions of the Mutual Defense Treaty and other understandings concerning the employment of G-R-C forces. In a later conversation, George Yeh told Pilcher that he 'would like to reserve the G-R-C position regarding the employment of the Special Forces.' We asked the Embassy's view as to what George Yeh had in mind in making this statement and Pilcher has replied in a letter dated January thirty-first (attached) that the Embassy considers the implications of his remarks to be: one) the G-R-C does not consider the existing understandings and restraints on the G-R-C use of force as automatically and necessarily applicable to the Special Forces; and, two) the G-R-C hopes at some time in the future to work out with the U-S a separate set of criteria and understandings regarding the use of the Special Forces. The letter goes on to say that the G-R-C apparently considers both the three-thousand Special Forces and the paratroopers whose training President Chiang proposed to Under Secretary Herter would be used for the purpose of intensifying guerrilla activities on the mainland. The Embassy considers Chiang's approach to Mr. Herter as having been intended primarily to secure United States agreement to intensifying guerrilla activity on the mainland and only secondarily to obtain assistance in training paratroops for this purpose. As the training of the Special Forces approaches completion and the Chinese program for training paratroops (independently of M-A-A-G) is further developed, we should be prepared for renewed efforts on the part of the Chinese to obtain our agreement to the use of these forces against the mainland." The document concludes by referencing an attachment: "Letter from James B. Pilcher dated January thirty-first, nineteen-fifty-eight, SECRET." This is what the public record looks like at…

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.

Declassified Presents A Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum, Dated February

◆ BLUF — The short version

Declassified presents a Central Intelligence Agency memorandum, dated February tenth, nineteen-fifty-eight, concerning the Republic of China's position regarding the use of its Special Forces. This document offers insight into Cold War-era military agreements and strategic differences between the United States and the Republic of China.

Date: SEP 22 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was Declassified Presents A Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum, Dated February about?: Declassified presents a Central Intelligence Agency memorandum, dated February tenth, nineteen-fifty-eight, concerning the Republic of China's position regarding the use of its Special Forces. This document offers insight into Cold War-era military agreements and strategic differences between the United States and the Republic of China.
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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Declassified Presents A Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum, Dated February

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