What did the declassified documents reveal?

This Declassified briefing presents a Central Intelligence Agency memorandum, dated November fifth, nineteen-sixty-four. This document contains a preliminary analysis of intelligence gathered through aerial reconnaissance, notable for its insights into Chinese military aircraft deployment just prior to China's first nuclear test. This document was released to the public under the Freedom of Information Act, via The Black Vault, and can be accessed at documents2.theblackvault.com. The canonical U-R-L for this specific record is archive.org/download/us-china-intel-CI01642/CI01642djvu.txt. The memorandum is addressed to the Assistant Director, Current Intelligence, and is titled "Preliminary Analysis of Excised Flown on thirty-first October nineteen-sixty-four". Paragraph one. "Excised provided coverage of [redacted] tion, several important airfields and some bar [redacted]. The nuclear installations were reported on in a separate memorandum prepared by the Military Division." Paragraph two. "The most significant item disclosed in the coverage of airfields was the presence of sixteen M-I-G-nineteen (FARMER) jet fighters at Wukung Airfield in central China. Wukung Airfield previously was never used as a fighter base although there were flights of fighters to the base periodically. It is the base of Communist China's medium bomber unit [redacted]. In evidence in the photography are all o [redacted] medium bombers—thirteen T-U-four (BULL) piston bombers and the two T-U-sixteen (BADGER) jet bombers they received from the U-S-S-R in early nineteen-fifty-nine. The presence of the M-I-G-nineteen's indicates that they were probably deployed there to provide air defense of the area prior to China's nuclear test. Keyhole photography of [redacted] disclosed approximately forty M-I-G type jet fighters u [redacted] Lok a [redacted] hweac Of [redacted] h tzu." Paragraph three. "The presence of M-I-G-nineteen's there are also significant in that only in the past few months have we seen the deployment of substantial numbers of M-I-G-nineteen's to areas of China other than the northeast where they have been located since their introduction into China. In this connection some of [redacted] "possible M-I-G-twenty-one activity" in the Sian area appears now to have been in fact [redacted] flight activity by M-I-G-nineteen's. Since this is true it follows that some, if not a large percentage, of the other "possible M-I-G-twenty-one activity" on the basis of performance characteristics is also in fact M-I-G-nineteen activity." Paragraph four. "Also of interest is the fact that a new taxiway from the airfield to a new building at the nearby aircraft plant suggests that there is an aircraft repair facility at Wukung. Since the last coverage of the aircraft plant [redacted] several new buildings have been added and construction material is scattered throughout the area. The plant does not appear to be currently producing or assembling aircraft." Paragraph five. "Several…

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 Presents A Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum

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This Declassified briefing presents a Central Intelligence Agency memorandum, dated November fifth, nineteen-sixty-four. This document contains a preliminary analysis of intelligence gathered through aerial reconnaissance, notable for its insights into Chinese military aircraft deployment just prior to China's first nuclear test.

Date: AUG 31 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was This Declassified Briefing Presents A Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum about?: This Declassified briefing presents a Central Intelligence Agency memorandum, dated November fifth, nineteen-sixty-four. This document contains a preliminary analysis of intelligence gathered through aerial reconnaissance, notable for its insights into Chinese military aircraft deployment just prior to China's first nuclear test.
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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