What did the declassified documents reveal?

COLD OPEN This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency memorandum dated June eleventh, nineteen sixty‑eight, an evaluation of the proposed flight C‑108C, known as the Idealist mission, over the periphery of the Peiping, Nan Ching, and Fuchou air‑defense districts. It is notable because it provides a rare operational assessment of a covert aerial sortie planned against the People’s Republic of China during the height of the Cold War. The source is archived at the Black Vault, accessible through archive.org. PROVENANCE The document was released to the public through the Black Vault archive. The declassification authority was the Central Intelligence Agency, and the release was approved on April second, two thousand one. The full text is available at the Black Vault URL for this CIA record. THE DOCUMENT Twenty‑five X one A, twenty‑five X one A, twenty‑five X one A – dash. Approved for release. Memorandum for: Director of Special Activities. Attention: Chief, Intelligence Division. Subject: Evaluation of Proposed C‑108C. Date: June eleven, nineteen sixty‑eight. Reference: W‑2728 slash sixty‑six, twenty‑four October nineteen sixty‑six. 1. This memorandum is a final review and analysis of Route one zero seven six in support of Idealist Mission C‑108C to be flown on June eleventh, nineteen sixty‑eight over water and along the periphery of the Peiping, Nan Ching, and Fuchou Air Defense Districts. This review is in compliance with this Office’s responsibilities as set forth in the reference. 2. Analysis of Route one zero seven six indicates there is only a very remote chance of a surface‑to‑air missile reaction if the route is flown as planned, thirty to forty nautical miles from the coast over water. Review of Route one zero seven six indicates the possibility of four MIG‑twenty‑one reactions. The most recent available area‑of‑operation information indicates the presence of four MIG‑twenty‑one’s at Nan Chang, twenty‑eight two six north, one one five five six east; seven MIG‑twenty‑one’s at Wu Hu, thirty one two four north, one one eight two three east; one MIG‑twenty‑one at Yen Cheng, thirty three two six north, one twenty zero four two east; and four MIG‑twenty‑one’s at Tsang Hsien, thirty eight two four north, one sixteen five five east. Donald F. Chamberlain, Director of Scientific Intelligence. Distribution: Copies one and two – Addressee three and four – D slash S I; five and six – Ch slash D S D slash O S I; seven and eight – A D B slash D S D slash O S I; O S I slash D S D slash A D B slash E E: pj v slash five

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 Cold Open This Is A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum Dated

◆ BLUF — The short version

COLD OPEN This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency memorandum dated June eleventh, nineteen sixty‑eight, an evaluation of the proposed flight C‑108C, known as the Idealist mission, over the periphery of the Peiping, Nan Ching, and Fuchou air‑defense districts.

Date: AUG 8 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was CIA Cold Open This Is A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum Dated about?: COLD OPEN This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency memorandum dated June eleventh, nineteen sixty‑eight, an evaluation of the proposed flight C‑108C, known as the Idealist mission, over the periphery of the Peiping, Nan Ching, and Fuchou air‑defense districts.
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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