STUDIES IN
INTELLIGENCE
A colleclion ol articles on Ihe historical, operational, doctrinal, and theoretical aspects ol Intelligence.
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All statements of fact, opinion or analysts expressed in Studies in Intelligence are those of
the authors They do not necessarily reflect official positions or views of the Central Intelligence Agency or any other US Government entity, past or present. Nothing in the contents should be construed as asserting or implying US Government endorsement of an article's factual statements and interpretations.
Some case histories of disaffection among Chinese Communists trusted abroad and some common factors therein.
CJDNESE DEFECTIONS OVERSEAS Henry Floofa
iff*.
Dumber of CmBHH Olcrtrnunista stationed abroad or sen? out oo tours with delegations Increases, the pc^hfllty of walk-fas aod the opportunities to stimulate defection* increase accordingly. In an effort to give torne definition to the characteristics of pichthe rente or ao of defections that were attempted or effected by Chinese personnel in the foreign environment up throughave been studied. It has been possible toew generalizations about escetvatJon, deterrents, and procedure, centering on thesense of mutual obligation between protecting authority and protected vassal.
A half dozen of the most instructive cases are presented to capsule below. Karnes have been changed whore necessary to protectinformation.
Frustrated Penetration Agent
In Japancseoccupled Manchuria Lao Ceng-nungollege student. His fatherecret atuomlnrang agent working against the occupier. Lao came of age and graduated about the time of the Japanese surrender, and the ruthless arrogance of the conquering Russian troops disgusted him; tt was the Kuomintang, the Chinese government that really deserved the credit for driving the Japanese out But when Mao Tse-tung's troops followed not long after, he was much impressed by their considerate treatment of tbe people, even helpfulness. He was also pleased with the Conanunist land reform rricasures and Mao'i program tn gerserel and so, without objection from his father, be went to work for the Party.
Inhen aD mainland China became the Chinese People's Republic in alliance with tbe Soviet Union, and anti-Russian elements were being suppressed, Lao Indiscreetly spoke up in defenseussian-hater who was being purged from tbe Party. He pointed out bow the Russians had dismantled Menchurian fadustrial plants and carted them off. The upshot was that he had to engage in self-
atticism andonfession. Yet bit rnixcooduct was handled with ruch turning earnestness and logic that the incident left no badis mouth. Nor in tho Partyi: his confession was accepted and his status cleared of any cloud Hearty member at about this time.
Lao's particular Party organ was the United Front Work Depart-rraent1 tbe UFWD asked him toeepcover mission to Taiwan.ied. .Jtwould not be.ra.fo; ajot of penoh, on Taiwan knew him by right and knew heartyawl sooner or Uterwould recognlxe him. It took strong and lengthy argument, but bo finally convinced his rarxriori that he abould be sent to Hong Kong Instead. He took bis wife along
In Hong Kong hease officer named Wet who transmitted UFWD Instructions and his reports and passedmall salary to ropplernent what bo could earnover Job; but operationally he was left pretty much to his own devices. His mission was to penetrate the Chinese Third Force group there which opposed both the Coournniists and the Nationalists. After much difficulty beob as reporterhird Force newspaper. Ho was to write exposes unmasking Communist doublenlealing and showing how ruth-leaa the Party was. The trouble was, Wet refused him pernnirJoQ to write about Party secrets, even when they ware well known out-tide, and wouldn't approve articles that put the Partyoolight His colorless copy was therefore rarely accepted, and he made no progress toward getting inside the Third Force- This lack of accomplishment In his mission, in turn, made the UFWD more and more dissatisfied with him.
Early3 Wei told turn bluntly that If his work didn't Improve he would be recalled to China to esplain bis failures. AlterrsaaveJy be could go to Taiwan as originally scheduled. Frustrated andLao now began to question privately the decencyarty that would insist on the clangorous mission to Taiwan, in pose fan-possible -oci-iii and then punish for failure, eocourage mutual distrust arnong people, andan out when ft had got all the use It could out of him. UndcubtecDy Mao was tbe greatest leader Chlna bad had In modern times; but tbe apparatus, especially tn its International aspect, was too rigid, dogmatic, and mtcierant, too much afraid of crtocssm. More particularly, it dirregarded its obligations to those who served ity.
In June and July Lao had several stiff arguments with Wet Taiwan, he was told, was toll open to him, but his usefulness here in Hong Kong was zero, and his Party salary would accordingly be that from now on. This was tbe crunch. For the first time betbe situation with his wife, Tbey could go oo to Taiwan and turn themselves in as soon as they got there. But tbey really had no sympathy with tbe Kuonuntang. did not trust It, and further were not confident Taiwan would boldainst the Communists. JThey could ask asylum of tbe Crown Colony authorities, hut the British were friendly enough with the People's Republic that that might not be safe. Moreover, the long arm of violent Osmmualst Justice might reach them if tbey deserted and stayed la Hong Kong.
The third course lay to the US. consulate, and they took Itnited States was strong enough to protect them from any enemy. Onury Laoareful letter to theChinese, his only foreign languageit ot Japanese saying that he had been doing clandestine work for the Party but do longer believed in it and wanted to work against It; be bad Important Information for the Americans. He particularly stressed bis wanting to work against the Communists and tbe Importance of the Information be bad. He assumed that be would be valuable enough In US. eyes to be offered sanctuary; and be was right
Frcmtditatfd Abduction
Chung Jen-lungember of the Youth Leaguetudent atnstitute of International Relations. He wasn'tfond of political science; bed have preferred raedicfae, and he rather resented tbe arbitrary way tbe Communists bad made the choice for him In fact, although he wasn't foolish enough to let en to anybody, he resented Communist authoritarianism gerrerally. and be bad fallen into the habit of tending to believe the opposite of what tbey told people to believe.
Take Arnerica, which they painted soousin erf bis badot about it when he worked for an American aid mission, and be had talked of itrosperous, generous land where anyone with ability could find fulfillment He himself had teen something of American generosity in tbe rehabilitation of Manchuria, after the Russian plundering. That was before tbe Communists came in and swallowed up bisoney in the new China's universalpoverty. And now at the Institute he was able to read
latinos from lhe American and European press; tbe bade observed, told you what was so. while the righteous Communists tokl rou what they thought was good for you to tbmk.
Al the endhen he was graduating from the Institute and preparingtudy tour In Southeastpolish up bis languagecameondon Times story about tbe young pianist Fu Trung, just escaped to England. Fu, it seemed. In Warsawcholarship, bad made some critical remarks about theof the Hungarian uprising Later someone bad tattled on him and he was ordered borne. What labor reform- might doianist's hands! His escape seemed so simple. That's for me, thought Chung, but America, not England
The first chance was at tbe Hong Kong stop en route to bisAsian post. But Chung had the Impression that only embassies, not consulates, could grant political asylum, and be didn't want to make any false breaks. Even when be reached bis post beeek getting lhe lay of the land and writingitterioo of the Communists with which to sell himself to the Americans-Then one day when everyone else was leaving the Chinese hostel to go to work at tbe embassy, be begged off, laying he had to finish up tome housework fart As soon as they were out of tight beew blocks away andedkaborner near the US.
Chung had no doubt that the Americans would be happy tohim. but he was conscious of violating his obligation to bis family. They would surely be made to suffer In one way or another if they hadefector. He had therefore taken care to leave bis papers and personal effects spread out as though he had been kidnapped while in tbe midst of work. At the VS. embassy be begged that his whereabouts be Camcealed, and he steadfastly refused to be used in any propaganda play. He even denied knowing low torother of his in the Chinese air force.
Cidrtired Muft
Tung Chi p'tog's family, tn Shanghai, though mentally wellwas an unhappy one. The fatheriggardly and callous man who got what he could out of his wife and children andwithout doing anything for them In return. He suffered fmanOally when tbe Communists took over, but as the children grew op they fared quite well, though tbey bad no interest in tbe new
ideology. Two brothers got good Jobs to factories in tbe area. One listerollege teacher andhysicist The otheroreign Trade officer; she was tlie only one to join the Youth League. Tung's ideal for himself was the cultivatedand be pointed his schooling to this end.
n the courseectification campaign, several of Tung's middle school teachers were sentenced to labor reform, and be felt keenly the injustice and^he dngradation ofsjfcfrThen came the futility and cusmaiiagernent of the Great Leap Forward; be himself was put to workackyard steel furnace. The .Communists were like bis father, driving you and then not taking care of you. But be did like school. Bearticular Interest in the ways of the outside world; he was fascinated to learn that the French National Assembly could reject the EDC treaty after the French government had signed ft, and he stood at the top of bis class fn Russian studies.
He was thereforehance at the entrance examinations for the Shanghai Foreign Language Institute, passed with flying colors, and put to studying French. Here heeacher, born In Englandrench mother and Chinese father, whom be greatly admired for her competence and knowledge of life abroad (life in such contrast to tho grinding poverty all around him here, especially itarting with the bleak winterhe had once been put In jail for associatingoreignbit of crudeby those that represented the unfeeling masses. Then there were those endless indoctrination sessions of the Party's that took time away from higher learning. He got himselfbackward element" for disdairung poUbcal study and Youth League membership.
He emerged from the Institute tn3rench expert and was put on the staff of the Commissi oo for Culturalwith Foreign Countries. Mare disillusionment. He did once get to interpret for Cuinean President Sekou Toure, but that was tbe one bright spot in day after day of menial drudgery, making travel arrangements for visiting delegations and submitting routine reports, and moreover getting criticized for being late with these. Was it for this he had sharpened his wit and enriched his mind in the bright world of French literature?
He decided to make an escape when be could There were some job' in China that wouldatisfying life and work, but these were all held by old Party liands; no chanceoung man,without Party pull Nor was he interested in Chiang Kai-shek's
regime, wilh it. corruption and rtepotto. No, be would go Wast, where bis ability would be rewarded He didn't let hisn this decision; he no longer felt close to them. But he wanted to show the people he most respected that he was not going to succumb to frustration here, and he told bis old French teacher and several of bis classmates. They sept his secret
Hls chance came the foUowing spring,hen ha was sent as assistant cultural attache to Burundi with tho flatteringthat the need for French-speaking representatives wu so acute that they Just bad to use him in rpfte of bis beingears old toerpr^encrd, and politically backward He would have left the plane the first tune ft stoppedity that had an American embassy If he had known any English; he'd better wait until be got to tha former Belgian trust territory. In Bujumbura he spent one night at the Chinese embassy, then neat morning after breakfast disappeared
Back to Atnericm
When Wu Nal-chI was four years old his father, an army cancer, wu killed, and he wu brought upather too Indulgent mother. The family wu now Quite poor, but It enjoyed the protection of the father's former commandingarlord inear or ro after the Japanese were defeated, when Wu was in his early twenties and amUboui tooctor, this patron sent him to the United States for schooling.
He enrolled In pre-med courses but didn't buckle down to them. His fe&ow Chinese students were rather ashamed of him. Hereat deal, wu forever in debt and trying to borrow more money. He had girl trouble more serious than normal; once the Chinese embassy had to arrange an out-of-court settlement for blm. No medical school would acceptriend introduced him to Communism; he began to read Communist literature and grow progressively more leftist Finally,L another friend persuaded him to go back to China and "devote himself to the socialist
In China be wuix-month indoctrination course and then assigned an English instructarship in the Institute of ForeignHerobationary member of the Party andarty ghi Faced with the realities of Communism In rxractJce, he neves wavered in bis belief In it He remained convinced that
socialism wis the best systemackward country like China; tbe Chineseaternalistic, authoritarian regime. Anmajority of them supported this one. It was doing wooden to health and education: it bad liberated Tibet He only regretted its anti-American Jan. because otherwise China might qualify foraid, as some other Communist countries had
In the summer8 bis turn came for the intellectuals' tour of duty at manual labor. He bad to workearoOective farm, then three monthsackyard steel furnace. This be approved too, and be took pleasure to being commended publicly for bis perfornarnee oo the labor tour. When It was over, ine was sent to the Middle East to bold Chinese language classes for ArabHe had to leave fail wife behind with the children, but this did not bother htmift bad grown between them. She wasilitant Communist that she bad told the Party her husband bad an uoprogreasfvo attitude.
And it was true. Ahhough Wu retained his arm faith in tbe Party's program for China, he personally bad by now bad about all he could take oi ft He was fed up with having absolutely doof ideas, expression, or action. Even tbe Arabs were better off. He couldn't stand tbe thought of another session of lelf-criticism at which everyone was passed around "the same old piece of gum to chew and each tn turn praised It as absolutelyAt one session be bad packed up tbe wrong piece of gum: praisingprogram of peaceful coexistence and disarmament, be was jumped oo for his backward thinking and thereby learned that all was Dot well with the Sino-Sovieto recalled tbe laissez-faire intellectual atmosphere tn America. He spent more and more time hstening to the Voice of America and BBC (which tbe Party approved for tbe rake of keeping up his English) and leading English news magazines (which it dide especiallyBCthat compared what Communists said with what tbey did.
After much debate with himself, particularly on tbe point ofhis family, Wu decided in the spring0 to give up and have another try at life In America. He was sure he could hold up bis end of the deal this time. Ate was still young enough to start anew, and be had tbe advantages of knowing English and of bisexperience. He decided to wait until tbe end of the school term. That would Death/ round out bis responsibilities to bis Arab
Chinese Dtltct i
students; moreover, the lump sum clteck for his services bo would get then ought corne tn handy.
like most Chinese would-be defectors abroad overtly or under official cover, Wu bad sense purely tactical obstacles to overcome la order to carry tbe actor one thing, it required someresearch just to find out where. embassy was. though this wiserious problem if you bad plenty of time, as be bad. More difBcuit was the Party practice of seeing to ft that no one was ever left by himself In this dangerous foreign world. Wo was always accompanied to and from school by another instructor named Hsieh. He did get away long enough to telephone the VS. embassy that he had itiformatioo to offer and would like to setendezvous with an Americanar; be was told he would have to come to the embassy. This be managed by asynchroniring haircuts.
On the last day of school he took there with him, packed In his briefcase, his toothbrush and shaving kithange of underwear. Oo the way borne, after jsicsdng up their checks, he and Ilsieb stopped at tbe bank and cashed them. Then be said be bad toaircut and suggested that Hsieh. who bad hist bad one, could while away the time In the bookstore here while he went around the corner to the barber shop. When Hsieh agreed and went into the bookstore, Wuad to the VS. embassy. Tbe Arab guard stopped him at the door, but he bed that he was Japanese and was let through. Hehis situation to an embassy officer and asked if he could stay in the building overnight and be flown to the United States tbe nest dayan-American Bight"
Then the blow. They could not possibly give him asylum oo the spur of the irioment like this;ecision would have to be made In Washington, and even If favorable It would take several days at best Stunned be raced back to the bookstore. Hsieh was gone, it had been almost two hours. So back to the Chinese embassy, devising on thetory of how be had gone from one barber shop to another trying to End onerowd of people waiting for haircuts. He was desperate enough to be convincing, and it worked {Wiring now that defecting was more comphoafed than he had thought Wu resolved to lay some preliminary groundwork neat time. The following spring he learned he was being sent home that summer for leave and remdoctrination. Supposing that be would travel via Hong Kong, be tried to make contact with the British, first talking to an Fngbshman in chargeocal library that was not ofi limits for
ulm aod HrJeh. Thii man didn't want to get involved in poL'tica] mtrigue; be suggested tbe British embassy. Wu was still trying to get away long enough to follow this up when be learned that be was routed through Athensortherly flight taasaad of Hong Kong after all
Wu and the steadfast Ilsleh emplaned,nder anto stay aboard during the Athens stop. But the day was hot, even on the^Aegean, and It seemed feasible to go into the terunnal buildingool drink. Once Inside, Wo used the pretextisit to tbe rest room to get out of sight, and then be Just kept on going. As the plane's departure was announced, Ilslehrantic search for him, but at the but minute he gave up and boarded the Bight taking him borne to face the music.
Pertinent Juggler
Tang Shao-beng was born.nto an acrobatic troupe where everyoneelative or an in-law. In the old China acrobatsree-wheeling lot Irving hand to mouth, and tbey didn't change much when the Ccnimunists took over. They were poor enough to be good proletarians, but they were too gypsyish and wild. Yang's Croupe was given some usdoctrmatiori,rother-in-law of his who took It more seriously than most of them was made security officer on their travels. But by Communist standards discipline was pretty loose.
Yanguggler. The juggler section was headed by another brother-in-law. and Yang found himself more aod more Irked by these two, the boss who threw his weight around on tbe Job aod tbeofficer who poked his nose into what you were doing off of it He caught some glimpsesreer life; In Hong Kong the movies were for fun. not about how to "buildnd people really lived.9 tbeyour around Latin America, and this was an eye-opener. He began to think about Jumping the traces. The trouble would beiving, knowing only Chinese and how to juggle. WeO, tbe Chinese would like juggbng on Taiwan.
In the spring3 the cultural exchange program gave therip to die Sudan. On the first day in Khartoum tbeyuided tour of tbe city, and among tbe places pointed outudanese 'Refugee Aidhat did it In tbe wee hours of tbe next morning Yang sneaked out of the bote! and walked to the He managed to get acrossuard on duty there that
he wmntcd asylum, and tbe guard made him uixJerrland that he would liave to come during office hours. Disappointed, he tried to sneak back into the hotel just before daybreak, but the security brother-in-law was awake.
He was bawled out: he had been expressly warned not to getwith women here, ami the first thing be did was stay out aU nightl He would have toatch set on him. And watched be was; do chanceaytime search for refuge. But by the next evening they bad relaxed enough so be could get away shortly after midnight By chance or deboerately, people were working at the Headquarters, but the only Chinese mterpretcr available knew nothing but FuUencse and no characters. He didn't do any better than the guard had on the first trip, but be didroper Chinese linguist who could be there tbe fblkrwing evening. It was conveyed to Yang that be should come again atm. tbe next day.
Back at the hotel things really popped this time. Withinours Yang was to haveull confession about hisrogram for disdpuning himself in tbe future; in the meantime he would be under continuous surveillance, even while In theYet that very evening, while the whole troupe was getting ready to go on stage for0 performance, be succeededack door and keeping bis appointment The third timeharm.
Security Officer
Cbao Fu was born in Manchuriaamily that for generations bad been poor peasants. He was only about tea when the Russians drove out the Japanese and brought in the Oraimunists; Chiang Kai-shek and the Nationalists meant nothing to him. At seventeen, with his peasant background and having shown In two years of middle school that be was quite bright, be was selected for special traiiiing. He was sent to rnilitary school,uD member of the Party, and rotated through various positions in the public security administration. He married the girl his nwther bad selected for him in the traditional way, be found her an adequate wife.wenty-five years old, be was putne-semester course at the Advanced Civil Police Cadre School in Peking and then sent to Stwkholrn as security officer for the embassy. He had to leave his wife and baby at borne.
It was somethinghock for him to find that Sweden was notountry of poor slaves mercilessly driven to support tbe
solute Idleness of rich capitalists. And In addition to tbe workers' prosperity, be also observed with envy tbe freedom which the Swedes, as well as the foreigners in other embassies, had to come and go as they pleased, make friends outside their own circle, and generally choose their own way of life. If life bad been regimented back borne, it was much worse here in tbe embassy: no social mingling outside, no female comparuorxsiip, and Dotting to do in your spare time but play pmg-pong,ovier go on a'rare picnic when the weather was right
Aod back borne things teemed to be getting worse all tbe Gme. Just before beousin who worked in an auto factory had told hba ft hadn't produced any trucksearew thrown together for Cuba which be doubted would run; now be beard that tbe cousin had been laid off for lack of work and sent back1 the embassy cashierew months' leave tn China. When he came back be bad lostounds, and when aouaeoueabout tbe portions of meat served at dinner be Utterly pointed out that In China anythingiece of meat the size of your fingertip iseat dish.2 the embassy cooketter from home withistressing description of hunger and want that he cried as he readtt aloud to tbe others.
' "ii..'> frequently lay awake at night comparing life as be knew It En China with what be could see around him in Sweden. Thebad let China down; they bad failed. The grass didn't fust look greener oo this tide of the fence; it was incomparably greener. He bad heard that not long before he got to Stockholm tbe embassy administrative officer had simply disappeared. Theyefection, but since no news of him came from tbe Wert or anywhere, they didn't even have to acknowledge be was missing, just took bis name off tbe diplomatic list the nest year. That way he didn'tbis family back home and cause them to suffer, either.
Chao had been thinking secredy along these lines for several months when, ine heard that the embassy wasersonnel cut in tbe course of an economy drive. His own security officerwas vulnerable; ituD-time job. and he was assigned all sorts of leg work and errand-running to round it out The prospect of being dumped and sent back borne decided him. But be couldn't really just disappear: be would need legal status, concealment, some way toiving. There wasn't any reason why the neutral Swedes
should give him those. He would seek the protection of theaixh-eoemies, the Americans.
He had long since discovered, in the course of outside errands, where the American embassy was, and one day hehance to go twit He went in. Alas, no one there could speak Chinese. Casting about, he thought of an American Chinese he hadew davs later, when he was supposed to be running an errand on the other .in* atmrm axd station. This man ad vised htm to get out of Sweden.
As luck would havearty from the Chinese embassy wasa train at the time and saw this encounter, and reported ft. Chan tried to explain ft away but was not convincing. He was confined to his room. After evtsryone was asleep that night, he rnanagod to sup out,istol and the keys to an embassy car. He drove out into the countryside. He stopped at farmhouses, trying to establish that he was suffering from amnesiaaroman gaveup of coffee.
' Finally berainrnark, and from there he walled and hitchhiked until he reached tbe Americans in Cermany. The Chinese embassy had meanwhile notified the Swedish police he was missing, saying he'd hurt his head in an accident aod disappeared. So beetter to his wife back borne in China, telling her that be had runan and killed him and had therefore gone Into hiding to escape punlsbrnent Now he was confident the family would not suffer.
Those Left Behind
Although the Chinese never admit such defections to the outside world, keeping them quiet If they can and otherwise usually charging abduction, within the ddegatioos and uisrallations where they have occurred they earnestly discuss them in meeting after meeting, trying to explain how they could happen and seeking ways to guard against them in the future, Tbe case histories, rooreovcr, are posed at fa-doctrination sessions in other mstsdlauous as object lessons from which to take warning. The kinds of esplarsations and remedies offered at these nxetings and in less formal cliscussions among the comrades arc also instructive.
emberhinese delegationan we shall call Chen, tried to break away from the delegation and get to. embassy, failed, and was innnedlatcly sent back to China. The
rest of the delegation were then moved from their hotel mto tbe Chinese embassy, and there they held several groupater defector has reported what went on at aoene of these meetings. The delegates were anxious lest Chen's action be held against the rest of them and prevent them from going abroad again. They took comfort In tbe ambassador's report on the incident, which tried to absolve them of serious blame-Speaking tn turn, nevertheless, they admitted that If Chen had been property watched, bis disaffection could have revealednd the attempted defection been prevented. They stressed the need to tighten the bond between tbe delegation leaders and otherproper leadership would have prevented Chen from straying about and being contaminated by outside Influences. Yet everyone, not just the leadership, was at fault to some extent. Chen was not basically bad, be had been entrapped by evil Influences. No one bad stopped him when he visited prostitutes in several countries, aad these women had been agents of the dirty and unscrupulous VS.who will do anything to achieve their aims. One of theleaders, it was reported, summed up the sentiments of the group so mething like this:
"In order to get us, the enemy uses all means. Ifoung comrade,eakness or unhealthy thoughts, he can fall into tbe enemy's trap. Chens conduct was not generated in one day, and backward thinking Is not spontaneous or accidental. He had this dangerous frame of mind some time before it came mto the open and must have revealed somehow to intimate friends some sign of bis Intended action. We were lacking in political knowledge and alertness not to have seen such signs. Everybody is responsible in part for what happened."
The members of the diplomatic installation, according to ouralso analyzed among themselves this case and others ofabortive, or successful defectaoo among them Chan Fa's and tbe ear her one from tbe embassy iniigh-level cadre" in Cuba, one Chang ChJen-yu who9 had defected in Bombay and rcdefocted the next morning, our juggler Yang Shao-beng, pianist Fu Tsung who had fled tohauffeur In England who visited houses of prostitution on the way back from the airport but was caught at it in time. Speakers pointed out by hindsight the signs of potential defection which closer watching would have rtrvealed.
The ill cooseepjences for the defector wereitressed on the re-dtJector Chang Cbicn yu along these lines:
-Chang wouldn't have come bach If they had remised lo let him settle down in America- Instead, they told him he would first be sent to America to have some training and get marriedeautiful American woman, and then sent back to Asia to do intelligence work. The poor fellow was scared to death to learn that he would have ton. HerWered oYeTzSXrnr^cen^ and his future and made up his mind."
imilai vein of Chao Fu: "He will regret doing that. Of course he will After they have pumped all the information out of him. be will be kicked out and bis sorrow wfllnagme he was toM that he will get some training In America and then be sent back to Aria to work for them" Of juggler Yang Sbao-hoog it was said that the unperiahsts bad exploited him for propaganda purposes and then swned him ofi on tbe Kuomintang oo Taiwan and forgotten about
Much discussion was devoted to the danger of Kuomintang oragents, especially women. Chen bad been aeen in unsutbor-ized cooperationtall foreigner" before his attempt Tbe US. embassy had Oursese-speakiog officials who were especially engaged to this sort of thing, Chao Fu't predecessor In defection in Sweden had been contactedbeautifulember of this embassy bad recently been approached by an English woman on the street and asked about his Job. Another told about an Italian woman who hadolleague of his to her room; she wanted money. In Switzerland women followed you around wherever you went, said another. An American womanery scanty bathing suit had flirted with anotherwimming pool For that reason yet another never went to the svrirnming pool with fewer than two companions.
A defector from another Chinese dipkjmatic mission has reported how tbe principal officers discussed the defection of one Cbu Heng-pan, secretaryission in West Europe, to the USSR. The chief was deeply concerned in particular over the Cfuestloo ofhief of mission for ejections, consideredailure in leadership. After speculating about what might have gone wrong and comparing the case with six or eight previous defexttons incountries, he turned to the question of prevention and began to go through the list of his own staff:
oesn't like to go out by himself.e*ery pretty wife, which should ruminate the possibility for him. But abouthere is something that nobody knows. As for D. if she goes back to China she should not be allowed to travel by herself; nobody questions her loyalty, but we have to take precautions for her safety. Then there are three blue-collar workers we will have to watch, along with E.ave to go out oo official business, and very often they done* have anyone with them
"Another bad thing is thathauffeur takes someonevery often he comes back by himself and is completely out of control.ountry like this there are many material attractions, and we at the bead will just have toood example. It is my* responsibility, of course, to check oo peoples thoughts and poua'cal consciousness, but how are yon going to do it The man who has wrong thoughts will be the very one to hide them and cover up."
In regard to Cbu, tbe responsibility was similarly laid largely upon the leadership of bis mission. Cbu bad probably bad correctviews at tbe time of bis assignment abroad. It was said, because his political reliability would have been thoroughly investigatedbe was allowed to leave China Ills deviation then began abroad and grew gradually over the years until be finallyraitor. The mission leaders must have known tlvat he bad been Indulging in personal and material amenities, and It had been wrong not to take corrective measures.
But the foreign ministry's personnel management was also at fault for allowing him to remain abroad for six or seven years. Being away so long, he had notull-scale thought reform sincentinb rectification campaigns of the mid-fifties, and so he lacked the Ideological strength to counteract the Insidiousof the bourgeois world. Diplomatspecial problem In that they associated primarily with the upper classes in tbe boatand so did notrue picture of the decadence of bourgeois society.
In discussing this mission's own preventive ritcaxures ft wasthat It would be Impossible to watch everyoneay. but they should try to keep as close brack of each other as possible. Tbe most important preventive measures were to strengthen thought reform and completely eradicate individualism, andheck to require detailed reports of all soda) and business contacts
Deredions
with fordgners. Throughout this discussion little distinctioo was made between "txiargcois" andhu was corrupted by the bourgeois environment In West Europe so that he delected to the Russian revisionists. Speakers used the two terms almostin referring to alien influences by which they might be entrapped.
The defectors have invariably claimed to be ideologically motivated, particularly when tbey first walked in. They doubtless feel this explanation to be the most eye-catching for ccnvuKxng Western officials that they are worthy of political asylum, but the initialon ideological disaffection is by nouse. Until tbe moment of defection they have beenan Ideological world. In rejecting this rmvuonment so thoroughlywith ideological pressures, the totality of tbe rejectionconversely, the same pressures, Deeper probing duringourse of debriefing has revealed that almost all have indeed been dissatisfied with some aspects of the Chinese Communist political system, but In most cases what has bothered them has been practical consciences of the rerdrne*!failure to take due care of its subjects or the restrictions It imposes on personalrather than the Ideology proper. In addition, there has usually been some pressing personal problem to trigger theoo the job, dread of an assignment to manual labor, imrnlncnt recall, etc More than half tbe defectors were less thanears old, and with two or three exceptions all were None bad achieved such high positions that they defected at great sacrifice of status. It would be of importance to be young enough to have reasonable hopeuccessful new start in life. Ooe^uarter of the score, orriously,fpnauy from Marscrruria. and three bad got an unfavorableof the Russian occupation there. The rest lived all over China-Only one defector. Chao Fu, cameeal peasant family. Several others were very poor, but they were from urban areas and so had more exposure to modem life than tbe average poor peasant. One obvious consideration in examining backgroundslue to vulnerabilities is that anyone whose personal history would make him lookon-conformist or troublemaker would not be sent
abroad. The nearest case to ao exception here was French linguist Tung.
The defectors' average educational level was fairly high. None was illiterate; even juggler Yang had been taught to read and write by members of his family. Most bad some kind of status in the Party. The high percentage of Party members, like the educational level, probably reflects only criteria for selecting Chinese to be sent abroad. Knowledge of ^foreign languages *abjpjasc*ans rpiprisingry Irrelevant to the defections. Only one spoke English, and about half spoke only Chinese
Family ties are probably the strongest deterrent to defection, as the Chinese Communists thcrrtselves recognize. The number ofChinese abroad accompanied by their entire families, always' small, has decreased even further in recent years. Though the main reason for this Is probably the one givenfrom defection Isonsideration. Of these detectors, two intelligence officers working under deep coverew others were able to bring their wives and children out with them. Others, though not close to their families, felt the traditional obligation toward them and tried to protect them by their manner of defection, as by staging amnesia or kidnapping. Others were completely alienated from their families.
Most of the defectors bad had some contact with non-Chinesebefore their final asrignrnent abroad, and most hadopporturiity to observe life outside China. Western publications and radio broadcasts were of secondary significance fn one or two cases. All those who walked into VS. installations felt that the United States was the strongest and most detenruned antagonist of Communist China and could provide them the greatest security. Tbe economic opportunities in America were not Ignored, but at least superficially they were less important than the securityanctuary.
A characteristic of roost Chinese seems toarticular need for sanctuary, for tbe protectiontrong authority to which In turn they give obedience, deference, and loyalty. This need Is filled in their society by the traditional family system, and it may help esplain both their allegiance to the authoritarian Communist Party and their disaffection when it fails in its reciprocal obligation. They tend to be docile before superiors, dictatorial with inferiors, andwhen treated as equals. When the defector breaks away
m
eff*
Defections
from the system that has been his life, his most prosing need is for anotherew avrthority that will give him protection as well as exact obedience from him. He needs andlear uriderstaiiding of what his obligations to this new protector are. This is our best lever for getting him to undertake intelligence rnis-sions like working for us In place.
Knowledge of previous successful defections providedin several of these cases, though it seeins^rrot^to have^beervi^ decisive factor. None had any substantial kriovdedge about how previous defectors had been received We have no information as to whether knowledge of unsuccessful attempts or difficulties previous defectors have faced has everitoese from defecting, as the Communists seek to make it do.
Only one defection was the direct resultelationshipoman in the host country.eems clear that the enforced celibacy of most of the Chinese abroad is perturbing to themulnerability of which they are aware-Three of the defectors at one time or other threatened suicide, and three others seemed emotionally disturbed or In the midst of some sort of psychological crisis. Although tbe very fact of defectingailure to adjust, however, tbe majority were moved by quite rational considerations. Most weighed the alternativesbefore defecting.
Only four of the defectors had some realistic idea about how they might be received and made their first approach to VS. authorities in such manner, time, and place that they could immediately be accommodated Three others seem to have bad no great problem once they got in touch with other Western authorities. But all the rest had difficultyay to defect, and some failed altogether. Mere knowledgelace where they could defectritical factor In many cases. Language wasarrier. The tactical difficulties are aggravated by security measures consciously taken by the Cornmunists.
Theretanding rule in all Chinese Communist installations that no one may go outside alone except on official business. This rule is strictly enforced The efficacy of the rule is illustrated by the difficulty many of the defectorsreaking away and even in getting the addressestern installation. Another security
measure Is to lock up passports lo vales At least four of thesehad had their passports locked up.
Wherever possible, traveling Chinese are routed through cities where official Chinese installstioos are located, and these Installations are notdlcd to meet the travelers at the airport. This Is done to avoid kidnapping.'
When there is any reason fortevmcive pleasure it confinement within the Installation^and thecturu'
to China.
A Few Inferences
These security practices have several Implications for us.efector walks In, the chances are strong that ha wCQ haveonsiderable effort aad taken corudderabla risks in breaking away, he may not always be able to do so again. Theretrong chance that walk-ins will have inadequate or no identic"cation.efector agrees to go back and remain in place. It Is highly possible thatater time he may be confined to the Installation or even taken out of the country under guard.
No attempted defection has been derrsonstrated torovocation. To sethinese official toay that he wouldestern intelligence service and then willingly place him In its bands would requireealistic estimate of the reception he would receive and complete trust in the Individual The Chinese Communists have yet to show they can meet these requirements.
Although the Chinese criteria for selecting personnel for foreign duty are Iteavily "political' in the Communist sense of the word, the process of screening, being an mesact science, will occasionallyrong-UurJdng. individualistic, or potentially unreliable person to go abroad. Thelso compromised by practicalerson's technical qualifications mayess than perfect security assessment
Political theory per se appears to-play little part in defection. Morehether the system based on tbe tlieory bwith the Chinese social tradition, conforms to the individual's sense ofight, or seems effective In practice. Thereventive measures against defection, ranging from ideological to physical, seem sometimes themselves to help create doubts about the system.
As would be expected, self-interest, both individual and family, can make orefection. Lack of strong family ties, assessment of future possibilitieseasonably good life, and personal and politicalorappear as basic
Original document.
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