CURRENT SUPPPORT BRIEF SOVIET REACTION TO THE US CIVIL DEFENSE PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T01003A001200230001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 7, 2000
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 25, 1962
• Content Type: BRIEF

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S -E -C -R -E -T
CIA/RR CB 62-35
Current Support Brief
No. Pages 3
25 April 1962
Copy No.
SOVIET REACTION TO THE US CIVIL DEFENSE PROGRAM
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Office of Research and Reports
S-E-C-R-E-T
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WARNING
This material contains information affecting
the National Defense of the United States
within the meaning of the espionage laws,
Title 18, USC, Secs. 793 and 794, the trans-
mission or revelation of which in any manner
to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
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 Approved For Release 2000/08/29 : CIA-RDP79T01003A001200230001-2
SOVIET REACTION TO THE US CIVIL DEFENSE PROGRAM
Since mid-1961, there has been a continuing flow of
comment on US civil defense activities in Soviet radiobroad-
casts, press releases, and publications, whereas previously
Soviet news media had commented only briefly on US civil de-
fense and even then usually at the time of alert exercises. 1/
Moreover, much of this recent Soviet comment has been carried
in radiobroadcasts directed to foreign audiences. Several US
publications or documents evidently have been exploited in
the composition of one of these recent Soviet releases, 2/ in-
dicating that at least overt information on US civil defense
is being collected and collated by some agency in the USSR.
The following propaganda lines are discernible in the
Soviet comment:
1. The US program is a conditioning of the American
public to accept the "inevitability of a nuclear war, which
the /U87 militarists are preparing." 3/
2. The US "nuclear hysteria" provides favorable condi-
tions for an increased defense budget. 4/
3. The US civil defense program demonstrates aggressive
intent and is a part of "warmongering," whereas the Soviet
position is one of peace and disarmament. 5/
4. "Wealthy" Americans build shelters and are prepared
to keep out others with firearms if need be. 6/
5. "Monopolies" and industrial corporations seek large
profits from the air raid shelters that the American people
are being pressured to build on credit. 7/
6. The Soviet nuclear-missile strength has induced fear
or panic on the part of the US public. 8/
Some satisfaction, however, has been expressed by the
USSR over the appearance of so-called peace demonstrators in
the US, active in resisting civil defense activity and in
criticizing the shelter program. Most recently a Soviet broad-
cast commented on the declining sale of air raid shelters to
"ordinary" American citizens. 9/
25 April 1962 CIA/RR CB 62-35
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Coupled with the above propaganda have been insistent
statements, usually connected with the US shelter program,
that shelters are useless in nuclear war. For example,
former Ambassador Menshikov, on two occasions, commented
on the futility of shelters, 10/ and Defense Minister
Malinovskiy more recently called shelters "coffins and
tombs prepared in advance." 11/
A final note is added by Soviet implication or state-
ments that the USSR has no shelter program. For example,
a Soviet visitor returning from the US stated in an English
broadcast to North America that "at home, none of us had
ever heard the sirens of an atom drill or seen fallout
shelters." 12/ Even Mrs. Khrushchev told US peace marchers
that there was no defense in nuclear war and that "therefore,
we are not building air raid shelters. We are not getting
ready." 13/
The effects on the Soviet citizenry of this propaganda
has not been extensively reported in the US. When queried
on this point, one returning US official stated that he did
detect some apprehension on the part of Soviet individuals
in the latter half of 1961 -- apprehension regarding US civil
defense activity and shelter construction.
In summary, the Soviet news media and Soviet officials
have expressed definite concern with increased US civil de-
fense activity and the new shelter program. At home and
abroad they are identifying the US civil defense effort with
increasing military aggressiveness on the part of the US
leadership. (Admission of a Soviet shelter construction
program -- which actually had begun by 1950 -- thus would
imply a similar and earlier aggressive intention on their
part.)
The insistence that shelters are useless in nuclear war
appears to be tailored largely for foreign, not Soviet,
consumption and thus may reflect an attempt to influence
adversely US public support for President Kennedy's program.
Obviously the USSR would prefer an indecisive or ineffective
US civil defense program, for such a deficiency would affect
US bargaining positions and strategic decisions and, in some
measure, would reduce the possibility of a US attack on the
USSR.
25 April 1962 CIA /RR CB 62-35
S -E -C -R -E -T
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Analyst:
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
g
Ibid., Dec 1. U.
25X1A
a, 12 Jan 62, p. 4. U.
oitel'na a azeta 12 Jan 62, p., 4. U.
8.
9.
ton Post 12 Dec 61. U.
10 Washin
11. !;Taw Vnrk Times. 25 Jan 62, p. 5. U
12.
13. Washington Post, 6 Oct 61. U.
25 April 1962 CIA/RR CB 62-35
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 Analyst: -
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`)FFICE OF RESEARCH AND REPORTS
Control Staff
Control Sheet
SECM
Series Number CIA/RR CB 62-35 Classification
Date of Document 25 April 1962 Number of Copies
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Approved For Release 2000/08/29 : CIA-SRD
7 T 1 001200230001-2
TO: Chief, Dissemination Branch, II Staff, OCI
FAbM: Chief, Current Support Staff, ORR
SUBJECT: Distribution of Current Support Brief Noe CIA/RR CB 62-35
SOVIET REACTION TO THE US CIVIL DEFENSE
PROGRAM
Please distribute the attached Current Support Brief No. CB 62-35
as follows:
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Additional Distribution:
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(Title) Date
(Date)
Initials
RR/St/CS :ew/6981(4 January 62)
.Hdgtrs.
Copy No. Recipient
25 April 1962
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79 T /C
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TR/IS
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na ys ranch
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