CHEMICAL WARFARE TRAINING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600030446-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 1, 2011
• Sequence Number: 446
• Publication Date: February 4, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

PLACE
ACQUIRED
CE NIRP.L INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
DATE DISTR. Farb 1953
NO. OF PAGES 4
NO. OF ENCLS.
,LISTED 3ELOW1
SUPPLEMENT TO
.REPORT NO.
1. Intensified chemical warfare trair_irg within the Czechoslovak Army was apparent.
from a number of weasures which were introduced in the infantry Military Training
Center in Lipnik nad Becvou /4932N-1736E/ and from regulations isvied by the
Ministry of National Defense concerning the in:rease of the fighting potential
of the army, in the field of specialized warfare. The frantic pace introduce'
into chemical warfare training was t-s:Lled forth by the propaganda accusing the
WeBtern Powers of preparations for s:.~sical warfare and of the use of gas on
the batt'e fronts in Korea. This pr.pa.ganda was disseminated both in lectures
and in the course of practical training citdoors, where it took the form of
various posters fastened to poles surrounding the training area,
2. Up to the middle of 1951, the chemical warfax.e training had been carried out,
without special emphasis in the tnfan:-ry Training Center. The training in
chemical warfare was purely defensive; the offensive use of chemical warfare
was mentioned only in lectures. Spraying from aircraft and use of artillery
chemical shells was mentioned. The curriculum included for the most part,
theories o gapes and methods of dr..ftnae against them; nothing was given which
would supplement the experience gained during World War I. Practical training
in the use of protective articles against chemical warfare or in the decontamin
ation of gas-poisoned or,J'ects was very rarely given; when it was included it
was more or less limited to dzmonsttations by the instructors. Chemical war-
fare training in smali unit exec?.i es in the Infantry Traimimg Center had been
directed rather toward defer N ,r. ',zurea against the e?facts of chemical weapons
until the end of' 3.951. Training in the use of chemical weapons was united
to smoke screens and flame throwers. In view of this, all the tactical exer-
cises aimed at the solution of chemical warfare problems were based on the pre-
sumption that the enemy had used gas. In the phase of offensive action, a strip
of terrain lying in front of the enemy defense positions was usually aeleoted,
or areas leading to the leiinching point of the attack, which the enem7 had ..on~
terminated with gas and which the training unit, wearing gas masks, either by
passed (if the area was not too extensive), or through which it marked a passage.
The defense training consisted of setting up shelters for protection against
chemical agents, installing detectors in ara'.1lery entrenchments, etc.
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-3. The actual use of gas was not taken into consida"a,tion even during
field exercises of the officer corps
training orahigher unitsedidlitary -not
College in Prague, until 1949, the
f
mountoof decontsaminationmimaterialPrequired or
less uto workingtloututheoa
to clear a given,area contaminated by the enemy. The training
Included only the actual use of smoke weapons for screening attacks
(crossing of water barriers, y observation posts during defensecactions.
the view of enemy artillery o4. Training with flame-throwers was carried out on a larger scale. Units
were equipped with this weapon during exercises aimed at taking
villages or launching attacks against heavy defense positions, or in
support of defense actions at points of the enemy's main onslaught.
During attacks on heavy defense positions, flame-throwers were allotted
to front line subgroups for ofdflame-
thrwe firing positions
throwers rs varied ed from two to four according to the size of the target
s,and fortified
and number of firing positions. Taking sbuildings
settlements was being soved along Smoke weapons in small unit exercises were mainly used to screen
5. clearing actions enabling access to enemy defense pooitiions (clearing
passages-.bhrough mine fields, cutting barbed wire obstacles-. ate).
The trainin3 unit usually used smoke-bombs for the creation of smoke
actions
soreens. and special aircraft were used tonscreenb artillery
smoke
presence lof ichemical c agentspaper . The detectors
the frdetecting s the School
were used for detectors
were about five cm long and one cm wide. They were fixed on various
parts of equipment (helmet, rucksack, etc) and. in trenches or emplace-
mants. The presence of a chemical agent was ndIca.,ed by the discolora-
in 1947 I
tion of the detector. In the chemical . school at Olomouc
noticed another kind of detector consisting of a glass tube filled with
emicsl a
e of a cb
.
liquid which also reacted to the presenc
rman origin.
f m
e
coloring. This detector was o
types of detection kits, their quantity or lie r du ion, nor their
functional characteristics.
7. For decontamination of skin affected by yperite, the Infantry offiicers kin
said , chloride of lime in oxde f and some
For the decontamina-
School used
tion o et~uipa+ent and weapons, chloride of lime, soap, and hot water
were used., The terrain sprayed by yperite was decontaminated only by
chloride of lime in powder or form. Sometimes the affected
terrain was decontaminated by tur*ing the soil with the use of spades,
and covering it with fresh, unaffected earth. Another means of over-
coming ooztaminated earth was the use of improvised carpets of straw,
branohez :,r wooden boards. The individual soldier was issued a
package oontsiining ahloride,,,of lime, soap, and vaseline, for personal
decontamination. The pazkages were of linen and attached to the straps
of gas Wks. They were of German origin. For protection against
chemical agents sprayed from aircraft, protective capes of German
origin, made from impregnated material were used. These capes were
sometimes also used for the improvised carpet for contaminated earth
as well as for footwrappere for crossing the affected area.
8. At the Infantry Officers School, chemical scorts were equipped with
portable containers and sprayers filled with liquid chloride of lime
carried on their b*cks. In lectures, vehicular sprayers as equipment
of special chemical units were mentioned.
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the Staff College. These courses wc~-c -t ~_ -- -
of
character, to gave students the baste dQ~ hrantl~Palafew arms of
the Czech army.
informative lectures dealin w th ases known from world ails of theser
the lapse to recollect any
lectures. At from lectures, there were two practical demonstrations
in the field. One demonstration dealt with smoke screens; the other
served to show us the department ofoa station
which had been specially equipped
affected by chemical agents. It consisted of a large tent with several
sections for a gradual decontamination process. There was a section
for discarding clothes and their decontamination, a section for applying
chloride of lime to the body, showers, etc. At that time there were
no Soviet advisers present. The chemical warfare unit in Olomouc bore
the name of Prapor zvlastnich bojovych prostredku (Batallion for
special combat methods). The chemical warfare units in a division and
regiment bear similar names. In a division the chemical warfare unit
is Rota zvlastnich bojovych prostredku (company for Special combat
methods), and in a regiment the unit is a Ceta zvlastnich bojovych
proetredku (platoon for special combat; methods).
only k nA of portable flame throwers used in the Infantry officers
iv. auo vx.i~ ?~-?-- -- -",,r flame
School were of German origin. ~o 'mowieage of any
thrower being used by the Czech army.
11. A change in this policy of non-emphasis of chemical war?.are took place
at the Infantry Training School some time around June 1951. Unexpected
checks of chemical materials were carried out in the unit, and
instructions were issued for intensified training of all members of the
arm;;, including officers. In the Infantry Academy, this snc~gr structors was to,
manifested first by the calling-up
a refresher course in chemical warfare which lasted approximately 14
days. Upon their return to their units, there an mediate check
of gas masks kept in storage or issued
training purposes. Gas masks were issued to all members of the
Officers-Corps and career NCO's. The curriculum, for students of the
Training Center in 1951-52 showed an increase in the number of hours
of chemical warfare tnst^uction and the practical work iu the field.
Instructions were received to include chemical warfare problems in
tactical exercises at the expense of tactical training. The staff of
chemical warfare instructors was also increased by one officer, a
graduate of the Chemical Warfare Training Center, and four enlisted men
who had taken a course in chemical warfare. These men,attached to unSls
of students on tactical exercises cheoked the correctness of the
solution of chemical warfare problems, Is putting on as masks,
training concentration
rasing areas mcrked as contaminated with
wprfare deadlv
g classes) for
gasses. "Chemiste s Tre Trenirovkyvky" (c
students were given in the afternoons, apart from the hours of tuition
in chemical warfare prescribed in the curriculum. During these after-
putting on gas sk capes.wlth
of d trained in
enmaxaimum amothe unt students
tth
12. Training wau also extended for the Officer Corps and career NCO'e.
Apart from the practical training in putting on gas masks and the use
of protective capes, theoretical lectures were given dealing with the
effects of various gases and protective measures against them. The
officers and NCO's took training twice a week in the place of normal
exercises.
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?13. In order to obtain the maximum speed in putting on gas masks or
protective capes, instructions were issued for competitions to be
held between units of students and groups of officers. The student
or officer who attained the best results during the,period of training
was then publicly praised by the instructor and was mace an example.
14. In addition; chemical warfare alarms were sounded every Saturday
morning; the duration of these alarms was gradually extended. Every
member of the Academy had to put on his gas mask and continue with
his work.
15. Formerly at the Infantry Training School in the theoretical lectures and
_ _ _ _ + ar..
.7 War T were mentioned.
r
ca
em
wha
agen s
i
l
t ch
-
Know whether or
During the chemical warfare training,the characteristic qualities of
phosgene, diphosgene, cyanogen, arsine and mustard gas were brought out.
Mustard gas was used during practical exercises in the decontamination
of human skin and various equipment. In order to check ^the-r 'li&b ty
tactical
16. iin about nsgruotedot bfind9alsuitableilocationein chemical of thes s
drill grounds for carrying. out chemical warfare training in defense
and attack operations. For defense purposes, it was to be a network
of trenches with complete anti-chemical warfare equipment large enough
for an infantry platoon,,and for attack purposes it was t-1 provide
launching grounds for action by an infantry company. According to
his statement, such orders had been issued to all military-schools and
units. The construction of these drill grounds was undertaken toward
the and of 1951.
used during the ra j uc I'n chemical warfare consisted of:
gas mask of German origin
protective cape for use against the spraying of gas by aircraft,
"so of German origin
all-rubber suit
impregnated-cottoti fatigue suit
chloride of lime
detector for ascertaining the presence of gas in the form of a
paper strip, half an inch wide and a little more than one
inch long
smoke grenades and bombs
flame throwers
Each individual was given a as mask rand protective cotpa. The reet of
the material was kept in storage and .ted naiy for demonetratior
purposes. Smoke grenades were only used for taoticsl exercises, though
in sufficient quantities,
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