AMERICAN AID TO FLOOD-STRICKEN AREAS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A006700790001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 20, 2008
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: May 26, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/08/20: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006700790001-4
N~ORMATION . . N FORMATION REP
- . CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person it prohibited by law.
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
DATE ACQUIRED
American Aid to Flood-Stricken Areas DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES 2
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
1. In the distribution of American aid to flood-stricken areas, the local
farmers' cooperative in Straze nad Yyjavou (N b8-39, N-17-09) was
allegedly to receive wheat, and independent farmers more also to receive
aid in the form of grain. The relief mounted to several hundred kilo-
grams of grain. The local inhabitants were very much surprised, as
Straze lies some 75 kilometers from the actual flood-stricken area. The
relief goods were allegedly being thus distributed to prevent grain sur-
pluses in the stricken areas, b ecause if the goods received from the United
States had been distributed in those areas alone,, the individual allotments
would have been far larger than t hose needed under the Czech system of
distribution. There were rumors to the effect that the Amerioan:relief
had been much larger than the actual damage to the crops. The Communist
explanation was that the estimated amount of damage had included such
items as buildings and equipment, awd mince the United States had sent
relief only in the form of grain, the CZeeh ,r6gime h1id'th6refore only
given compensation for destroyed grain crops., and there was therefore a
surplus of grain, which the Czechs distributed as they saw fit, The
amount actually given to Straze. if any, was unknown
2. In general, the people had not at first believed that the Cooozuniste would
accept American aid. Since the USSR did not offer its assistance, as was
generally expected, the Communists were forced to accept. The people then
joked, saying that the USSR, land of plenty which had everything under the
sun, had not even given a thought to Czechoslovakia, and that capitalist
America therefore had to help out again. Even those who did not receive
anything were very happy at the gesture of the United States. The manner
in which the grain was distributed in Czechoslovakia caused disappointment
and bitterness at the abuse of the good will of the United States.
C-0-N -F-I-D-E-N-T ,I4-L
NAVY AIR , FIN AEC
(Note: Washington distribution indicted by "V; Field distribution by "#".)
Approved For Release 2008/08/20: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006700790001-4
26 May 1955
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In practice, the relief was divided as follows: the amount of surplus
teat each individual could have had after fulfilling his quota was
worked out, and this amount was given to him in relief grain. That
which each individual. would, under normal circumstances, have turned
in as his quota, was retained by the Communists from the American
shipments and distributed to farmers' cooperatives which had not
been afflicted.
Approved For Release 2008/08/20: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006700790001-4