AMERICAN AID TO FLOOD-STRICKEN AREAS

Document Type: 
Collection: 
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
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
May 26, 1955
Content Type: 
REPORT
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP80-00810A006700790001-4.pdf83.47 KB
Body: 
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 25X1 25X1 Approved For Release 2008/08/20: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006700790001-4 C-0 N-F-I-D - -N-T- I-A-T. - 2 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