RESISTANCE AND UNREST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000400500008-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 30, 2013
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: April 29, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/30: CIA-RDP82-00046R000400500008-4
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY Czechoslovakia
SUBJECT
50X1
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
Resistance and Unrest
This material contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States within the mean-
ing of the Espionage Laws, Title 18, U.S.0 Secs. 793
and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in
any manner to an unauthorised person is prohibited
bylaw.
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DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
29 April 1955
5
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THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
STATE I tY-x
LIBRARY SUBJECT AND AREA CODES
3-02-0406
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111.5
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114.45
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*WV tr NAVY I ifX 1 AIR
4/55
27m.
27m
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FBI
AEC I I I
(NOTE: Washington distribution indicated by "X"; Field distribution by "IV.)
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CONFIDENTIAL
COUNTRY Czechoslovakia
SUBJECT
Resistance and Unrest
DATE DISTR. 28 Fobs 1955
NO. OF PAGES L.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
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1.
Organized Resistance
rrom time to time the newspapers and radio gave accounts of indi-
viduals who had been arrested as enemies of the state because they
belonged to organized resistance groups. None of these accounts
50X1 elaborated on the organizations
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Occasionally, the press
would carry articles to the effect that some students and small
shop owners were members of organized resistance groups and that
they were to "fall in line". There would also be accounts of the
apprehension of foreign "agents" who had allegedly been sent by
the Western powers to carry out acts of sabotage. Usually, these
articles consisted chiefly of glowing accounts of the apprehension
of the "agents" by the people's police but gave few other details.
the mission of any organized resistance
groups would be to disrupt the Party and cause as much harm and
embarrassment to the rigime as they could. if there
were such groups they would probably work together with each other
since they had a common cause.
Indications of Passive Resistance
occasionally Czechoslovak workers would cause slow-
were quickly quelled. 50X1
50X1 Absenteeism was three enee ong pr son
sen ences, and there were strong regulations against any forms of
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resistance. People engaged in any type of resistance were auto-
matically classified "enemies of the state".
Po ular 0 osition to Governmental Restrictions and Shorta es
the Czechoslovak people were mainly opposed to
high prices, the lack of consumer goods, and the 'shabby quality of
the goods that were available, since the currency 50X1
reforms in 1953 wages had not been able to keep pace with prices and
that there was a constant shortage of meat, particularly beef.
5. Another factor generating popular opposition was the great amount
of heavy industrial activity in Czechoslovakia which left the
country with less consumer goods for its people. The agricultural
reforms were very unpopular.
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10.
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factory workers were still pressured
into buying government bonds and tickets to various Communist
functions. Sunday work brigades still existed but believed 500
that there were fewer
since the Communist Party was all-powerful in
uzechoslovakia, any political activity outside of the CP would
have to be carried on c1an4bstine1y. in general,
the Czechoslovak people were afraid to say muon apout politics.
the people were well aware that the
.regime newspapers printed nothing but lies and that the radio broad-
casts were only Communist propaganda. They were also aware that
the borders of Czechoslovakia were closed. In fact, they joked
among themselves about this and said that if the borders were left
open for one week, Czechoslovakia's cities would become ghost towns
inhabited by a few Communist "spooks".
Censorship
Censorship of mail in Czechoslovakia seemed to have slackened.
Prior to the time of Stalin's death, mail to the West had to be
brought opened to the post office and numbered. Many times the
postal authorities refused it outright. Since the time of Stalin's
death mail to the West could be brought to the post office in a
sealed envelope and even dropped in a mailbox.
mail to the West was only spot-censored
f However, \ newspaper and radio material
was still., heavily censored.
Manifestations of Resistance b
Reli ious Grou s
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there was no special manifestation
or resistance by any religious groups. It seemed to him that the
Communist Party and the churches adhered to a mutual non-interference
policy.
did not know of any law which prevented people from attending
Church. The Communist Party issued propaganda which stated that a
good Party member did not need the church; he only needed the Party.
He did not notice any unusual decreases or increases in church
attendance and believed that the people who had gone to church before
continued to do so under the Communist regime.
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forces.
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no cases of defections from the Czechoslovak armed
Such desertions were punishable by death
and they were rare.
The Regime's Effect on Youth
the rhime had not been in power
long enough for its program to have great effect on the youth of
Czechoslovakia. Although the r4gime used every conceivable method
to get young people to join its organization, parents still maintained
a considerable amount of control over their children.
Relocation of the Population
15. In addition to the mass deportations of German segments
po ulation, which had taken place in previous years,
50X1 Ejthere were relocations of the old and politically unreliable
city inhabitants to villages in order to provide housing for workers.
50X1 People on pensions were moved to border areas to occupy housesvacated
50X1 by the deported Germans. landowneeVand_olinlerai
of small enterprises who protested nationalization were also trans-
planted to small villa es. This caused man eo le to become anti-
Communist.
of the
Security Forces
16./ /operational methods of the Czecho-
slovak security forces. jwere well organized
50X1 and did not difficulties in
quelling any disturbances. I for the most part
security forces were made up or Communist Party members who joined
voluntarily and Party members who were drafted under government
50X1 legislation which insured the exclusion of the politically un-
reliable in the security forces.
17.
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the morale of the security forces personnel
was excellent, they were ve
ment and were most willing Party members.
personnel of the StB were fanatic Communists w o eir wor
with a vengeance. On the other hand members of the
PS (Pohranicni straz - Border Guard) were usually people who could
be easily led.
Estimates of Resistance Potential
most of the people would show their ant.1_-__
communism openly if given a chance,
about e
would be classed as being entirely unfriendly to the rdgime.
Popular Support of Advancing Allied Forces
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any aid given to the population by advancing
Allied forces to kelp the people liquidate security?Corces personnel
would have to be in such large amounts that it would practically
involve the use of an entire army. The people of Czechoslovakia
were forbidden to own arms and the Czechoslovak Army would have to
be won over in order for any revolt to be effective. Approaching
armies would be a big factor in bringing about such a move, but
the people would have to be given material aid if the move were
to develop successfully. the population would 50X1
definitely aid approaching Allied forces. However, 50X1
a large part of the answer would be supplied by the
standtaken by the Czechoslovak Army in the situation.
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/30: CIA-RDP82-00046R000400500008-4