REACTIONS TO 9 FEBRUARY AND 1 MARCH SHIFTS OF TOP-LEVEL SOVIET PERSONALITIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000500030004-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 22, 2013
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: March 30, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/05/22 : CIA-RDP82-00046R000500030004-9
INFORMATION REPORT
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.C. Secs. 793
and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in
any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law.
44R 3 V 11`1!1t~
PLACE ACQUIRED
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
171,1
111.1
103.11
103.2
ST ARMY _hj7
_. ~A 1 R FB 1
3/55
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/05/22 : CIA-RDP82-00046R000500030004-9
Reactions to 9 February and 1 March DATE DISTR.
Shifts of Top-Level Soviet Personalities
NO. OF PAGES
(NOTE: Washington distribution indicated by "X"; Field distribution by "#".)
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/05/22 : CIA-RDP82-00046R000500030004-9
50X1 50X1
SECRET
REPORT NO.
COUNTRY USSR
SUBJECT Reactions to 9 February and 1 March Shifts
of Top-Level Soviet Personalities
DATE OF INFORMATION
PLACE ACQUIRED
DATE DISTR. 9 . 1955
REFERENCES:
50X1
Increase in Number of
1. Source interprets the 1 March appointment of three new First Deputy,
Chairmen and four additional Deputy Chairmen of the Council of
Ministers as a revival of the war-time State Committee of Defense,
which was in complete charge of war policy and operations,: with
the exception of logistical support, which was handled by the
Ministry of Defense together with administrative matters. After
the war, this committee was dissolved and responsibilit for policy
and operations was returned to the Ministry of Defense.
Changes in the Ministry of Defense
2. Source believes that the West should not link the replacement of
Bulganin by Zhukov as Minister of Defense with the Malenkov ouster..
He believes that this change was based on a desire to put the army
back-on a military basis. During the war, political commissars
had been removed from the army, causing a drift away from the Party.
Bulganin was, therefore,` brought in after the war to reinstate,,
political discipline in army ranks. Now that this task has been
accomplished, it is time for a real military man td be in chargle.
Chairmen of Council of Ministers
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/05/22 : CIA-RDP82-00046R000500030004-9
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/05/22 : CIA-RDP82-00046R000500030004-9
50X1
SECRET
-2 -
Although a popular and strong figure in the army and a true military
man, Zhukov has worked closely with the Party and is a thorough
Communist. Source believes that the new emphasis on heavy industry
means new emphasis on defense.
Reaction of Soviet Peoples to Changes
3. The West takes changes such as the recent shifts of top-level Soviet
personalities much more seriously and reads more significance into
such changes than do the peoples of the Soviet Union. The average
Soviet citizen takes.an interest in such changes and discusses them
but is cynical. He applauds when anyone falls.
Reaction of Party Apparatus and Bureaucrats
4. Among the Party apparatus and bureaucrats, source believes that
changes such as those of 9 February definitely cause chaos and
alarm. Undoubtedly replacements are already being made. Source
considers it especially significant that Malenkov was given a
government rather than a Party job. Since source believes that
Malenkov is, on the way out, he predicts. that all subordinate
level personnel in.the ministries who got their jobs through
Malenkov will probably be removed.2 Ponomarenko, Suslov, and the
entire Central Committee apparatus are now Khrushchev men, source.
affirms. Khrushchev is clearly the head of state but did not be-
come Premier because he-doe's not need that position to retain,hi,s
power and because he is not inclined to run things in the one-man-
show style of Stalin. Q,n the contrary, he will probably always act
in the name of the Central Committee. of the CPSU. 50X1
1. Jomment: When asked to elaborat*?on this theory, source
91P -
merely-stated that there was no other way to interpret such
an expansion at the top level.
2. for source's comments on Pervukhin and Saburov
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/05/22 : CIA-RDP82-00046R000500030004-9