REACTION TO THE REARMAMENT OF WEST GERMANY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000500170008-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 26, 2013
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: July 20, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/26: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500170008-0
INFORMATION REPORT REPORT INFORMATION REPORT
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 is prohibited by law.
TI?AL
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COUNTRY
SUBJECT
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
DATE ACQUIRED
Hungary/East Germany/West
Reaction to the Rearmament
West Germany
Germany REPORT
of DATE DISTR.
NO. OF
REQUIREMENT
REFERENCES
PAGES 3
NO. RD
20 July 1955
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SOURCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
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#x
ARMY
AIR FBI AEC
(Note: Washington distribution indicated by "X"; Field distribution by "#".)
4.
INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORT
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/26: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500170008-0
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/26: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500170008-0
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CONFIDENTIAL
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COUNTRY Hungary/East Germanytlieci t Geri
Bally
SUBJECT Reaction to the Rearmament of West e-e Germany
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR. 22 June 1955
NO. OF PAGES 2
REFERENCES: 50X1
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1. The Hungarian press and radio followed, with special attention, the debates of
the European Defense Community,and the Paris Agreements which took place in
, Paris, Rome, and Bonn. In November or December 19543when the French ,failed
to ratify the agreements, the Communists were filled with joy and made good
use of the failure with propaganda./
2.
\ The
Secretariat of the WFDY issued new slogans and insisted on the continuation of
the fight against the rearmament of "Fascist West Germany", the "eestirrection of
Nazism", and the unmasking of "the USts shameful policy of war". At the same
time, the peaceful and coexibtent policy of the Soviet Union was properly
emphasized. The monthly publication of the WFDYiWorld Xou h4 was one of the
sources of anti?rearmament propaganda and any articles on this subject appeared
in its pages. Letters were sent to the member organizations of WFDY in all
foreign countries to draw their attention to the fact that the most important
task was the fight against the rearmament of neo?Nazi West Germany.
e " rece ve a s ns rue one or propagan a rom
arty, a. time, the work of the WFDY was centered on the fight against
rearmament. In January 1955, there were discussions at WFDY headquarters in
Buda est about the lace and date for a meetin of the Executive Gomnittee,
was Lee ?e e mee eng n as e same me e es eerman
parliament was :debating the rearmament questionj,n Bona. 4,13t.Per1in was.pnqsen:beceur
it was considered to be the best place to issue anti?rearmament propaganda. 50X1
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4. The opening address given byetheepresident of'jtheWEDY at the ExecutiveeQommittee
meeting in East Berlin was prepared in Budapest before the Committee departed.
_CSOLIDEMILL_
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norinccifiprl in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/26: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500170008-0
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CCNFIDENTIAL
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This speech contained the same Communist arguments and slogans against rearmament that
appeared in the Hungarian newspapers and the newspapers of other Satellite countries.
The Communists emphasized the attempts the Soviets were making for lasting peace and
pointed out that the possibility of peaceful coexistence between Communism and capitalism
bad already been claimed by Stalin. Pullers, that the Soviet Union clearly followed a
-policy which showed that they were not preparing for war and that they were always ready
to conduct peaceful negotiations; all Communists should fight against the great dangers
of an atomic war which the US and their lackeys intended to unleash and, if West Germany
were rearmed, the Soviet Union should be prepared for countermeasures,
True Hungarian Communists never hesitated to spread official Communist propaganda,
Hthere was no 50X1
alLierence between the Americans and Hitlerites and that the Americans would never
hesitate to commit the same kind of crimes committed by the Nazis during the time
they were in power. it would be better if
West Germany were owe on:r: noe ees ermans haveastrone
independent army supported by the US. Jewish employees of the WFDY widely discussed
the horrors of the Nazi death camps which existed during_Hitler's regime.
Non-Communist Hungarians never dared to argue with the Communists and expressed their
views only in family circles and with trusted friends. The majority of the population
accepted the news of West Germany's rearmament with great joy. Although the Hungarians
dislike the existence of a strong German "Reich", which has always been a threat to
small European nations, Soviet rule in Hungary means a slow, but completely:extermination
of the country. World-wide political events in the last ten years have definitely,
showed diplomatic skill on the part of the Soviets and a tendency for appeasement
on the part of the Western Powers. For ton years, the Hungarians have waited to be
liberated from the Communist yoke which they cannot destroy by their own actions.
Hungarians know that the German soldier, one of the best in Europe, is the only one the
Soviet soldier fears. They know that the worst enemy of West Germany is Communism
and that the rearmament of West Germany is one of the first steps toward liberating
Communist-ruled countries and pitting power against power; the Soviet cannot be defeated
by negotiation and appeasement and they know that a gentleman cannot be the business
partner of a criminal. Hungarians ask how anyone can sign a contract or make an agreement
when he knows that the other party will not abide by the contract or agreement and
that he will not be forced to oomgy. Negotiations with the Soviets is a waste of time
and money and time works for the Soviets. The fruitless efforts for liberating the
Satellites in the past ten years have shaken the faith of those nations and have made
them feel that they are given the "devil's shake" forever. Although all Hungarians would
dislike a new, war, they can see no other way for escaping extermination; therefore, they
have welcomed the news of West Germany's rearmament with joy and hope for a better future.
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/26: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500170008-0