MILITARY AND CIVIL DEFENSE TRAINING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000500400002-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 5, 2013
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: December 19, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

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INFORMATION 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.
CONFIDENTIAL
COUNTRY Czechoslovakia REPORT NO.
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SUBJECT Military and Civil Defense DATE DISTR.
19 December 1955
Training
NO. OF PAGES
7
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50X1,TE OF INFO.
REQUIREMENT NO.
5056\CE ACQUIRED
REFERENCES
DATE ACQUIRED
LIBRARY SUBJECT AND AREA C ODES--17
3-02-,0406
2,4?
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12/55
27M
CONF MEN T IAL
INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORT
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ONFIDENTIAL
COUNTRY Czechoslovakia
SUB3ECt
)14itarY elduL..C_ivil Defense Training
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DATE OF INFORMATI?N
PLACE ACQUIRED
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR. 21 Nov. 1955
NO. OF PAGES 6
REFERENCES:
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ZaDopooksy Military Technical Academy in Brno
1. In 1951 the Dr. Edward Banes Technical Institute (Vysoka skola
technicka), located in the area defined by Zahradnikova, Veveri,
Brnoirska, and Leninova Streets in Brno, was reorganized and renamed
the Zapotocky Military Technical Academy (Vojenska technicka
akademie Antonina Zapotockeho). Whereas the Technical Institute
had departments for electrical engineering, machinery, construction,
construction engineering, and mining engineering, the Military
Academy had the following departments: aviation, both engine
construction and fusilage; tank construction; civil engineering,
and electrical engineering (source did not know whether the latter
concerned itself with weak or strong current electricity). The
studies presented in each of the above departments lasted for
eight ,semesters. (Source did not exclude the possibility that
there might still be one or two departments at the Military
Academy other than the ones he reported.) Each department at the
Military Academy offered two courses, i.e., the standard technical
course and the oommenderst technical course. The standard technical
course was similar to the one offered at the civilian technical
institute and graduates were usually assigned to factories producing
military items. Upon completing the commanders, technical course,
graduates were appointed as officers in charge of military technical
installations.
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2 .
2. When the Technical Institute was reorganized into the Military
Academy, students who had completed three years of work at the
Institute were given a choice of (a) finishing their studies as
civilians in their selected fields or (b) assuming military status.
If they chose the latter, they were compelled to change their
curricula to conform to iilitary specifications. All students who
had 0040leted less than three years of school had to transfer as
civilians to another technical school in Czechoslovakia or 'continue
at the Academy changing, of course, from civilian to military,status.
This also entailed changing their selected fields of study, to
those offered by the military. No special political qualifications
were required for students in he standard technical course;
however, only those whose loyalities to the Communist Regime could
be proven beyond doubt were admitted to the commanders' technical
course. For example, source knew it was impossible for anyone
having relatives living abroad to be admitted to the commanders'
technical course.
3. Students attending the Military Academy were considered to be on
active duty with the Czechoslovak Army and the time spent at the
?Aoademy woe counted as their regular compulsory military service.
lift student, before being admitted to the Academy, signed a
statement to the effect that he would serve three years of active
duty with the Army for each year he attended the Academy. Never-
theless, graduates of the standard technical course were released
into eivilian, life prior to the expiration of their term if they so
desired, which was the case with the majority of the graduates.
This practice did not apply to graduates of the commanders' technical
course, however.
4. The students in the aviation department wore blue uniforms with
blue shoulderboards similar to those worn by the Czechoslovak
air force units. In the other fields the students wore olive
drab uniforms similar to those worn by the regular soldiers of
the Czechoslovak Army. All students wore narrow white stripes
On their right sleeves above the cuff which indicated the number
Of years they had been studying under the military engineering
program. On their shoulderboards they wore a black-striped NCO
insignia and brass metallic devices of from two to three on. in
diameter with the letters "WA" on them. A sketch of this device
follows:
?
After graduation, students were appointed officers with ranks
ranging from second lieutenant to captain depending on the
capabilities and political reliability of the individual. The
graduate officers wore a badge In the shape of a star on the left
side of their uniform with the letters "VTA" imprinted on it. In
the Academy's early years (1951 - 1952) a large percentage of the
students were women. This was due to the fact, source believed,
that in the initial years there were not enough men to fill the
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enrol-lieut. When the academy achieved popularity and had no
difficulty attracting male students, the percentage of female
students rapidly decreased.
All male students slept in the former Kaunic and Susil student
dormitories which were located approximately one km. from the
Academy. They messed in a newly oonetructed kitchen in the
Academy area, Students received free tuition, housing, and food,
as well as a monthly pay which souroe believed Was much higher
than that of a regularly drafted Czechoslovak serviceman.
Consequently, they were much better off than students who received
scholarships to a civilian technical institute. Source did not
know if the students were assigned to a special military type
unit. He knew they received military training somewhere in the
Brno area but could not provide any details.
6. General Lomsky (fnu), was commanding officer of the Academy.
Source believed he was transferred in 1954 but did not know who
his auocessor was. Professor Pisek (fnu), taught fusilage
Construction in the standard technical course. He was a member
of the Czeohoslovak air force unit stationed in England during
World War I. Professor Kauoky (fun), was an instructor of
Mathematics.
7. Source personally knew two graduates of the Military Academy.
50)0 One of thins, majored in machinery construction
at the Bones woonnical Institute* When the Institute was re-
organised into the Military Academy, subject desired, as did
several other students, to finish his studies as a civilian at
the aviation department, fustiege construction, standard technical
course* He was told this was possible* However, shortly after
the semester started,he was asked to resign or change to military
status. Therefore, subject and the majority of the students
changed to military status. He graduated in 1952, was appointed
a second lieutenant or lieutenant, and sent to an aircraft factory
in Daly (N 50-09, E 14-34) where he worked on fusilage oonstruction.
Source believed that the factory produced fusilamfor civilian
eiroraft only. The factory was under the jurisdiction of the
Ministry of Defense until 1953, at which time it was put under
50:0 civilian control. As a result of this action, the military
personnel in the factory were given a ohoice of 7igin
th
active duty with e Army or becomina civilians, 50X1
workers revertedo civilian
status a= continued to do the same work. n doing so they suffered
a substantial decrease in salary. His co-officers who elected to
stay on active duty remained in the factory as military representatives.
Source's other acquaintanoe at the Academy, a confirmed CP member,
studied tank construction in the commanders' technical course and
graduated as a captain in 1954. He was sent to a military training
area in Eastern Slovakia. In early cushier 1955, he was transferred
to a training area in Poland for a one-year tour.
Czeohoslovak Army Officers in Korea and the USSR
8. Source knew a graduate of the Prague Commercial Institute who
was inducted into the Czechoslovak Army in 1954 for regular
compulsory duty. Subject was sent to an officer candidate school
in Cesky Krumlor (N 48-49, E 14-19) for one year. He was then
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sent as an NCO to an unknown barracks in Jihlava (N 49-24,
II 15-35) where he served with an anti-aircraft unit. Source
was unable to provide further details.
in Jihlava subject was promoted to the
in the Sumava
Mountains somewhere in the area beaten Klatovy (N 49-24, E 13-18)
and the Czechoslovak-German border. On about 22 December 1954,
subject was summoned from Jihlava to a military headquarters in
Prague. Subject did not know the purpose of the trip and did not
think his commanders at Jihlava kneW either, At Prague head-
quarters subject met about 20 officers from various units, most
of whom possessed foreign language ability. The Officers were
asked to volunteer for a one-year temporary assignment somewhere
in Korea. Source did not know what type of duty they were to
perform. Some of the officers volunteered and some of those who
declined were ordered to go. Subject returned to his unit in
Jihlava. Source believed that the entire Korean program was
carried out in extreme secrecy.
Since 1952, a Major Hiusler or Halek (fnu)? about 35 or 40 years
Of age, from an unidentified unit in Vyskov (N 49-17, I 17-00),
had been attending a high military school in Moscow. This training
was to last for three years. In addition to the major there were
five other Qsechoslovak Army officers attending the same aohool.
The major returned to Czechoslovakia on leave once every year.
When he finished at the military school the major was to be
a ointed to h C
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Trgning of Reservists
20, In 1953,all former servicemen employed
were informed by the cadre official theLb vney mignt be required
to attend from two to three months of active duty training.
Several months later, source believed, some of the reservists
were actually drafted for such training. One of them, a book-
keeper and a second lieutenant or lieutenant in the reserves
who had once received training as an automatic rifleman in the
infantry, was assigned to an unidentified training camp in 1953
for what source believed to be classroom training. In the summer
of 1954 the same individual was sent for practical training to
a camp located somewhere in Eastern Slovakia. When he returned
from the 1954 summer training, subject told source he had been
trained as an AA gunner and had spent a greater part of the two
to three months shooting at towed targets and learning the
identification of different types of aircraft. Source under-
stood that reservists who were to have training other than AA
training were sent, for two or three months, to the Libava
Military_area (somewhere between Olomouc and Krnov 50-06,
E 17-43_7). Source stated that several reservists from his enter-
prise, he did not know if they were officers or EM, were sent to
this area but he was unable to describe them.
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11. Source believed the reservists who occupied important positions
in their planes of employment were not obliged to leave for a
training center. Instead they trained in the city where they
worked. Source believed that the cadre official of their enter-
prise or office arranged each special ease. Source believed this
was the case with the Chief of the Commercial Department in his
enterprise. He was 32 years of age, a private in the reserve, and,
in the past, had served only a few months of his compulsory military
serVice. He took his military training on weekends somewhere in
the Brno area. Source could not provide further details.
Source knew of still another reservist whose case differed from
the two examples mentioned above. For instance, the chief
accountant in sources enterprise was a reserve infantry officer
and he attended a class in military training one evening a Week.
Apparently the purpose of this class was to teach reserve offidera
Modern military terminology.
12.
Civil Detual
building the enterprises jointly employed approximately 170
people of whom the majority were women. In 1953, various groups
for civil defense purposes were formed by the women and the few
men who were not soldiers. About 40 employees joined these groups
which consisted of from five to seven people each. The following
groups were formed: (a) first-aid group; (b) fire-extinguishing
group; (o) chemical group; (d) air-raid shelter group -- the
shelter was in the basement of the building, although no equipment
such as helmets, masks, or arm bands was issued; and (e) a
oommunination group, whose duty it was to deliver all oral or
written messages by foot. The Manager of souroels enterprise Was
appointed head of the civil defense organization in the building.
Another employee in the same enterprise was appointed as A s4wcalled
"Regional Inspector for Civil Defense." His task was to make certain
that the enterprise shops distributed throughout the Brno Region
were covered by the civil defense system. Source was made a member
of the first-aid group. In 1954 this group attended a one week
full-day course conducted by the District National Committee in
Brno. Roughly 40 people from the District participated. Civilian
medical doctors gave instructions on bandaging, handling of broken
bones, treatment of injuries received in auto accidents, and other
basic medical needs. During the' last 20 minutes of the last hour
on the last day, mention was made of atomic warfare injuries. The
instructor stated that such injuries were usually minor and that
people wearing white clothing would not be wounded unless they were
in the middle of the explosion. The treatment of atomic warfare
injuries was not discussed, however.1 Upon satisfactorily, completing
the course, source received a certificate and a small pin with a
red cross on it. The first-aid group was equipped with three small
emergency first-aid packs and two stretchers. During 1954, the
civil defense organization in source's building held two air
raid drills. An Army major inspected the procedure at the last
drill and briefed the commanders of the groups on the results.
Source did not know the military unit to which the major was
attached.
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13. Source knew of several buildings in Brno which had civil defense
Organizations similar to the one existing in his building. There-
fore, he believed they were organized in every building where
industrial enterprises or government offices were housed. One
civil defense group was always organized for the entire building
regardless of how many enterprises or offices it contained. On
the other hand, source did not know of any instance where a oivil
defense group was formed in an apartment house. However, he did
know of a few housewives who were obliged to undergo civil defense
classes given by their respective District National Committee.
These classes demonstrated first-aid techniques and methods of
extinguishing fires.
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9ommoinV: Several recently received reports
inoicate that both Soviet and satellite ary and civilian
personnel were being told that reported effects of atomic
explosions on humans are exaggerated. Several Soviet
were told that the ordinary chemical cape will afford a good
measure of proteotimand in one Cxeohoslovak civilian group,
individuals were tOld to hold newspapers over their heads.
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