THE CENTRAL ASIAN MILITARY DISTRICT: ITS MILITARY PLANS, UNITS, ROADS AND RAILROADS, MANEUVERS, AND AIRFIELDS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000400160006-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 29, 2013
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: February 25, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/29 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000400160006w
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
PLACE 50X1
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED BY SOUR
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CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL --
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
DATE DISTR.oLSFeb 19`,4
The Central Asian Military Districts NO. OF PAGES 2
Its Military Plans, Units, Roads and
Railroads, Maneuvers, and Airfields
THIS DOCYNINT CONTAIN[ IN/01NATION At/[CTIMO TNS NATIOIAA D[I[NSS
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THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
SOURCE
Until 1999, Soviet military plam>ishka-8erat-$andahar-1araohi
This route had. been designated as the main one in event of operations against
western India by Czarist military planners. It had better transportation
facilities. However, it was considered secondary by the Soviets because
of its distance from the Caspian and the central planned line of attack from
Baku. The Soviet authorities, therefore, attezpted to build up a bass ,4T
operations ("plats d' armes") in southwestern Central Asia, as the lack of this was the
main disadvantage of the planned route of operations from Ashkhabad. Th*
particularly attempted to create such a base along the left flank (looking
southward), is in the Merv-Kushka,Ashkhabad triangle. During the period
1936-1940 a motor road was built by military forces, from the railroad
station of Tedshen southeast to Serakhs, then along the border to Childukhter,
where the frontiers of Iran, Afghanistan, and the USSR converge. The road
had a width of seven meters, was a two w&7, all weather route, and was
surfaced with gravel. It had been planned to construct a railroad atop the
motor road at a later d ate. Any further work was cancelled, however, when
hostilities with Germany booms ir?inent. Another road was built, by
civilian authorities, from Kisil Arvat southwest to Masan Kull. It was
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/29 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000400160006-3
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/29 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000400160006-3
also a two way, all weather route. It was seven motors wide, whioh is
just barely two way. The surface was of gravel; in the mountains it had
a hard dirt surface. Attempts were made to increase the population by
improving irrigation facilities. The Tashkepristroi irrigation dam, at the
confluence of the Murgab and Kushka rivers, was erected.
2. Until late 1939, the Central Asian military district - which then Included
the five Soviet Republics of Kazakh, Uzbek, Turkmen, Tadzhik, and Kirgiz:
had six divisions stationed within its boundaries. They wares
(a) The let Turkestan Division. Originally an infantry division of three
regiments, it was reorganized in 1930 and redesignated as the 1st
Mountain Infantry Division. Its new or anization provided for four
small regiments of five companies each (there were no battalions).
Each regiment had four infantry companies and one machine gun company
The division had. only a pack train. Its headquarters was at Ashkhabad.
(b) The Ord Turkestan Division(Infantry) in 1930 became the 3rd Mountain
Infantry Division. Termez was its headquarters.
(a) There were also four mountain cavalry divisions
1 The Turkaenskaya Division in Merv.
2 The Tadshikekays Division in Stalinabad.
8 The Usbekskaya Division in Samarkand.
4 A numbered division (I cannot recall the number) in Fergana,
which is also in Usbekistan.
Beginning in Septeuber or October 1989, three additional mountain infantry
divisions and six infantry divisions were firmed, They were sent to the
western front in 1941. 11ansuvers were held in Central Asia. These were not
held in the larakvm desert. The troops maneuvered along the above mentf.oned
lines of planned operations and along the border roads.
The arid regions between Tashkent and the Caspian can be used for airborne
chemical attack exercises. This was done once in 1980 north of Ashkhabad
and once in 1938 south of Tashkent. The usual area for airb ok
training was near the railroad station of idakat in Turkestan 50X1
40 In regard to any plans for future airfield developwat in Central Asia, In
the late 1930s there was talk about new airfields and landing straps. Survey
parties occasionally were active in this connection. 8owever, nothing was
done through 1941. Eophasis on Central Asian military development was dropped
when it became clear in the summer of 1940 that Cs+rmany would be the next
enemy. There were underground tanks for aviation gasoline at some of the
railroad stations on the Central Asian Railroad, which ran between Era+aaovodsk
and Tashkent. These storage tanks come under railroad authority, but there
was a military representative with each railroad division,
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CONFIDENTIAL
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/29 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000400160006-3