PENTAGON WARNS ON SOVIET CIVIL DEFENSE DRIVE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81M00980R002000090123-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 4, 2004
• Sequence Number: 123
• Publication Date: February 17, 1978
• Content Type: NSPR

CIA Director Stansfield Turner
Approved F9
DATE4
PENTAGON WARNS ON
SOVIET CIVIL DEFENSE DRIVE
By Henry S
Bradsher
.
Washington Star Staff Writer
The former head of the Pentagon's
Defense Intelligence Agency says the
Soviet Union might "after the strate.
gic military relationship" with the
United States by military efforts that
include a large civil defense pro-
gram.
Lt. Gen. Samuel V. Wilson, who
has since retired, told a congres-
sional committee that the change
could put the United States at a
disadvantage by the mid-1980s.
told the told the committee the Soviets do not
presently "possess a civil defense
capability that would enable them to
feel that they could with reasonable
expectation absorb a retaliatory
strike at levels of damage that would
be acceptable to them."
But, Turner added, "the Soviet
Union is making more progress and
effort in civil defense today than is
the United z S Q While Wilson's
concern was =t e'future, Turner
Li
04/10/12: CIA-RDP 1 M00980R002000090123-5
PAGE
A
dealt reassuringly only with the cur-
rent situation.
NEITHER OFFICIAL'S testimony
to the Joint Economic Committee,
given secretly-last June and made
public in edited form today, dealt
with Soviet efforts to develop an"anti-
ballistic missile (ABM) defense-sys-
tem as part of the overall program
that includes civil defense. Wilson
noted, however,. that civil defense
was related to "various offensive and
defensive measures."
A secret new Pentagon study has
rCOOLER HEADS prevailed, sources said, and it
was decided that sending a U.S. doctor to check up
Continued From on Park would be counterproductive
arti
l
; p
cu
arly
fur-
come a major element in the Kremlin's military ther South Koran cooperation to bta nttestimony Wilson
the
arts
from would fit ogetherucould al er the baw lancetof terror p obeother witnesses considered essential to the
that exists between the two superpowers. Among these prospective witnesses is former
PRESIDENT CARTER announced last March South Korean Ambassador Kim Dong Jo, who al-
that Moscow had agreed to discuss the possibility legedly delivered envelopes stuffed with $100. bills
of an agreement to curtail civil defense work as to congressional offices. South Korea has claimed
part of disarmament efforts. But the Soviets have its right to diplomatic immunity for Kim, but
not seemed eager to get the talks going, and the probers hope his "absolutely crucial" testimony
administration has not yet decided on its own ne- can be obtained "voluntarily."
gotiating position. , '
The National Security Council is nearing com-
pletion of work on a presidential review memoran.
dum on civil defense, using material from the
intelligence community and other parts of the ad-
ministration. The United States now has virtually
no civil defense program to protect the American
people from nuclear attack. The study is consider-
ing whether this country needs a modern program.
Officials have described Carter as hoping to talk
the Soviets out of their program so as to avoid the
possibility of having to match it with a vastly
expensive American program. But the Soviet mili-
tary mentality has traditionally emphasized defen-
sive measures, and many Soviet affairs analysts
doubt that the Kremlin might be dissuaded from
its program.
stirred increasing concern in the Car-
ter administration over Soviet suc-
o
al
com
n
ping
-
racy
po
ents
for a workable ABM system. If such
a system were deployed in viola ,
tion of a Soviet-American treaty - it
'
could protect the
`Soviet Union from
some warheads launched in a U.S.-
system, by itself insufficient to offer
'
meaningful protection
against an
unimpeded missile attack; .would be-
ed For Release 2004/10/12 : CIA-RDP81 M00980R002000090123-5
 i
/1.
PENTAGON WARNS ON SOVIET CIVIL DEFENSE DRIVE
By Henry S. Bradsher
Washington Star Staff Writer
The former head of the Pentagon's
Defense Intelligence Agency says the
Soviet Union might "alter the strate-
gic military relationship" with the
United States by military efforts that
include a large civil defense pro-
gram.
Lt. Gen. Samuel V. Wilson, who
has since retired, told a congres-
sional committee- that the change
could put the United States at a
disadvantage by the mid-1980s.
WASHINGTON SftRroved ForReleaMZD#1~/f~I 1A-RDP81M00989R 000090123-5
CIA Director Stansfield Turner
told the committee the Soviets do not
presently "possess a civil defense
capability that would enable them to
feel that they could with reasonable
expectation absorb a retaliatory
strike at levels of damage that would
be acceptable to them."
But, Turner added, "the Soviet
Union is making more progress and
effort in civil defense today than is
the United States," While Wilson's
concern was with the future, Turner
Continued From A-1
come a major element in the Kremlin's military
posture. Wilson suggested the new way the parts
would fit together could alter the balance of terror
that exists between the two superpowers.
PRESIDENT CARTER announced last March
that Moscow had agreed to discuss the possibility
of an agreement to curtail civil defense work as
part of 4;sarmament efforts. But the Soviets have
not seemed eager to get the talks going, and the
administration has not yet decided on its own ne-
gotiating position.
The National Security Council is nearing com-
pletion of work on a presidential review memoran-
dum on civil defense, using material from the
intelligence community and other parts of the ad-
ministration. The United States now has virtually
no civil defense program to protect the American
people from nuclear attack. The study is consider-
ing whether this country needs a modern program.
Officials have described Carter as hoping to talk
the Soviets out of their program so as to avoid the
possibility of having to match it with a vastly
expensive American program. But the Soviet mili-
tary mentality has traditionally emphasized defen-
sive measures, and many Soviet affairs analysts
doubt that the Kremlin might be dissuaded from
its program.
dealt reassuringly only with the cur-
rent situation.
NEITHER OFFICIAL'S testimony
to the Joint Economic Committee,
given secretly last June and made
public in edited form today, dealt
with Soviet efforts to develop an anti-
ballistic missile (ABM) defense sys-
tem as part of the overall program
that includes civil defense. Wilson
noted, however, that civil defense
was related to "various offensive and
defensive measures."
A secret new Pentagon study has
COOLER HEADS prevailed, sources said, and it
was decided that sending a U.S. doctor to check up
on Park would be counterproductive, particularly
since congressional investigators hope to get fur-
ther South Korean cooperation to obtain testimony
from other witnesses considered essential to the
probe.
Among these prospective witnesses is former
South Korean Ambassador Kim Dong Jo, who al-
legedly delivered envelopes stuffed with $100. bills
to congressional offices. South Korea has claimed
its right to diplomatic immunity for Kim, but
probers hope his "absolutely crucial" testimony
can be obtained "voluntarily."
Approved For Release 2004/10/12 : CIA-RDP81 M00980R002000090123-5
stirred increasing concern in the Car-
ter administration over Soviet suc-
cess in developing all the components
for a workable ABM system. If such
a system were deployed - in viola-
tion of a Soviet-American treaty - it
could protect the Soviet Union from
some warheads launched in a U.S.
retaliatory attack.
With ABM cover, a civil defense
system, by itself insufficient to offer
meaningful protection against an
unimpeded missile attack, would be-
See CIVIL, A-14