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June 1, 1968

Cipher Telegram 2142-GOU/2/85657, To the Minister of National Defense of Poland Division General Cde. W. Jaruzelski

This document was made possible with support from Leon Levy Foundation

Top Secret

Flash [precedence]

Copy Nº 1

 

Incoming cipher message number 2142; outgoing number GOU/2/85657

[Translator's note: "GOU" indicates that the message was drafted by the USSR General Staff's Main Operations Directorate]

Unit name: USSR General Staff 1910 1 June 1968

 

TO THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE PNR

Division General Cde. W. Jaruzelski

 

Dear Cde. Minister!

 

For your information I inform you that the SUMAVAcommand staff exercise will be held on the theme, "The conduct of combat operations by a front large formation of the Allied Forces at the start of a war".

 

During the exercise it is planned to work out the issues of repulsing enemy aggression and transitioning to vigorous operations to defeat him.

 

It is expected that the line of contact between the troops and the enemy will pass from the CSSR border with the GDR along the border with the FRG and AUSTRIA to the border with the VNR [Hungarian People's Republic] in the area of BRATISLAVA, and the area of the exercise, besides the CZECHOSLOVAK SOCIALIST REPUBLIC, will encompass the territory of the southern part of the GDR, PNR, and the western regions of UKRAINE.

 

It is intended that the staffs involved in the exercise occupy [the following] departure positions by the end of 18 June:

 

- 11th Army (CNA) - 10 km southwest of JINCE;

- 14th Army (CNA) - 10 km northwest of TABOR;

- 15th Army (VNA - in a forest in the area of TISNOV (north

[Hungarian People's Army])  of BRNO);

- 9th Army (SGV - MILOVICE (30 km northeast of PRAGUE);

[Northern Group of Forces])

- 17th Air Defense Army and - in deployment locations at PRAGUE,

two of its corps staffs (CNA)   ZATEC, and BRNO;

- 6th Guards TA [Tank Army] - in the southern part of the GDR;

(GSVG)

- 43rd Army (PRIKVO

[Carpathian Military District]) - in Lvov Oblast.

 

The given numbering of these headquarters is for exercise purposes.

 

As you see, Cde. Minister, this pursues the goal of working out the issues of the coordination of the Allies Armies within the framework of a front operation conducted on a broad front on a large territorial scale. In accordance with an agreement with you and the CNA command construction of a system of exercise control communications centers and lines of communications began on the territory of CZECHOSLOVAKIA and POLAND on 31 May to control the operations staffs located on such a scale. As you know, signals units of the Northern Group of Forces, the Carpathian Military District, and also the GSFG have been sent to the CSSR for this purpose. A radiorelay battalion of the Soviet Army is doing work on the LVOV-LEGNICA line. The exercise control staff and front staff will be deployed to MILOVICE (30 km northeast of PRAGUE) by 15 June.

The front headquarters is being created from the Northern Group of Forces.

The task will be delivered on 15 June. A reconnaissance group of the Exercise Control Staff is conducting work in the exercise area at the present time.

I intend to arrive in the exercise area on 10 June in order to familiarize myself there with the progress of its preparations.

I am informing you of the main provisions of the exercise concept for the personal information of you and the Chief of the General Staff. It is desired that this information not be communicated to the Staffs involved in the exercise.

 

Regards,

 

COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

OF THE ARMED FORCES

 

1 June I. YAKUBOVSKY

Marshal of the Soviet Union

 

Deciphered 1 June at 2400 by Major Papciak; one copy made, for the MNO [Ministry of National Defense]

 

This cipher message provides the leadership of Polish forces with specific information regarding the implementation of the military exercise to be held in Poland and Czechoslovakia.



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Document Information

Source

Institute of National Remembrance (IPN-BU). Translated for CWIHP by Gary Goldberg.

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Original Uploaded Date

2012-07-26

Type

Cable Report

Language

Record ID

114729

Original Classification

Top Secret

Donors

Leon Levy Foundation