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August 28, 1980

Note, M. Suslov et al to the CPSU Central Committee

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[to the CPSU CC]

 

The situation [entered by hand: in the PNR] continues to remain tense. The strike movement is taking on a nationwide scale.

 

Considering the situation which is developing the Ministry of Defense is asking to be given permission to in the first place bring [entered by hand: three] tank divisions [entered by hand: one of the Baltic Military District and two of the Belorussian Military District and one] motorized rifle division [entered by hand: of the Carpathian Military District] into full combat readiness beginning at 1800 29 August for the creation of a group of forces in case military aid is given [entered by hand: to the PNR].

 

Call up from the economy up to [entered by hand: 25] thousand reservists [voyennoobyazannye] and [entered by hand: six] thousand vehicles, including [entered by hand: 3,000] to replace the vehicles which have left these troops to gather the harvest to bring these divisions up to strength, without which the divisions will not be able to completely raise their mobile reserves. The necessity of bringing the divisions up to strength at the expense of the resources of the economy is caused by the fact that in peacetime they are maintained in reduced numbers and to successfully accomplish the tasks [entered by hand: when introducing them onto the territory of the PNR] requires conducting combat coordination with them for [entered by hand: five to seven] days beforehand.

 

With a further aggravation of the situation [entered by hand: in Poland] it will be necessary to also bring the constant readiness divisions [entered by hand: of the Baltic, Belorussian, and Carpathian] Military Districts up to wartime strength, and to increase the group of our forces by another [entered by hand: five to seven] divisions when [entered by hand: the main forces of the Polish Army] enter [entered by hand: on the side of the counterrevolutionary forces]. Permit the Ministry of Defense to plan for the call-up of up to another [entered by hand: 75,000] reservists and [entered by hand: 9,000] vehicles for these purposes.

 

In this event it will be necessary to call up from the economy a total of  [entered by hand: up to 108, thousand] reservists and [entered by hand: 15 thousand] vehicles.

 

A draft CPSU CC decree is attached.

 

[signature]

M. SUSLOV

 

[signature]

A. GROMYKO

 

[signature]

YU. ANDROPOV

 

[signature]

D. USTINOV

[signature]

K. CHERNENKO

 

28 August 1980

 

Suslov describes the "tense" situation in Poland and proposed steps to use military and police force to quell the protest movement.

Author(s):


Document Information

Source

Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Dmitriĭ Antonovich Volkogonov papers, 1887-1995, mm97083838. Translated by Gary Goldberg.

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2020-02-18

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209807