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Document No. 19: Resolution by the Czechoslovak Party Military Defense Commission on the Introduction of Emergency Measures, September 14, 1961 ——————————————————————————————————————————— This document is another resolution by the Czechoslovak party Central Committee. Unlike the document from July 25 (See Document No. 17), this one was prepared after the construction of the Berlin Wall. By now it was clear that there would be no immediate strong reaction forthcoming from the West, but it was still an open question whether Khrushchev would follow up with a separate peace treaty with East Germany, which would surely spark an even more serious crisis. This resolution relates to the implementation of emergency measures intended to deal with the possible consequences therefrom. There is still debate as to when Khrushchev gave up on the conclusion of the treaty, but it appears that at this point the Czechoslovaks were still being told to plan on that eventuality, as were the East Germans. ____________________ Agenda: Approval of measures increasing combat readiness, ordered by the Supreme Commander of the Unified Armed Forces of the member-states of the Warsaw Treaty on September 8, 1961 Attending members of the Czechoslovak Communist Party Central Committee’s Military Defense Commission: Antonín Novotný, Viliam Široký, Jiří Hendrych, Lubomír Štrougal, Otakar Šimůnek, Bohumír Lomský Resolution: The Czechoslovak Communist Party Central Committee’s Military Defense Commission acknowledgesthereportsubmittedbyNationalDefenseMinisterBohumírLomský; agrees with the implementation of tasks recommended in the report; instructs Comrade Novotný, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Czechoslovak Communist Party and President of the Republic – to inform Provincial Party Secretaries about an exercise conducted under the leadership of the Supreme Commander of the Unified Armed Forces, Comrade Marshal Grechko, and on measures related thereto (as per the draft letter enclosed herewith); Comrade Lomský, Minister of National Defense – to issue, by September 20, 1961, an order instituting measures to ensure permanent combat readiness of the Czechoslovak People’s Army, and to increase alertness and vigilance; – to arrange an inspection/check of Facilities “K-116” and “S” by set dates; 129 – toimplementmeasurestoensurefullpreparednessoftheCzechoslovakPeople’s Army for the exercise conducted under the leadership of the Supreme Commander of the Unified Armed Forces; – to take other measures within the Czechoslovak People’s Army to ensure the fulfillment of other tasks related to increased combat readiness. Comrade Vlasák, Minister of Transportation and Communications, in conjunction with the Minister of National Defense – to organize, by September 20, 1961, military communication directorates to check and verify, by October 15, 1961, the condition of communications equipment in storage at the Directorate of Material Reserves, and to make provisions for bypasses in accordance with requirements put forward by the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications when designing the communication network; – to train, by September 30, 1961, communication operators falling under the MinistryofTransportationandCommunicationsinordertospeeduptheprocess of handover of lines and communication assets to meet needs of the Ministry of National Defense and the Unified Command; – to improve, by December 31, 1961, the survivability of major communication nodes of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to the maximum extent possible; – to transfer, by October 31, 1961, and under the 1958 agreement between the Ministry of Transportation and Communication and the Ministry of National Defense, aircraft, pilots and necessary materiel in accordance with Comrade Lomský’s requirements, to meet needs of the Czechoslovak armed forces. Comrade Šimůnek, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Planning Commission, acting in conjunction with the Minister of National Defense – to check and, where applicable, to complete, by December 1, 1961, modifications of existing storage depots for special ammunition and special propellants supplied in 1961 and 1962; – to make arrangements regarding the storage and allocation of supplies for the Soviet Army, and to find a manner of compensation therefore, as per and in line with the Resolution of the Czechoslovak Communist Party Central Committee ’s Military Defense Commission, dated September 2, 1961; Comrade Hečko, Chairman of Svazarm12 – to transfer, by October 31, 1961, and under the 1960 agreement between the Ministry of National Defense and the Central Committee of Svazarm, aircraft, pilots and necessary materiel in accordance with Comrade Lomský’s requirements , to meet the needs of the Czechoslovak armed forces. [Source: 17/4, VKO, VÚA. Translated by Jiří Mareš.] 12 Union for cooperation with the Army. 130 ...

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