EVIDENCE OF USSR MILITARY INTENTIONS IN SOVIET PROPAGANDA BROADCASTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-01617A003300130001-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 29, 2013
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: August 27, 1948
• Content Type: REPORT

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EVIDENCE OF USSR MILITARY INTENTIONS
IN SOVIET PROPAGANDA BROADCASTS
ORE 64-48
PUBLISHED 27 AUGUST 1948
(SPECIAL LIMITED DISTRIBUTION)
This document has been
approved for release through
the HISTORICAL REVILW PRCX7AL1 of
the Central Intelligence Agency.
Date 2 r-SCA 92
HRP
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Document 0
NO CHANGE in
1 DECLASSIFIE
ss. CHANGED T
DDA Memo,
Auth: DDA REG.
Date:
.314,0040
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Office of lien) ee tee: 1;a'einates
2? August 1948
EVIDENCE OF USSR ITIUTApi TATTTIoNsluguy
PROPAGANDA _BROADCASTS
yhe Peob.2eill Are current Soviet radio broadcasts to USSR and Satellite
natiome;s (a) preparing those for possible hostilitiere7 or (b) assuring them
that war is unlikely?
&amain: The overall pattern of monitored Soviet radio broadcasts
to the USSR ard the Satellites is not one of assurance that an eventual war
io unlikely. Tho assumption of a possible future war with the West is ime
plicit in Soveet propaganda since Septembers 1946, the month of Secretary
Byrnes/ Stuttgart speech and the resignation of Wallace from the Cabinet.
Subsequently Soviet propaganda has had an explicit and vituperative anti-US,
anti-Western, and anti-capitalist orientation. These US-Western-capitalist
forces are portrayed as engaged in a constant struggle against the *forces _
of democracy, Le., the USSR, the Satellites? and "progressive elements
everywhere.
Soviet radio propaganda contains two elements which logically could be
expected if the USSR were preparing for immediate hostilities: (1) positive
identification of the main enemy, i.e., the US; and (2) Soviet championship
of peace.
On the other hand? Soviet broadcasts currently avoid or minimize im-
portant themes which could be expected to occur with considerable frequency
if the Kremlin as preparing for early hostilities. Soviet propaganda is
confined largely to generalized accusstlpas against an nimperialist war,.
TOP iffnzur
mongering enemy". The Soviet bloc is not poetrayed as in danger of immediate
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1F CARET
unitary attack or invaeion. War is never presented as a possible outcome of
a specific international situation or incident. Americcn policies are
universally attacked, but are never depicted as reaching a point where they
could no longer be tolerated by the USSR. The desirability of hating the
lestera "instigators of a new war" is almost wholly ladklug in current broad
C42t3. Claims of military superiority over the US and its allies -- claims
which would appear vital to the psychological preparation of the Soviet peoples
for wen -- are very infrequent.
The lack of emphacis on the themes outlined in the preceding paragraph,
pino the general consistency between the pattern of current broadcasts and those
of the preceding months, leads to the conclusion that the Soviet Union is not
preparing for immediate war*
For a more detai3ed discussion of the relevant trends in Soviet radio
? propaganda, me Special Report of the Foreign Broadcast information Branch, CIA,
dated 27 August 1948, which is attached hereto*
Currant Soviet radio propaganda apparently is net preparing
the peoples of the USSR and its Satellites for early hostilities. Soviet
broadcasts strongly imply, however, that ultimate armed conflict between the
ussa and the Western world is probable*
TOleeCRET
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FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION BRANCH
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
SPECIAL REPORT
Degree of War-Nlindedness at Current Soviet
130_5411.3ragillaggLs_to USSR and Satellite Nationals
(Date of Issue: 27 August 3_94)
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