SEROV CHANGES JOBS BUT OPRESSION REMAINS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-02771R000500340004-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 31, 1998
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: February 1, 1959
• Content Type: REPORT

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SMOV COMES JOBS BUT OPPRESSION R MAINS
1959
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WOV CHANGES JOBS BUT OPPRESSION R MAINS
Sir Winston Churchill once described the Soviet Union
V1a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma." The
neon of this observation has recently been demonstrated
by the - rplexing development concerning Serov.
his assumption of the poet of Chairman of the
Committee for State Security (KOO) in April 195k, General
Ivan Alexandrovich Serty has been perhaps the most dreaded
in the Soviet Union. He also appeared to be one or
mil of the Kremlin hierarch. As head of the
, he directed a vast network of two million agents, spies
and informers Whose function was to protect the Soviet Union
against internal subversion and espionage agents. His organ-
ization p surmably maintains dossiers on leading Soviet per--
sonaIi.tles? containing incriminating and compromising infor-
metion on many of the regime's highest and most Influential
rov is no longer head of the X. The world,
the Soviet public also, was surprized when a
brief off cia:i announcement on 9 December stated that he
been relieved of his post "in connection with his trans--
ther work." Although no reasons were given for h
it was not for lack of professional qualifications.
r
-v entered the Army as a young man, serving at first with
artillery, and ssequently transferring to the secret
e. From 1939 until 1941 he worked cioaely with brush--
v. who was then political chief of the rake, as chief
of the secret police there. For the next 13 years he served
under Soviet secret police chief feria in important posts
in the national secret police organization. Three months
la's execution when the ME was separated from the
al Affairs, rov was appointed its head
blefor espionage, counter-espionage and the secur-
y poll
a reeponeible for the large-scale deportations
of the Baltic populations in June 1941. Under his Secret
Order No. 001223, approximately 200,000 persons were seized
.nd sent to forced labor camps or exile in Siberia. He also
masterminded the deportation of the ethnic minority Chechen
ad Ingush peoples from the Caucasus in 1943. As punishment
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box'atlon with the Germans, an estimated 5,,OOO
d into unheated trains in the middle of
U sanda died on-the Jou7rne7. More recent ly* rSerov' is &4,,r
dic
"
ed with the treache
t"f
rousarres o General Pal 1eter
d
f
er o
t Hungarian Forces i th6
ne uprising or 195, and
er the revolt had been Suppressed.
Although ar n once nt has been sued
t
h
e "0
o w
at other:
work" Serov Is to be transferred, he Is regarded as too valu-
able ri,enced a member of the hierarchy to be elimi-
nated. a he left IMB,* he has appeared at several of-
ficial, Kremlin functions, on indication that he is still an
rta t meter of the power ,pup around ihx ushchev
Anastas Mikoy'an said on n January Inn Los Angeles that
Serov had a position in the Soviet Arty? In view of his
previous experience, it appears that he my be the new head
of Soviet military intelligence. After World War II Soviet
military intelligence was .nosi ly dominated by the ger -
eral a urity organization, probably beoauae Stalin was un-
willing to allow an independent Intelligence network to de-
r0giM has a%ed the need fora specialized, and there--
fore more autonQ ua, military intelligence. To minimize
the Political danger of a separate military intelligence or-
ganization, it app's that shchev may have appointed
his trusted lieutenant, rov,, to head it.
3 acco-rding to an authoritative diplomatic
`ov heads a new Soviet espionage agency that
t in secret weapons, including bacteriological
Leal warfare Materials. The new organization is a
'
?aviet military itlli b
.negenceut with apecial prly-
e t.ion of Russian secret devida-ft
oun*~ ?~~^
hand also can be discerned in the announc,emermt
o ,pout the Soviet Union
s0-called ''vol
t
,
un
eer ; ar er*s
are being ford, with members recruited from the
_.
of
_ _.
vs se wa1-fkers'
__
litla detac rte is to act as auxiliary police to assist
_2
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the regular police in keeping down hooliganism and drunken-
nee the Soviet Union is one of the most thoroug hly
tes in the world, it seems impbable that the
r
lar police cannot be relied upon to keep public order.
_ .~~
A ci.uea to the real purpose of the new militia may be found
that its members are to preeiaterve order on streetaa,
portation, in store and clubs, and to apprehend
?le nts
''anti-social" is a broad term, frequently
nts opposed to the regime. Competent
ed therefore that the creation of the
a step to provide a new seeret police
bere drawn from the most reliable Party
workers. Stalin's system for maintaining
?..- _
an absolute dictatorship., whereby one out of every four Soviet
citizens was a police informer, is coming back under another
nun. Serov is believed to be charged with. the responsibility
for organizing and directing this now secret polio* apparatus
which to avoid arousing suspicion among the other members
of t iin hierarchy who rejumber Stalin's rule cif terror
"
11 too well,, will. be known an a "workers' militia.
Vhs ihift in g leadership does not presage any relax.-
*tion. of 3ovlet police activities. rov' as replac nt,
A1. ander *1epin, was hand-picked by Xbrushchev and has
had a nine-month indoctrination period since he was trans.,
fsrrd in April from his previous post as leader of the C-
'
a
youth Organization (Komsomol). While lacking Ser v
%jelepin has beers under Party discipline
15 of which were spent as a senior party of_
4 of the om l., Shelepin was concerned with
control" of its 20,000,000 members. In a speech
given in April 1958 he told the Central Committee and the
-vi*t cover nt that Komsomol organisations "must guarantee
the rov nt of idaolo ica1 and educational work among
g "is views and tastes"--a point or view that will be equally
useful for a policeman.
the Soviets have attempted to impose a facade
%&lit'` upon the Qperation.s of the most per-
code in December. Although the new code
nate some of the most flagrant abuses of the Stalin
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Ch as secret police trials, reliance on confession
without other evidence, and criminal responsibility at the
of 12, it deers not by any means guarantee the Soviet
oTition the protection of Western legal concepts. The right
r'he etendant ie rot accepted; and the death pen--
y can be exacted for high. treason espio e
subversive
,
nd ter r=orist activities, premeditated murder and banditry
.
In the U O high treason Includes fli t abroad and rretusal
to return from abroad and conspiring to seise power. Since
in the past many Soviet citizens, including the highest Com-
aust leaders, have been put to death on charges o spying
for the rialiats or conspiring with the West to overthrow
the government, it does not appear that the new code will
restrict 3belepin's police activities.
?u therrore, the more rigid enforcement of the decrees
of i$ dealing with the internal passports required for
Soviet citizens which is now being carried out, and the
recent unveiling.of a statue of erz1 insky, founder of the
secret police under Lenin, suggest that L wushchev'a state-
sont to Senator Humphrey concerning the reduction of the
role of the secret lice in the USSR,, is for forel con-
stion only. All these developments can only mean that
with Sero s pro amt employment as head of a new military
secret police organisation, the sinister shadow or the
Bret police will continue to haunt every Soviet citizen.
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CURB C
ST
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LAI13 Al
On 14 January 1959 the - small
took a tt1 t stop to .s
r 44M Aa its National Ass
os tt4 powers - one y
rdinary
wive stly;
stability eco xc p sw
bead bent i
t1w north, V
Of the three star
o-fin It becaw a ftench pro
r"POWO to rg desires for
tho'91riff promulgated on 11 May 1947 a o
provi for a constitutional monarchy
. A1t 1 'ran<
LWOPO"dent state w thin the
ti -- recto iti~ of Laotian
ea** only on .0 :Ulf 1154 with t
*emm-fire,
l-
UAW p bl whL h
er"d stlon. LWS is
tho s 9-China eounr
xtz and little oo 3
ouq*rtv U n4 accounted for
its in 1957. Tx
moss: is a by the lack of
awicAtlw.ts xtioh during the rain season are practic*l
nos The poEstl estmated at between
~
three million, is zWo ou about equally o
tive tribes,, principally Chinese
the Eck of tr*ined and experienced Laot
and
Lactiam and very
riet of
eri.-
davelo a of
tl*alUy
rinoi1
Df #,079oOGO-
lp of its natt
ts. In addition
available to
es, and c*rr ,
participate in the c 'r ent, staff its o
out its lio1 , is a serious bandicap.
ion of circa. tanoes--a sir, econmioally
politically Inexperienced,, lackin
tainin - minority groups, ax
rte Vietnam- -appears to be a
szn
nese state of Laos
he ev r-p ent threat
voted Sava 1nl
h. s of Premier
,r than of one-man
needeed
Lo combat the
and bring order
like a hr
nd ThailaW. China
Cambodia to the
ry de up end
n 1893. In
i . e,
ion which
transportation and co-
i nta
us of an
1 4&:,. iinte-
1 ndene
va
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'I t
try. C
# occupied .Bev
, 'am x=U to and pro-Coate:
aw now or thet Lao ( ee
n the
t1an-0 IMS re zed as the legal
Under the Geneva zgrement,, the ro
... rr, and the P agreed to abandon
to regroup Std forces in the two .
Odin cc
deed
^d as an
ad invaded
s organized Laotian
ment under
Vermont
ent of the
claim to authority
.ea of ftong Salt'
:a agreement.
Orr
of ent and rep entatlvea or
PL. ?his provided for the rem ition of ?L an a legal
Political Party under the Nev nme TAO Hit ` iati4n
toti c Prmt--W.MZ) the a aion of two PL leers
the Laotian tian oa tnetx One of the two *iniate was rinse
o, head of the L and of the and a half--
r of' the then Premier., Prince Souvanna, Phoum.
deal for reaahi nt of the Beni
1 Saly ant Sam Me= and for the
Ot 01
1*5-00 PL Idlers
AVW (AIM h11*
sea.
on
bepa at the same
the ftyamber n'
Ft stAdtheir w
fores * It a also _ eed that
n ted into the Laotian *tioria1
uuld assume the status of ::
d formations
t Worrilla, warfare
aver the I. lead
ram might order.
of thou 3aly and
;ration or L troop.
Lance with the term o
'icial. The anintograte
aoweeri them to
a a a ,estine
st the gave ent could
)r their austere In
On the political level,, the XLRZ. retained its tight
grip on the two reoccupied provinces d .lte the appointment
of row re bay 'lent:. , In addition,* Mx% 'organizers
create 'an ni n the a ple towards the v `rn-
to er the functions of the regular authorities
cells 4 .ch, b threats, actual violence or entic is
'To set tote other rsvincea, {where they established
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Wit"M
t cabin ? omits
veld nta:1
COMMURIOU find It aaaies
poor zultemte
of Lo"t
**Uld 40
ftrty*
elect;
Los for the v*z
t
,
r
irthe :t'
UM) Una a r 'or ty with 37
had b0M rt d, b a r r r= e L
KAFTRZesis f f' t fay
W
often able
o I13 Aug
Leant teat
t
.v
a cult
by 7 ntpb
the bewerat
k"
an Pushed
*Oftlftled
c - 1 ac
dig
on of ft d
elsewhere
*
'
era among
at
4,
'17 minister's
bet f .t
ton 9 of the 21 Assembly
f - t d ,ffi-
t of combating Coman
o n * t h e : N dG'PU
t
ttv _
5el r
ftc*d with t - situation k
with no alternative but to
tt 7 t b4tti t
i January action.
ever,
e of and the
have been je-
t a at Bete .mod v rxa rat to-it
torsion
o the T Oalled o - niat North
'
xUrt'aiot dit1
tera orere and even made forma
lbor National
30 t
e.i1y cent
3
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r t o f to a formal 'Protest by Lao's
on 19 JerWU7 . Th* a Co inlst ressur e
o obviowly designed to Sport
non- Ast Laotians ala-aed rangy
of the Ftoul govern-
With
ly to resist
- .2 ter bard
-21 axwS which
not bope success-
vlz asylum to
ken Province who bave
d Chinese coamwme
e ab -
poverty, the
.am, ez.._ eeverr
.Decomber alone-
U1107. Despite own their
evert and people have
oeuible t ee to these
e iae1 in -: r o 0 b1ne a minority aroup
ea to me peoples o l
* *. as Warm d
use b.U eeeial powers to
Vomit it to conchto e
ipstn. With reel
for econw1c development
UM" to evolve Into a MG(
- The Internal COMMUds
obftked,, ther bar mu .et e,
q_q
~
: t in Ce rain to be - i;i f
ore confidence.
he doe4 not intend
but that Will not
1 otlvitlea and
Lbl t an opp r_
to have a good
and ;a antic
to have been
o w her to
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slave ex
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yr 19549
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fA
last $+~ W9 i[ ~y y[,, -p{ ~'}, i ply ..,y yg } ~yjlRl 1ry? ~,p ' ?aii ta F
n z n_ t aAA 1 yJ d
~l qi i F 'e Kw4.A~ W'jYJ +FI trb3
e
Chile , ' to toTrade .rair and also that In rMi City i.
Jana ' 19S7. There also have been quit ,+ a ,_ ..r in pe
orld
beth heavy e
_
1 .,v been de 1.g
.
fair by v ab advertl.a,
Plain and that S the
to to do busts.
In trade t&1 rs an . ce l1en t Meam
rda and also , t ki r rktt
quality of to go-Wa and, turn
-4NWW Gt t Political system htcbl =aft It
AA_
du *_e
``
__ .
see that ti a ip +-t ' "' h
radi
e fl
a d ;1 ai*. One is u :. ese and
other to Polities. It cannot be, dent=.,d that a t-iumber of
tde -pe;l.eth~ re '
and in Mtrap , have bey tvve*
the th
t
a
WAV i1 h IB Over7th1 . the I% t. dezii
CO d be farther i l B tM 4Y*,,.,
pi*ced On the p d r uttiou f : yr equi nt "A-,4-1 -
t
? Ousu r It s t*>r which the peo
1-
,- lqft -
L ;, ,
l
p
e
e a
been 1grr3r d. t *I a Qea i u y Hlenk t o
e 1~ 1'
ias the death of talin, wanted to reanedy thts it t1:on a
;1 f
i4 ; u tt tt l
ga a?A their ~i
t thee and, given t fact that
-
k wh add
y auen tns1ste
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It is, t .ererore;, quit plain tI
of cowwwr pods, one sees at the pav
Kee at these fairs is intended ""or
elti of the Bloc must take whatev
offer the..
An ea4
fir Is orte
tort' in Leipzig in rc : 1957
Lou, rind abot 10 hectares,.
1 chines and the observer
r goods. That reputable Swiss n
the indivi%%ua "r chart., Don tons
r r the ecor-amy
,
o em c re shone are lee stve. At the latter, the State
t -ha yy the nrls:n and rigid no. are the rules At
tern fairs, busine-sown eaI with tne 4 Let. .
it is the $ t a t i o n a r i e s w h o v all."
The oart 'i of cons r
ftal"s of t people axe, the result of
c , over the Y*otrS., has had a profouna 'tect h run
covetAr to all the pr eh.in s of Communist # Because,
at the pr t *tag* of its d veto, t, the e nt will
not release *wvish productive vier for the production of ean-
r goods# it deliberately prices what there is so b that
t afford them. This is nothing less than a disguise
form of ti , despite Mr. . o an' a recent statements that
thero is rationing in ftasis.- Ili peroenta a of profit
the Source give the goverment not less than 60 percent of
its total .venue.
Let
rtiel of
arison
t on it in t":1 Sri
in
he Soviet
with array 0
ruck by the 1a k of
papers the IZQ
x isc p
is stri:in*
tern fairs and the Lelp l `a,
i, -MI
A
si. tom,
4MIjt7'* sails for
oftta. A pair of
erg array
Coomun
rt only,`' while the
r the State chooses to
no`af
make his o
art11ea ) .
tr o rayon
a shoes
tt *50.
-2 ,.
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h
ee;
Ln=yb a:
rue uc .i 8 an,
The Matz
have * effVctlva propaganda
v b Gue who v --w their
ftee V AI=, :_e :*, '2r e
PWOVOU
tha
h trt `air i
the 1**
o1 y o
sUMOr SOW
ordinary citt
bee-w. owner o~
mhaadi
i market.
that
liberate,
t Opt,'
ved. of
of Ihe fruit
V
Faced and that
has been ant
rcm Our" r CO -
f reac
p.
1--to :La
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