SEMI-ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT ON THE WAR DOCUMENTATION PROJECT (WDP)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81-00706R000200010015-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 30, 2003
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: January 27, 1956
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 20033
EIA-RDP81-00706R000200010015-0
7 January 1956
WAIONANDW4 Chief, 041/0IS
UBJECT Semi-Annual Progress He rt on the ,war L)ocueetation
Project (WDP)
1. This report intends to review the votk done during the
aeriod July-December 1955 and to acquaint the requesting offices
dth the type of information which can be obtained in answer to
their requests.
2:% A conference with most of these requesting offices took.
25)(1 place ml Wice on 30 June 1955; subsequent meetings
took place on target information on 11 August and on information
pertaining to Polish underground and Communist activities at the
beginning of November. In addition, preliminary talks were con-
ducted on the requirement pertaining to military histories in June
and July 1955.
3. During the initial period of research, empissi5 was given
to the requirement on histories of Soviet military units durin6
World War II. Research was concentrated on finding appropriate
units which participated in the defense of Leningrad. Approximately
1,500 documents of units subordinate to the German Army Group
North were scanned since this army group conducted the drive on
Leningrad. These documents were primarily German Army Corps and
Division intelligence reports, although Army Group and Army docu-
pents as well as German at. Command documents (OKH and 00)
contained some valuable data.
Of these documents, *bout 200 were selected for further
exploitation. Rstimating an average of 200 pages per document,
information was extracted from about 140,000 pages. txtremely
toformative material such as captured Soviet diaries and interro-
Gation reports were translated. A preliminary index yes made for
those Soviet units which promised to be suitable for the research
project.
Approved For Release 2003/12/04: CIA-RDP81-00706R000200010015-0
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Approved For Release 2003/11P!RDP81-00706R000200010015-0
:
semi-Annual Progress Report on the War
Project (WDP)
It was determined o compile detailed information of the
5129th Infantry Regiment of the 25Iith Infantry Divisioncovering a
period of August 1941 to September943. The result of this study
entitled Bistoey of the 929th Infaatry Division is appended as
eupplement I.
It is now intended to compile the history of an artIllery
unit which participated in the defense of Leningrad. The continued
research for military units would be aided most effectively if the
requesting office were to point out any additional campaigns on
ehich to concentrate.
4. No information has yet been found for biographical studies
of personalities now in public life in Germany, Poland, and
Czechoslovakia. This requirement will be kept in mind but it is
doubtful whether any information will be obtained.
5. Tha examination of materiel pertaining to o1isb under-
round and Communist activities in Poland during World War It has
been based up to now on the available Padget card catalog. The
material time scanned amounted to roughly 150 folders or approxi-
mately 30,00,0 pages. Of these folders, only 31 contained informa-
tion which appeared to be more or less in line with the requirement.
There are 12 folders which included material on Poland exclusively,
but most information does not appear pertinent to the requirement.
A short description of the pertinent documents contemned in these
31 folders is given in Supplement II.
In answer to the requested spt survey of captured
documents with reference to ?tench nationalso collaborated with
the Germans during World War II, sppro*Imately 125 folders of
German high-level commands In occupied France, were examined; 12
of them ware selected for thorough exploitation.
It was established that, while a great quantity of informs
ch nationals who worked with the Germans during World War U
lable, it usually cannot be ascertained to what degree these
ere real collaborators; they may have been just minor
ciala carrying out their routine duties, or private citizens
e for some special considerations.
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on
Approved For Release 21010/LT: CIA-RDP81-00706R000200010015-0
SUBJECT: Semi-Annual Frogre as teport on the
Project (WDP)
Also scanned was decumei,t (Military Commander of
Vrance, 85142) which deals exciosively with Laval and personalities
close to him; it comprises e6eetv, reports regarding his reliability
and behind-the-scenes activities, as well as accompanying official
correspondence. Another docueent (Poland, 75026/6) deals with the
so-called French Legion, coowai.th,a by Colonel Labonne, which fought
with the German Army in Poland and the UBSB. Document No O1W/558
mentions a certain Dubois, t French prisoner-of-war in Germany who
In 1941 agitated among his fella.' prisoners for collaboration with
Germany and who apparently was the spokesman for the "Fransisten,"
probably a French collaborationist eroup. This OKW document also
contains a personal history of French Brig Gen Henri VernilIat, who
wanted to collaborate with the Germans.
mples of the type of information vnich can be obtained
are eiven as Supplement III. This supplement consists of four
ports:
a. An interrogation report of a French civilian who
turned over to the authorities a British flyer whose aircraft had
crashed;
b. A letter written by a French official expressing
his desire for continued collaboration with the Germays;
c. A list of "defeatists" imprisoned by French
authorities prior to the German occupation, whom the Germans
wanted to be released;
d. An index of French officers on whom personal data
and German character evaluations are available.
7. Meetings with the requesting office coricernen with person-
ality data on Soviet identities with indication of possible
vulnerability took place in June end July. Wmce it was very
difficult for the requesting office to formulate any ;;tlidance which
could facilitate a research project of this extent, the requesting
office agreed to the abandonment of this requirement. FDD offered
to undertake a more limited project, i.e., if such personalities
would be wanted for a definite and smaller reaion.
Approved For Release 2003/12/04: CIA-RDP81-00706R000200010015-0
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Approved For Release 20404BIA-RDP81-00706R000200010015-0
: Semi-Annual Progress Report on the War Documentation
Project (WDP)
3. In answer to the request on target information, a survey of
captured documents dealing with industrial information was made. The
survey involved approximately 110 documents, 15 of which were selected
for thorough examination. It appears that most of this kind of target
information can be obtained from documents containing reports from
economic exploitation units attached to the German Armed Forces.
A total of nine sketches of metallurgical and petroleum
installations in the USSR were selected from these documents for
reproduction. They are appended as Supplement IV in the following
order:
Stalin Metallurgical Combine in Magnitorgorsk;
b. Novotagilsk Metallurgical Plant in Blzhnly Tagil;
c.lierov Metallurgical Plant (Nadexhdinsk), Ural;
d. Bakalstroy Metallurgical Plant in Chelyabinsk
sketches);
talin Kusnetskiy Metallurgical Combine in Sta nsk;
Stalin Oil Refinery in Batumi (2 sketches);
Oil 3torage Installation at Alipskaya RailrosiStation.
9. Vary little information has been found on escape and evasion,
German estimates of US and British espionage and sabotage techniques
ape equipment, and German and Russian agent equipment. llso data on
soviet and Satellite intelligence services have been very scarce and
only very sporadic information has been obtained.
10. In answer to the requirement pertaining to Smolensk Communist
Party files (J-190), the pertinent documents were selected from the
collection and reproduced. The photostats were received only in
December 1955. Subsequently, the photostnts have been arranged into
two volumes accompanied by commentaries, translation, and summaries.
Work on Volume 1, the more complex and varied of the two sets of
material, has been substantially completed. The entire project will
be completed by 15 February 1956.
- 4
Approved For Release 2003/12/04: CIA-RDP81-00706R000200010015-0
SECRET
A
Approved For Release 20038/4100_ -RDP81-00706R000200010015-0
SUBJECT: Semi -Annual Progress Eeport on the War Documentation
Project (aP)
11. It is hoped that the requesting office will comment on the
past effort n order to ensure maximum usefulaess of the planned
projects.
J. J. BA
Chief, Foreign Docum
Enclosures: 4 (1 only)
D lirisiorL
1. upplement I. History of the 929th Infantry i)IY1C ion
2. Supplement I/. Polieh Underground Activities During
World War II
3- Supplement XIX. French Collaborators
4. ?plernent IY. Target Information
Distribution:
Orig & 1 - Addressee
1 - DCl/PSC
1 - ADVO
Approved For Release 2003/12/04: CIA-RDP81-00706R000200010015-0
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