(SANITIZED)MILITARY UNITS, ATOMIC EXPLOSIONS, ALLEGED NEW TANKS, AND EVENTS IN THE HUNGARIAN UPRISING(SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A032600080001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 19, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: February 7, 1957
• Content Type: REPORT

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i1 SI CQPY
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains Information. affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Sees. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
Military Units
Atomic Explosions, Alleged. New Tanks,
and Events in the Hungarian Uprising
breakdown of the Division's components and their locations. (3) An alleged
new Soviet Tank in Hungary. Two Top Secret films on two actual Soviet
lation of ordnance equipment held by the Ninth Meelanized .v`ision with a 25X1
DATE DISTR. 7 February 1957 25X1
an eight page report
on the following.. } T e
Ninth Mechanized Division and other milita units in Hungary, including
estimations of manpower personalities and equipment 0 V A tabu-
atomic explosions. (5) Events during the Hungarian uprising,
STATE .L ARMY
NAVY
(Note: Washington distribution indicated by "X'; Field distribution by "#".)
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9 January 1957
COUNTRY: Hungary
Hungarian 0/B Prior to November 1956
a. the headquarters of the 9th Mechanized Division (9 Gepesittet
oveszeti HadOsztaly) was located at Keszthely.
b. The division was subordinate to the 6th Army Corps (6 Hadtest
Parancsnoksag) at Szekesfehervar (N 47-12, E 18-25).
c. The headquarters strength was 100 officers and 150 enlisted men. The
estimated strength of the division was 10,000 men and officers. It
was "A" type, which supposedly meant that it was fully equipped and
of combat strength, but one battalion in each
of the regiments was either on paper only or had skeleton strength.
There were six regiments and the estimated strength of each was
710 men, including 110 officers. Each of the regiments had two
full-strength battalions. Each battalion had three companies of 81
men*
e. The Commanding Officer was Lt. Col. Lajos Feges.
f. Following is a chart of the major items of ordnance equipment held
by the division with a breakdown of its components and their
locations.
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total number of major ordnance items and a detailed breakdown of the 9th Mecized Infantry Division,
Unit Designation, Location
It x 4s
1.5 Ton
3 Tons
3 Tons
Misc.
Arend Per
. T-3
U-76
'Artillery
Mortars
AT Guns
(2 axle
(3 axle
Vehes.
Carrier
(85)
SP
Pieces
eez Div, KESZThiELY
'
6
27
56
2
23
ez Regt, ZAIAEGERSZEG
%
10-57 (?
(N46-50,
E 16-51)
4
90
21
18
it
7
38 Meez Regt, TAPOLCA
46-53 E 17-26)
4
95
21
21
It
18-57mm
32 Mecz Regt, LENTI
(N 46-36 E 16-32)
It
64
21
13
4
7
32 Art Regt, ZAIAEGERSZEG
36 122mm.
3
10
42
36
3
How (M-30)
31 Arty Regt, MARCALI
36 122mm
N 46=3 , E 17-25)
How (M-30)
Mortars
4
31
14
31
3
18 AA B n, NAGYKANIZSA
6-85 mm-AA M1939
P
(N 46-2 E 16-59)
12-37mm-AA M1939
t
1
2
12
21
1
6
3
58 Armd Arty Bn, TAPOLCA
18-76mm m 1942
1
2
5
17
27 Armd Regt, TAPOLCA
2
18
14
52
68 Engr Bn, MARCALI
(N 46-3
E 17-25)
~
1
5
29
2
5 Sig Bn, 1 ESZTHELY
2
5
5
16
6th Ran Co, KESZTHELY
__
F_
2
3
1
J_
I
TOTALS = 855 (not including 34
T-34s, SP Guns,
Arty pcs, Mortars or
AT Guns
329
one wheeled tractor and two
aterpillars
159 101
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g. ICol. Antonin Zsarikoy,the Soviet adviser to the division, 25X1
the unit'had attained fairly good combat readiness. During 1956
there were-fixed training schedules. Every quarter,one regiment
had a two to three..day field exercise in which two battalions
attacked and the third was in a defensive position. Each half-
year,two regiments had a field exercise, also lasting two to
three dayso In September 1956 the division had an eight-day
field exercise in which the bffensive and steady contact with the
enemy were especially emphasized. The 9th and 32nd Mechanized
Infantry Divisions participated in this. The 9th acted as the
attacking force and was reinforced by two armore. regiments, both
equipped with T-34's. One was stationed'in Abasar'(N 47-48,
E 20-00) and the other in Aszod (N 47-39, E 19-29). Several
units outside of the division provided a total of 106 trucks of
various types and makes, plus drivers. The 32nd Mechanized
Infantry Division was not reinforced. The exercise took place in
the mountainous area near Veszprem (N 47-05, E 17-54) which had
streams', a forest, and many hills. Communication was effected by
telephone and by motorcycle messengers. The infantry, supported
mainly by-self-propelled gun units, attacked mostly at night. The
main objective of the exercise was to keep close contact with the
enemy which used fixed defensive positions most of the time. There
were several river crossings at night and N2 P-45 metal boats were
used to transport the T-34's and self-propelled equipment. Airborne
attacks were simulated only and little entrenching of troops and
equipment took place. only a few'-tanks,....rtillery pieces, 25X1
and antiaircraft positions. One simulate 3T;&toa_c explsa:ow was' demonstrated
and several thousand liters of oil used.
following information about other units,
a, 33rd Mechanized Regiment, located at Zalaegerszeg. The Commanding
Officer was Major Zoctan Borka.
b. 38th Mechanized Regiment, located at Tapolca. The Commanding
Officer was Major Istvan Guszi,
c. 32nd Mechanized Regiment, located at Lenti (N 46-36, E 16-32).
Its Commanding Officer was Lt. Col. Janos Racz.
d. 32nd Artillery Unit, located at Zalaegerszeg, commanded by
Captain Toth (fnu).
e, 31st Artillery Unit, located at Marcali, commanded by Major Major (fnu).
f. 18th Antiaircraft Battalion, located at Nagykanisza, commanded by
Captain ozsef Teleki.
g. 58th Armored Artillery Battalion, located at Tapolca, commanded by
1st Lt. Albert (fnu).
h. 27th Armored Unit, located at Tapolca, commanded by Major Jozsef Reves,
i. 68th Engineer Battalion, located at Marcali; the Commanding Officer
was unknown.
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Jo 45t4 Sigial'Battalion, located at Keszthely, commanded by Captain
Jozsef Bedi.
k. 6th Reconnaissance Company, located at Keszthely; the Commanding
Officer was unknown. the
signal equipment'of this'unit included an unknown
number of R3, R7, and R40 radios. There were also several R20
radios but they were considered obsolete and used only for training
purposes.
1. 6th Corps, located at Szekesfehervar, . Subordinate to
this corps were the following: 9th'Mec anize Division
(N 41-411 E 18-45).
m. 3rd Corps, located at Kecskemet (N 46-54, E 19-41). Subordinate
to'this corps were the following: 8th Mechanized Division,
located at Bekescsaba (N 46-39, E 21-0~) an unidentified
mechanized division located at Kiskunfelegyhaza (N 46-43, E 19-51);
and the 17th Mechanized Division at Kaposvar (N 46-219 E 17-47)-
___1 the 17th Mechanized Division was a type "B" unit
the other two, one was tYDe "A" and the other "B"F_
3?
n. Unidentified"armored division in Gyongyos (N 47-47, E 19-56) sub-
ordinate to an unidentified corps. This division was equipped with
T-34 and JS-2 tanks and self-propelled guns.
o. Unidentified independent artillery unit in Nagykanizsa (N 46-27,
E 16-59), equipped with an unknown number of 152 mm Howitzer M 19436:;.
p. Unidentified heavy self-propelled unit in Baj (N 47-39, E 18-22),
equipped with an unknown number of 122 mm self-propelled M1943 guns
and JS-2 tanks.
Soviet O/B Prior to November 1956
e 32nd Mechanized Division, located at Papa (N 47-20, E 17- 28),
and the 5th Mechanized Division, located at Esztergom
the following information about unidentified Soviet units.
a. Corps Headquarters in Szedesfehervar.
b. Corps Headquarters in Kecskemet.
c. Artillery Regiment, located at Dombov r (N 46-23, E 18-08), and
equipped with an unknown number of 82 mm Rocket Launchers.
d. Artillery Regiment, or Brigade, in Hajmasker (N 47-09, E 18-01),
equipped with an unknown number of 152 mm Howitzer M 19436 and
82 mm Rocket Launchers,
e. Artillery Regiment and Mechanized Infantry Regiment in Piliscsaba
(N 47-37, E 18-49)-
4. In June 1955 a survey of the Soviet-occupied
areas located in Szombathely, Koszeg (N 47-23, E 16-32), Gyor (N 47-41,
E 17-38), and Kormend (N 47-01, E 16-36) for the purpose of, checking
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the suitability of these areas for possible occupation by the Hungarian
9th Mechanized Division. The Soviets wanted to exchange their posts for
that of the 9th Mechanized Division because of an agreement between the
Soviet and Hungarian Governments that, after the termination of the
Austrian occupation, all Soviet troops were to withdraw approximately
100 kilometers from the Austrian border.
this agreement involved only the Soviet troops stationed on the Austrian-
Hungarian border, and not those stationed in Austria which had been with-
drawn, via Hungary, to the USSR. Col. Antonin
Zsarikov, the Soviet advisers to the division headquarters, and a Soviet
major general (name unknown) who was a technical adviser in the Hungarian
Ministry of Defense I inspected the posts of an unidentified
armored regiment in Koszeg where two tanks
referred to by the Soviets as T-54s, an unidentified mechanized infantry
regiment in Gyor, and an unidentified artillery regiment and two uniden-
tified mechanized infantry regiments in Kormend. several
MIG-15s and MIG-17s on the Soviet-occupied airfield in Papa (N 47-20,
E 17-28).
New Soviet Equipment
5. On 4 November, while driving in the vicinity of Keszthel
approximately 15 Soviet tanks of a new type had just
arrived in Hungary. These tanks
?t~-t;-.xtrak' whe'els',.
approximately 65 centimeters in diameter. The lower front plate was
about 45 centimeters from the ground, instead of 40 centimeters, as is
the case in the T-34. The tank was bigger than the T-34-
estimated Omeasurements of the new tank as follows: the overall
height was 2.20 m (that of the T-34 is 2.75 m); the width was 3.4 m
(that of the T-34 is 3.05 m) the length was 6.70 m (that of the T-34
is 6 m). The same type of AA machine gun as the JS-3 (12.7 mm) was
mounted on an elliptically-shaped turret. The barrel of the main armament
was estimated to be about three meters long and had a baffle-type muzzle
brake; the caliber was 152 mm.
Soviet Atomic Warfare Films
6. On 15 June 1956 unit's representative, saw two top
secret films on two actual Soviet atomic explosions which were presented
in the Ministry of Defense building in Budapest. Fifty persons attended,
including ten Soviet officers who were technical advisers to various
Hungarian units, and they were warned not to divulge to anyone what they
observed. Each film lasted for several hours and was silent without
explanatory titles or captions. A Soviet instructor, who spoke Hungarian
fluently, explained the films after they had been shown. One of the
explosions took place at night and the bomb exploded immediately above the
ground. The demonstration area had hills, a small stream, and vegetation
similar to that found in Western European countries. Wood, brick, and
concrete buildings, erected in the bomb-blast radius of 60 kilometers, were
furnished and were occupied by dummies holding instruments to register the
radioactivity. Troops were stationed in trenches at irregular intervals
for a distance of five to 30 kilometers from the bomb's epicenter. The
troops were dressed in conventional uniforms topped by heavy, protective,
chemical trousers, boots, gloves, gas masks, and hoods. Topping all of this
was a protective sheet of an unknown type, used for shielding the eyes
from the blast. The trenches had an average depth of three meters and
were lined with heavy lumber. Various types of equipment, including troop
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carriers and T~34 tanks, were manned by dummies. The demonstration area
also had.a simulated airfield with two unidentified planes. The second
film showed a bomb exploding ~Cba s tg ve jY@ g d py da The
area shown-was similar in all respects to that described above. Both
films showed--the extent of the destruction of the buildings and a close
view of a-tank in which the dummy was completely burned and the wirin
was destroyed to the extent that the tank was of no further use.
not actually see the atomic bomb nor the aircraft. not know
e height from which the bomb was dropped and was unable to'distingu.ish
the race of the troops except for ten to 15 Caucausians who demonstrated
their clothing. The glare factor was especially stressed and instruc-
tions given on what to do upon complete loss of eyesight.
Radar Equipment
7. no radar equipment except an old set used by the 18th AA
Battalion at Nagykaniska as a training aid.
Events of 23 October to 4 November 1956 in Hungary
8. 0 reported-the following incidents during the critical period
of 23 October to 4 November&
Col. Lajos Fejes, ordered the division to be on alert and cancellAd
heard unofficially on 24 October 1956 that an uprising had started
in Budapest. During that morning the Division Commanding Officer,
all leaves and passes. On 27 October
'ormu e pans or a workers-
soldiers revolutionary advisory group whose objective was to contact
members of Hungarian units located in Papa, Esztergom, Szekesfehervar,
and Kaposvar and organize armed military and civilian groups to
fight the AVH and the Soviet troops. However, this plan was not
realized because the group gained the impression that the Soviets
would leave Hungary peacefully.
b. On 24 October Col. Fejes received orders to dispatch two armored
regiments, two mechanized infantry regiments, and one artillery
battalion from the division to reinforce police units in Budapest.
On the following day two battalions of mechanized infantry from
Tapolca were also sent to Budapest. Lt. Bella Ujhely, who accompanied
the two battalions, returned to Division Headquarters on 27 October
and reported that as soon as these units arrived in Budapest
(the units from Esztergom reached Budapest on the morning of 26
October and those from Tapolca on the morning of 27 October), they
were surrounded by Freedom Fighters whom they joined to fight the
Soviets, these units lost several artillery
pieces ,.su sequen y.
co On 4 November Col. Fejes told all officers of the 9th Mechanized
Division Headquarters staff that he had received a call from General
Lajos Toth at the Ministry of Defense in Budapest, ordering him to
dismiss all. officers and troops and leave it to the men's discretion
to fight the Soviets if they attacked. Most of the soldiers took
their weapons with them when they departed. Shortly afterwards
the population of the town of Keszthely arrived at the pest and
demanded arms. The non-commissioned supply officers turned over all
weapons and ammunition on hand.
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in the zthely via Komarom (N 47-46, E I8-08 Czechoslo-
these troops had come from Poland4
on 4 November there were clashes between the Freedom
Fighters and the Sovietsjwho were Mongolians*
new Soviet armored forces arrive
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