COMMUNIST "CONFESSION" TECHNIQUES

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00144891
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: November 22, 2024
• Document Release Date: January 15, 1983
• Publication Date: May 17, 1949

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METFODS C7 1:7DUCTIC::
1. Posr.es
a. Old. method
.b. Requires rich time
c. Requires cooperative mubject.
2. Contact
Passes with contact with body.
3. Senr,e Stim.alr.tion
(Overstirulation) � fixation methods,
a. Fatigue of sense of sight � especially by having subjct
stare at bright object held nbove line of vision.
b. Bright objects, coine, keys, etc.
c. . Soft music, monotonous poetry
d. Cooperation required.
.4. Surrrestion � as of sleep.
a. Comfort
b. Relaxation
c. Suggestion or command to sleep
d. Cooperation required
5. Wakiniz (rarrTntive) Fronosis � combination of 3 and 4.
6. Drar: hvonon5.0
a. Rapid
b. Works when other methods fail
c. Trance cane as that of foregoing
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41,
d.. Tee quo
(1)
(2)
Narcosis induced by gradual admin. drug.
Hypnosis incinced by verbal sun:ostion during light
narcosis preparatory for analysis and hypnosis.
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(3) Routine investigation history, mental state, etc:
(4) Regression end eliciting of remote events, especially
of childhood to establish content and dynamics of idea-
tion and orientation.
(5) After salient factors determining patient's orientation
are determined:: new associations are created to
obtain now orientation to reality.
(G) Repeat daily.
(7) Post-hypnotic state re-inforced in waking patient by
explanation, persuasion and re-education.
(8) Since transference phenomena are common, it is
important to choose an object which can be made
suitable and is adequate for environmentra contact.
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I. Chnrges- Snbetnre of Eussinn Indnstrinl Program �
Dissemination of propa..:nnda of cn%i-comosunistic nature
Disclosing military secretz to fn....alit militnry forces.
Attempting to introduco Rour,cois socialist doctrino.
2. Relative I�nportoneo or Ar...:171t7: or Defendants.
Kay politilel and military fiz.uree.
Pey govornmont technicians and mnnngors.
3. Political sicnifianco of trials.
Evidonco or tiLhtening or controls of Politburo.
Effort of Stalin to eliminate all opposttion.
(Reference to poinoning of rolative of Stalin's)
Also SOTC refereneo by histori.ns to almost
frenzied period of S- reflected in purge activity.
Stalin did not repeat mistake of Trotsky oxilo.
4. Behavior or Defendants
I. Precise, arrangement of Courtrorim.
Defendants in row facing Prosecutor.
Orderly and timed procedure of trials.
No interruption or cposs exa,Lination as in U.S.
II. Evidence of guilt and confession presented by each
dofendant as called upon by Vichinsky.
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A. Tostittony of each defendant r:',.itod as 11 well
rehearsod and just short of repetition fro: .emorli recitla of tho
events leading up to and the nature of defendants guilee
B. Furthar confession of hnving been guilty of
plotting against the soviet state end therefore against tho poople.
C. Prompting from the Prosecutor at timos when tho
defendants faltered. Indication that defendants wnitcd for tho prpmpting
and at all times lookod dirnctly at P. One defondant #�*-
promulgator or soviet lognl codos faltored and broke down at ono point .
end ioiersat down. Was allozyd to continuo his tostimony later.
hot mnny instnncos of this kind of broakdown. Oenorally tostimony
-cos�given haltingly but stendily.
1Zowspnper Accounts
I. VerLntim newspaper necounis of trinl are in tono of
gulat already an estatslishod fact and purpoco of trial merely a
chnnce for the defendants to publicly proclaim their infidolty
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AN ANALYSIS OF CO:YESSICNS IN RUSSIAN TRIALS
1. ORI1.7.:TATI07:
Since the notorious !oscow trials. of 1937, overt Russian
Judicial procedure hns been noteworthy for the dramatic trials
in which the defendants have exhibited anemalous and incomprehen-
sible behavior and confessions. Characteristics and manner of
the defendants, end formulation and delivery of the confessions.
have been so similar in a large number of cases as to suest
factitious oricin.. Most noteworthy and incredible has been the
recent usen:essionn of His inence Card-..nal Josef V.indszenty
while on trial in the Peoclels Court .of Hunary
The evident incongruities prompted this study, the purnoses
of which were to analyse a number of instances of trials and
confessions to investigate:
Is. The overall pattern of the arrest, trial, and
performances of the members of the cast.
� b. The occurrence of any consistent or recurring
details of procedure Or behavior.
c. If the foregoing formed a congruent pattern, ths
method by which the result was achieved:
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2. PROC1DURE:
Source material was �iidely diverse and referencav!�s made to
significant items. It became ay-pare:it at the outset, of the study
that the style, context and manner of delivery of the 'Iconfessionsu
wore such as to be inexplicable unless there had been a reorganisa-
tion and reorientation of the minds of the confessees. There is
adequate historical experience to establish that basic changes in
the functional organisation of the human mind cannot be brought
about by the trnditionnl methods or phyeical torture�these at the
most, 'achieve a reluctant, tenporary yiel.C.ing, and, moreover. leave'
their mark upon the victim.
--Lewer or more subtle technirlues 11:td, thercfore, to be
connidcra for the working ion the rccocrlinca
mothodc arc:
a. 1>sycho'.7.;.cry: n varcice.1 eeparation of the frontal
lobeeof the 1,rain.
b. Shock method:
(1) electrical
(2) drac: metrasol, cnnabis indica, insulin, cocaine.
c. Psychoanalytic methods
(1) psychoanalysis
(2) narco-annlysis and synthesis
(3) hypno-analysis and synthesis
d. Combinations of the foregoinc.
In order to develop croun patterns of behavior and interactions
certain sicnificant elements were tabulater2, Chart 1.
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