SED EVALUATION OF SOVIET NOTE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R011200350005-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 3, 2006
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: March 26, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

to . f AIL-11
Fos: No. 51-4AA
FEO 1952
COI+IFIDENTIAL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
a
25X1
COUNTRY Germany (Russian Zone)
SUBJECT SED Evaluation of Soviet Note
25X1
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
DO NOT CIRCULffl DISTR. 26 March 1952
NO. OF PAGES 1
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITLE 18, SECTIONS 793
AND 794, OF THE V.S. CODE, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR REVE-
LATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS
PROHIBITED BY LAW. THE REPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS PROHIBITED.
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Class. Changed To: TS S LC/
CLASSIFICATION CP#XP nTI naltlt.: HR 16-2, 0I) 25X1
No Change In Class. []
[] Declassf3d
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
THE FOLLOWING REPORT WAS PREVIOUSLY,
DISTRIBUTED AS "CIA PRELIMINARY
At a meeting of the SE]) Politb$ro on 15 and 16 March 1952, there was a discussion
of steps to be taken immediately in consequence of the'Soviet proposal for a peace
treaty. It was pointed out that Moscow now expects a change, favorable to the
Soviet position, in. German publiC,opinion among the following groups; the member-
ship of the SPD, the trade unions, the older ex-officers of the German army,
ex- Nazis, the adherents of the Evangelical Church, the majority of German youth,
and neutralists and pacifists.
In. large part the Soviet note embodies suggestions made by Walter Ulbricht and
Otto Grotewohl. An exception is the point regarding a German national army and
armaments production; the inclusion of this clause surprised the SED leaders,
since it had been agreed that these proposals should be held back for a later.
special Russian offer, separate from',the treaty proposal. The SED leaders irere
also surprised that the Oder Neisse question was mentioned in the note; here too
the note was in conflict with a prior understanding, as Ulbricht and Grotewohl
wanted to leave the territorial question open for the present.
In the opinion of the Politburo, the Soviet note is mainly aimed at forcing the
western powers to participate in a lengthy conference. However, if the West
should immediately refuse to negotiate with the U.S.S.R., the note would serve
as the basis of a separate East German-Soviet peace treaty. A four-power
conference would be expected to suspend the European army proposal, at least
for months, and perhaps to kill it entirely, in view,of the approaching American
election, The delay is expected to destroy German c nfidence in American-European
cooperation and to foster an attitude more favorable o the U.S.S.R.
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Document No- -_-- _!
Approved For Release 2006/08/08: CIA-RDP82-00457R011200350005-8 0 ~)
DISTRIBUTION
Approved For Release 2006/08/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457R011200350005-8