ITALIAN COMMUNIST PARTY ACTIVITIES IN NORTHERN ITALY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R007300370001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 7, 1999
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 14, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

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Approved For Relea's 2660/041f r-R 2-00457E { M d
'ITELLOFU4 O FO AT REPORT CO NO.
Ita Ian Communi z Party
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NO,
1
Activities in 'Northern Italy
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NO. OF ENCLS
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February 1951
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SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
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.I, The Partito Coruunista Italiano (PCT Italian Communist Party) has recently
L3gun to circulate in Northern Italy a questionnaire designed to ascertain
which of the members of the Party itself, as well as of its affiliated
organizations such as the :lational Association of Italian Partisans, have
had experience in partisan warfare in Yugoslavia? Source believes that,,
in the event of an attack on Yugoslavia by one of the Soviet satellite
countries, Italian partisans would he used by the Cominform to threaten
the Yugoslav rear lines and to force Marshal Tito' s high command to
disperse its troops in order to protect areas adjoining Italy.
?., Possibly in connection with the above activity, a Communist organizer,
believed by Source to be a Soviet army officer, has been active in the
Udine area. during the last half of February.- This officer first came
to Sources attention in January or February 1950, when he was introduced
at Communist rneetingsin Northern Italy as "the Colonel".,
3:, In the La Spezia area, measures are being taken by the PCI to strengthen
Party discipline,, Particular attention is being given to intellectuals
within the t=artar, since the danger of deviation is felt to be most
serious among the more intelligent PCI ambers, Two PCI leaders in La
Speaia, Violante and Petracchi, both teachers in local institutions,
were recently called to PCT headquarters in that city and compelled to
sign documents which Source believes to have been testaments of loyalty
to the Party line.,
a , Recent strikes in the Government-owned arsenal at La Spezia, organi~;ed
by the Party in protest against the visit of General Dwight D. Eise;: hower
to Italy, have resulted in weakening PCI control among the arsenals;
workers., Several hundred workers have resigned from their PCI trade union
because several of the organizers of the strikes remained on the job,
earning regular wages, while rank and file workers participated in the
strike?
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