Cold War CIA Sponsored Russian Language Propaganda Leaflets/Balloons into East Germany ©

 Cold War CIA Sponsored Russian Language Propaganda Leaflets/Balloons into East Germany

 

The CIA created and controlled Russian émigré organization "Central Association of Post-War Émigrés" (TsOPE – transliteration of ЦОПЭ - Центральное Объединение Послевоенных Эмигрантов) was founded in November 1952. CIA cryptonyms for TsOPE included HBDUCKPIN, AEPAWN, and AEVIRGIL-1. According to one declassified CIA document: "TsOPE was created, supported, and controlled by CIA in order to develop and utilize some of the human resources in the Russian anti-Soviet emigration in support of CIA's political and psychological objective of accelerating evolutionary changes in the character and policy of the Soviet regime." 

 

According to one CIA report, “Experience argues that, by and large, attribution to a real organization lends propaganda a legitimate authenticity which notional attribution cannot achieve. Indigenous press and radio coverage of TsOPE's activities help, along this line, to reinforce the basic leaflet campaign. TsOPE staff members write the leaflets under the close supervision of a contract agent, who transmits policy guidelines and related directions of the case officers.” TsOPE’s headquarters was set up in Munich, Germany, with chapters in Brussels, Paris, and Vienna.

It was proposed to continue financial support of TsOPE, to “enable consolidation of present achievements and to provide for sound expansion of its anti-Soviet psychological warfare program. Specifically, it was proposed in Fiscal Year 1955:

a.     to undertake long-range balloon dispatch of leaflets aimed at our primary target, the peoples of the USSR; 

b.     to carry out short-range balloon dispatch of leaflets aimed at Soviet occupation personnel in Germany; 

c.     to increase both the quantity and quality of defection and disaffection leaflets, pamphlets and ideological materials; 

d.     to provide the group with printing facilities to enable production by the organization itself of leaflets in sufficient quantity for the expanded distribution program; 

The American zone of Germany centering on the Coburg-Hof area, was one base of operations used to launch balloons. In the initial phase, the objective was to launch balloons carrying anti-Soviet propaganda leaflets in the Russian language within the Soviet zone of Germany. Balloons were launched with fuses for targets within a one-hundred kilometer radius of the Coburg-Hof area. Bursting methods was used for targets above one hundred kilometers away but less than the maximum accurate range of five hundred kilometers. The project was a short-range balloon operation, In the initial phase, Soviet installations within a five-hundred kilometer radius of the Coburg-Hof area and inside the Soviet zone of Germany were the targets. 

Personnel employed did not require any special cover. They operated as representatives of TSIOPOE engaged in carrying out an anti-Communist action. Permits were obtained from the Border police for this purpose and the actual launching operations took place in the forest at a safe distance from cities and towns. A camouflaged truck possibly one employed in the transport of just such gas cylinders was needed for the dispatch. These cylinders were used commercially and customarily transported by truck to supply points.

The estimate of costs was based on an average monthly launching of forty balloons carrying 13,500 leaflets each, or a total of 540,000 leaflets per month. Special operations with two three-man enabled the teams to release 3,000,000 leaflets in any given three-day period, weather conditions permitting, or 6,000,000 over a period of one week, The balloon team in Bavaria launched a total of 1,576,250 leaflets in six actions during the month of December 1956. The balloon team in Berlin launched a record total of leaflets during December. A total of 14,993,361 leaflet units were launched in the DDR through the use of 3474 balloons.

The TsOPE shop in Munich printed a total of 530,000 leaflet units during December 1956.The balloon team in Bavaria launched a total of 1,576,250 leaflets in six actions during the month of December 1956. The balloon team in Berlin launched a record total of leaflets during December. A total of 14,993,361 leaflet units were launched in the DDR through the use of 3474 balloons. 

TsOPE operations were terminated in the summer of 1963 for the following reason: “Events have superseded TsOPE’s usefulness and because the CIA personnel and resources allotted to its support could now be used more effectively in other forms of CA (Covert Action) activity.“