Oldal 2 [2]
X3A36.Auge52.
But as compensation for these gifts, the soldiers are supposed
to work in factories and mines during part of their military
service, at least one month for every year in the armed forces,
The equipment of this regular army is now almost completely
Russian. Nevertheless old German equipment is still at hand.
This German equipment was originally built at the former Skoda
works, hence parts are easily obtainable. Still its importance
is gradually dwindling. When it leaves a regular Army unit, it
is transferred to the territorials, of whom we shall write later.
Besides the regular Army exists the Elite Corps, the"
SNB, or Shor Narodni Bezpeenosti, This is a Police Force made
up exclusively oz fully reliable party men. It is organized on
the general pattern of the MVD or the German SS3 it is a true
elite of the regime in every aspect. It is fully equipped with
the most modern Soviet weapons, receives training by first class
Soviet officers, and has every weapone It is fully motorized, has
its own aviation, signal corps etc. The SNB men are enjoying a
very high standard of living. They have financial and food and
housing privileges, They are fully devoted to the regime. They
a:e the hard core of the army. Their main training nevertheless
is in domestic sechrity, they receive many courses in fighting
against partisan units especially in mountainous areas.
There is finally the "Association for collaboration wih
the Army" which organizes in factories and villages and towns the
so-called defensive units, something on the pattern of the German
Volkssturm,. Workers and farmefs are supposed to spend at least —
one hour each wim week training for shooting. These defensive
units are poorly equipped. They receive the obsolete German
equipment, as well as older Czeeh or French material. it is ine
teresting to note in this connection that in Slovakia the Defen¬
sive Units so far have received no weapons of their own, and
receive their training only twice a month with equipment deposi¬
ted under the surveyance of BNB units in SNB arsenals. Liven
the officers of the Defense Units in Slovakia have no weapons,
This shows how little reliance the regime has en them. It should
be noted that to the unanimous opinion of our observers these
Defense Units or Defensive Groups have no military value what¬
soever, It is interesting to note also, that since begin of
June the Czech Red Cross has been dissolved and has become a
part of the Association.
Despite all these efforts of Cepicka, there are some
signs ef Moscow dissatisfaction at the slow progress of the for¬
cese And in this connection a rumour is now circulating in the
highest circles of Prague, which is largely believed, though
it is naturally impossible to check whether it can as yet be
substantiated. And this is, that Soviet Marshall Ivan Koniev,
the “liberator" of Prague would shortly receive the Czech citi¬
a