1893-1976
Eastern Europe
(372) documents
1906- 1982
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1914- 1984
1909- 1989
1923- 2014
East Asia
August 25, 1980
Politburo resolution establishing a commision , chaired by Politburo member M. A. Suslov, to look at the situation in Poland, inform the CPSU Politburo, and suggest any measures needed to be taken by the Soviet leadership.
September 15, 1981
"Jack Strong" [Ryszard Kuklinski] reports that at a recent KOK session, no final decision was made about the imposition of martial law, though almost all participants were in support. A unified plan of command for the surprise introduction of martial law is discussed, as a secondary plan to be implemented after political means were unable to repress the counterrevolution.
November 26, 1980
East German leader Erik Honecker writes to Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev requesting that a meeting of the First Secretaries of the Communist Parties in the Warsaw Pact member states be convened to discuss the crisis in Poland. Honecker suggests that any delay in taking action agains the "reactionary forces" would result in the demise of communism in Poland.
April 23, 1981
Special Dossier to the CPSU CC discussing the weakening of the PZPR and the rise of Solidarity as an organized political force. Describes the leadership of Kania and Jaruzelski in the party and prescribes a method of politically weakening Solidarity by exposing and exploiting its fragments, including the extremist KOS-KOS, and stepping up propaganda that stresses the impending invasion of Soviet troops to suppress the uprising.
April 26, 1981
Letter from Kuklinski to his CIA contact indicating that the situation in Poland is militarily hopeless.
September 3, 1980
Cable to the Polish leadership regarding the position of the Soviet leadership in regard to the agreements reached earlier in 1980 between the Polish Government and the Inter-Factory Strike Committee. The Soviet leadership expresses its concerns with the consequences of the agreements on the role of the Party in Polish society.
December 1980
"Jack Strong" [Ryszard Kuklinski] shares an urgent message relating contents of a secret Soviet meeting that outlined plans to bring USSR, East German, and Czechoslovak forces into Poland.
December 1, 1981
Notebook of General Victor Anoshkin, aide of Marshal Victor Kulikov. Anoshkin kept records of Kulikov’s meetings, phone calls, and conversations in Poland in December 1981.
December 5, 1980
Excerpt of set of notes written by Werner Krolikowski; includes his fourth point, which discusses the effects of the changes taking place in Poland; addresses socialist development in Poland and counterrevolution.
November 25, 1980
Excerpts from a discussion between Czechoslovak leader Husak and Hungarian leader Kadar on the situation in Poland. Janos Kadar suggests that the source of the crisis rests with mistakes made by the Polish leadership regarding economic policies. However, he still supports Polish leader Gierek, and believes that he should not have been removed from his position of responsibility.