Page:NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 18; CZECHOSLOVAKIA; MILITARY GEOGRAPHY CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110011-1.pdf/13

APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110011-1

FIGURE 7. Cultivated rolling plains of the Southeastern Plain Region favor conventional ground operations (U/OU)

around industrial centers, but numerous rural communities are scattered throughout both regions. Movement of foot troops, on road or cross-country, would be fair to good. The road network is sparse except near industrial areas. Most roads are in fair to good condition; poor quality roads and trails connect many rural communities. Movement may be slowed by larger streams and soft soils or snow cover from December to March. Although irregular forces could be easily supplied by air and numerous landing sites are available, lack of concealment and cover would be a principal deterrent to operations of irregular forces.

4. Eastern Highlands

This region is generally unsuited for large-scale conventional ground operations. It is an extensive area of rugged, partially forested, high hills and mountains (Figure 8) dissected by several north-south river valleys. Forests, mostly on middle and upper hill and mountain slopes, are predominantly spruce and fir in the west and beech and oak in the east. Highest mountain tops are barren. Elsewhere, cultivated vegetation and some patches of forest are common, especially in valleys, basins, and on lower slopes.

The transportation network is sparse, and extensive maintenance would be required to keep roads open for sustained heavy military traffic. Sharp curves, steep grades, and narrow bridges (many of low capacity) slow onroad movement. In winter, snow and ice create additional hazards. Construction of new roads would be very difficult; alignments would be restricted, requiring extensive cutting, filling, and grading. Steep and, in many places, forested slopes preclude vehicular cross-country movement and offroad dispersal in much of region. Vehicles could move through some basins and valleys (Figure 9), but movement would be slowed from mid-November to early April by miry soils or by snow cover. Rugged terrain provides cover from flat-trajectory fire and concealment from ground observation. Concealment from air observation would be provided mostly by forests, which are most common on upper slopes. There are numerous sites suitable for construction of tunnel-type installations, and a few sites in valleys and basins are suitable for construction of bunker-type installations. Construction materials are generally available.

The region is mostly unsuited for airmobile and airborne operations. Although valleys and basins have some sites for airdrops, helicopter landings and landing of fixed-wing assault-type aircraft, low-level approaches to these sites would be restricted by surrounding high terrain. There are only a few airfields. Climatic conditions for airmobile and

FIGURE 8. In the rugged hills and mountains of the Eastern Highlands, the lower slopes are generally open and upper slopes forested. This region is suited for irregular forces operations. (U/OU)

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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110011-1