APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110018-4
occasionally persists all day, rain, and low clouds. Cross-country movement on foot would be easy in most areas; the major obstacles are the numerous, widely distributed peat bogs and tidal marshes, both of which have prevailingly soft ground. During the winter, however, the ground freezes periodically, facilitating movement on foot. The region is densely settled, and the population is most heavily concentrated on the larger islands and in eastern Jutland. There are numerous rural villages and a few large urban centers. All are interconnected by an extensive transportation network. Food and water are available in most of the region. Cultivated crops include grains, vegetables, and tree fruits; although grains are abundant, supplies of vegetables and fruits are limited. Beef cattle, swine, and meat poultry are plentiful, and fish are available in coastal waters and adjacent open seas. There are abundant supplies of surface and ground water, but most supplies are bacterially contaminated. Materials for use as shelter and firewood are available in the ubiquitous woodlots; in addition, peat for fuel can be cut from meadows and bogs. Conditions are favorable for supplying irregular forces by air except for periods in winter, when the weather is rainy and cloudy and strong winds prevail. Although there are many beaches, supply by sea would be difficult because of obstructed and restricted approaches and flat nearshore gradients. The flat to rolling cultivated plains that constitute the border zone in West Germany contain no suitable sites for sanctuaries.
The coasts of this region are, in general, unsuited for large-scale amphibious operations because of partly obstructed and restricted approaches, flat nearshore gradients, and wet areas or rugged terrain backing parts of the coasts. Offshore approaches are generally clear; nearshore approaches are partly obstructed by sand flats, shoals, and shifting sandbars. Nearshore bottom material consists mostly of sand. Beach gradients range from flat to moderate along the North Sea and from moderate to steep elsewhere in both the low water to high water and high water zones. Tides are semidiurnal with a maximum spring range of about 6 feet. Surf 1 feet or higher may occur 25% to 35% of the time during all months along the unprotected stretches of the North Sea coast, but is infrequent elsewhere. The many beaches consist mainly of sand, pebbles, and cobble. Most of the beaches are over 4 miles long and range in width from a few yards to 200 yards. The coasts in many places are backed by marshes and lagoons, and the coast of Bornholm is generally rocky and backed by steep cliffs and rugged terrain. Exits from the beaches would be fair to good.
2. Faeroe Islands
The Faeroe Islands are almost entirely unsuited for large-scale conventional ground operations. Cross-country movement would be difficult because of steep slopes, surface irregularities, and the many areas covered by boulders. The small, isolated lowlands are the only nearly flat areas where conditions would be fair for movement of tracked and wheeled vehicles; however, the limited size of the lowlands restricts their use by vehicles. The sparse network of poor roads would not support military traffic. Dispersal from these roads would be difficult or precluded in most places. Construction of new roads would be difficult because of the rugged terrain. Steep slopes generally would limit alignments to the narrow valley bottoms, but even here numerous culverts would have to be built across small streams and gullies. Extensive grading and the blasting of bedrock would also be required. Concealment from ground observation and cover from flat-trajectory fire would be afforded by the rugged hill and mountain slopes and deep valleys. Some concealment and some cover, mainly from small arms fire, also would be provided by houses, stone fences, and drainage ditches in the lowlands. Most of the area is suited for construction of tunnel-type installations, but access to most sites in the highlands would be difficult. Sites suitable for bunker-type installations are limited to low coastal areas and valleys, and excavation by hand tools would be difficult in the shallow, stony soils. In the highlands, shallow soils preclude the construction of bunkers.
Conditions are unfavorable for airborne and airmobile operations. The irregular surfaces, steep slopes, numerous boulders, high winds, summer fogs, and restricted approaches would make parachute operations hazardous. The only suitable site for landing assault-type aircraft is at the single existing airfield in the region, on Vagar. Scattered areas are suitable for helicopter landings, but strong wings would make operations hazardous at most times. Sites for construction of airfields larger than heliports are few, and all are of poor suitability; approaches are restricted, much blasting would be required, and access to upland sites would be difficult or precluded.
The region is unsuited for irregular force operations. Conditions for concealment from air observation are poor to nonexistent, and food, shelter materials, and firewood are scarce. In addition, the fragmentation and small size of the islands hinder operations. Grass and moss vegetation, mostly less than a foot in height, cover almost all of the islands and provide no concealment from either air or ground observation. The rugged highlands which compose all of the islands provide some concealment from ground observation,
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110018-4
