Yu. Andropov and other Soviet officials propose that, due to the "anti-Soviet campaign" concerning the Katyn massacre in the West, Poland and the Soviet Union should coordinate countermeasures.
April 5, 1976
Excerpt from Minutes Nº 3 of the CPSU CC Politburo Meeting of 5 April 1976, 'Measures to Counteract Western Propaganda about the so-called “Katyn Affair”'
[CPSU CC letterhead]
TOP SECRET
Nº P3/75
to the Smolensk Oblast’ Committee of the CPSU;
to Cdes. Brezhnev, Kosygin, Andropov, Gromyko, Kirilenko, Ponomarev, Katushev, and Smirtyukov.
Excerpt from Minutes Nº 3 of the CPSU CC Politburo meeting of 5 April 1976
Measures to counteract Western propaganda about the so-called “Katyn Affair”
1. Give agreement to the Polish friends to consultations with the goal of discussing possible joint measures to counteract Western propaganda about the so-called “Katyn Affair”, charging the CPSU CC Department and the USSR MFA with holding the consultations.
When doing this proceed from the necessity of close coordination of the steps of the USSR and PNR to counteract and neutralize the anti-socialist and anti-Soviet actions and campaigns in the West in connection with the “Katyn Affair”.
Consider statements with any official declarations from our side inadvisable in order not to give hostile forces a pretext to use polemics about this question for anti-Soviet ends.
2. Charge the CPSU CC Department and the USSR MFA with studying the views of the Polish friends expressed during the consultations, and in case of necessity to make corresponding proposals to the CPSU CC.
3. The USSR MFA in close contact with the diplomatic representatives of the PNR is to give a vigorous rebuff to the provocative attempts to use the so-called “Katyn Affair” to cause harm to Soviet-Polish friendship, when so doing guided by the CPSU CC decree of 2 March 1973 (Nº P80/12).
4. The USSR KGB is to let personnel of the government circles of the appropriate Western countries know through unofficial channels that the new use of various anti-Soviet falsifications is viewed by the Soviet government as a specially invented provocation directed at worsening the international situation.
5. Charge the Smolensk Oblast’ Committee of the CPSU and the Oblast’ executive committee with taking additional steps to ensure the memorial to Polish officers and the premises around it are maintained in proper order.
CC SECRETARY
16-mm
mk
The CPSU Central Committee issues five directives to combat the "anti-Soviet" campaign concerning the Katyn massacre.
Associated Places
Associated Topics
Subjects Discussed
Related Documents
Document Information
Source
Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Dmitriĭ Antonovich Volkogonov papers, 1887-1995, mm97083838. Translated by Gary Goldberg.
Original Archive
Rights
The History and Public Policy Program welcomes reuse of Digital Archive materials for research and educational purposes. Some documents may be subject to copyright, which is retained by the rights holders in accordance with US and international copyright laws. When possible, rights holders have been contacted for permission to reproduce their materials.
To enquire about this document's rights status or request permission for commercial use, please contact the History and Public Policy Program at HAPP@wilsoncenter.org.