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 APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200070024-2

roads or cross country. Climatic conditions for airborne operations are most favorable in summer, when there is a minimum of cloud cover and fog. There are many airfields, mainly in the northwest and south, and numerous sites are suitable for the construction of new airfields. Runway alignments would seldom be restricted, and little grading and clearing would be required.

The coast is mostly unsuitable for large-scale amphibious landings because of partly obstructed approaches, stretches of bluffs at the coastline, and numerous obstructions to movement inland from the coast. Of the stretches of coast that are suitable for large-scale landings, all but a few are along the western part of the coast and the best of these is in the vicinity of Kolobrzeg (Figures 6 and 25). Along the eastern part of the coast the best stretch is between Gdansk and Gdynia (Figure 7).

Irregular warfare operations would be severely restricted by the open, nearly level terrain and moderately dense population. Movement would be easy except following rains and the spring thaw then the ground is soft and muddy. In small, scattered areas of forests, swamps, bogs, and marshes, movement is restricted year round. The value of forested areas for purposes of concealment is diminished by the presence of relatively open surrounding terrain, moderately dense population, and easy accessibility by numerous roads. The population is concentrated mainly in industrial and commercial centers in the western part of the region. There is at least one large city in almost every province, and numerous small villages dot the countryside (Figure 8). Food and water would be available mostly in the central and southern sections of the region, but many water supplies are contaminated and would require treatment. Shelter and natural fuel would be most plentiful in the forests. Large supplies of food, clothing, medical supplies, small arms, and ammunition would be available only at scattered storage depots, mainly in the large cities. Supply by air would be relatively easy in the nearly flat to rolling terrain.

'''FIGURE 7. This beach at Sopot, midway between the cities of Gdansk and Gdynia, is well suited for large-scale amphibious landings from the Baltic Sea. The beach is 5¾ miles long and has a maximum width of 135 yards. Exits from the beach are good to all parts of the Gdansk-Gdynia strategic area. (C)''' (picture)

2. Sudeten Mountains and Hills

This sparsely populated region is mostly unsuited for military ground operations. It consists of generally parallel mountain ranges oriented in a northwest-

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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200070024-2