Page:NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 18; CZECHOSLOVAKIA; MILITARY GEOGRAPHY CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110011-1.pdf/11

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

'''FIGURE 4. In the forested uplands of the Western Hills and Plains, conditions favor irregular forces operations; forests and terrain produce good cover and concealment (U/OU)'''

'''FIGURE 5. The cultivated plains north of Prague are suited for airborne, airmobile, and conventional ground operations. (C)'''

Upper slopes of most hills are covered by needleleaf evergreen forests mixed, in places, with broadleaf deciduous species. Lower slopes, basins, and plains areas are predominantly cultivated. Although there is a fairly complete road network, particularly around Prague, many roads are poor in quality and would require extensive maintenance to sustain heavy military traffic. Construction of new roads would be difficult except in the plains and basin areas. Conditions for vehicular cross-country movement and offroad dispersal are mostly fair on the plains and lower hill slopes, but from mid-November through April conditions may be unsuited because of miry soils or snow cover. The upper slopes of hills and low mountains in the south are too rugged or heavily forested for vehicles to negotiate. Abundant to little cover from flat-trajectory fire and concealment from ground and air observation is available. Concealment from ground observation and cover would be provided by stream banks, ditches, railroad or road embankments, and other surface irregularities. Buildings in urban and rural communities afford cover from small arms fire and concealment from ground and air observation. Concealment from air observation would also be provided by the forested upper slopes. Sites for construction of bunker-type installations are fairly numerous on the plains. A few sites for tunnel-type installations are in the southwest and along deep, steep-sided valleys in the north-central and eastern sections.

The Western Hills and Plains are generally favorable for airmobile and airborne operations. Many sites are suitable for airdrops and helicopter landings, and assault-type fixed-wing aircraft could

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