Evening star., 1947-12-18

munist government. Longo, Krem
lin-schooled and a leader Of loyal
1st brigades in the Spanish cIvi
war, is mentioned as a probabl,
leader OF a Communist coup d'etat
Ruggero Grieco, little-knowr
Communist deputy, also Russian.
trained and leader of Communists
troops IN Spain, Is another nomi.
nee.
General to Command.
! But the document states thai
whoever the local chief may be, he
Will be only figurehead. The &C.
tual field command will be assumed
by foreign general, who will be
f1oWn to Italy for that purpose.
lhe plan itself depends on the
surprise action of the underground
Communist army. The battle
ground is Northern Italy, which
from the Pc Valley to the Adriatic
facing Yugoslavia and to the Medi-
terranean port of Genoa-is over
Whelmingly Communist.
At the time armed Communists
attack. the local population would be
melted to loot and occupy homes
and factories, to create the impress
sion OF a popular revolt. The Or
ganlzatlon of Spontaneous" DEM
onstrations by the populace is men
toned frequently in the report.
The entire plan calls for split
second timing and coordination
with Yugoslav forces who, it is said
would stage an invasion of Italy at
the same time, possibly disguised
as Italian guerrillas.
The strategy is simplicity itself;
Cut Northern Italy away from the
conservative central and southern
provinces. This would provide a
bridgehead for Slav troops to join
with French Communists, who would
be striking simultaneously in their
own country.
Would Stop Allied Aid.
1t would also stop Allied help from
flowing through the Alpine passes
from Germany and Austria-should
the Italian government ask for aid
According to the repcrt, the re-
volt would start with the concerted
action Of $4,000 trained terrorists
called "Gappistas" (from Gruppi
Azione Patriottica). They would
be detailed to assassinate non-Com-
munist city and government leaders
The terror would spread, the re-
port says, like an oil spot" to the
seaside provinces of Venice and
Genoa, embracing the whole of
Northern Italy and linking Yugo-
slavia to France.
At the same time, Communists
would occupy telephone and tele-
graph offices and railway centers,
effectively cutting Northern Italy
from the south. This would be par
ticularly easy, since both highway
and rail networks leading north
from Rome, the nations heart, pass
through Communist controlled
towns.
10000 Reported Trained.
To stage this revolution, Italian
Communists have 10000 trained,
armed men in their underground
army, according to the report.
These troops were trained by spe-
cially detailed Slav officers. They
carry former German weapons and
others said to have been smuggled
In from Yugoslavia.
The report specifies that all
underground army members already
have been issued their individual
weapons, some ammunition, and
hand grenades. Heavier weapons,
including light artillery, are stored
together with reserve ammunition
in warehouses ostensibly used for
other purposes.
This underground force Is not
worried about supplies, even for a
fairly long campaign, the report
claims. Food and fuel are daily be-
Ing subtracted from stockpiles meant
for the civilian population of the
Communist-controlled northern rer-
ions. These are stored away for dis
tribution on revolution day. Food
distribution agencies In Northern
Italy are either in the hands of
Communist Party members or else
nist-infiltrated.
Throughout the document, the
warning is repeated that the plan
depends on surprise for its success.
Surprise to overcome unsuspecting
army and police garrisons, to get a