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DEPARTMENT OF STAT~ NECH TASK FORCE 
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1. ~~~~io1l.J-_ti__Pr.:ig.!:!.~: Embassy PrflguE'. and~'? report that large crowds of Czt.~·choslovaks arc~ gathe1·ing in Vaclavske Namc~sti., PragL1e's main squ~re, protesling the Soviet invasion. Shots have be.-<;.n i·eported but. it is not: clear whether there has been sny firing on the crc~ds. Soviet tanks have closed of~ all bridges across the! Vltava river. 
2. 
_9ZC;'_<.:.b.Q:~)_Qy(1}:,_.Q_C?YCJ.:~J~£.~~.~:; Embassy l'rague i:cpor t G that ti n~cl i" bro<idc-.<i st cled.ms that a Governmcnl: rneeti.ng at 0800 toC!O)' c\Hd.r~d by Macbacova passed R resolution dcmD.ncli.ng, tntei~~.!.J~~ t:hc immcdiat(\ withdrawal of Wnrsnw Pact: f:orc.e.s, the t'(' l<'fl se of an:e s tcd gove i.·nmen t rncmbc rs, And the. refea se of c.:omnunical:ions medi~ by the occupyi.11g force.s. Rad:i.o Brno has brood cast what lt describes as Rn unauthe-.ntic8te<l l."eport thaL the Soviets h<lvc issued an u1t ima tum to the c~cichos lovAk party ·to form a new party lcedcrship and a new Gove1~nmcnt. _The Sovi~.ts 8re sai.d to recommend the f:ollowing: Bilak, In<lr8, G~neral Rytir, Pavolovsky. E\nd Lenart. Embassy PrAgue states that a cz.ech0slovak ~01Jrc.e repol."ts that s new government was under forinalion this n)orning. The. EtnbDs~y notes that a puppet regime. will have a difficult time asserting its authority. A l~te Reuters report states that ~ clandc9tine Pragu~ radio station reported todAy that the Soviet authorities succeeded in forming a nf:w a11thcri ty· composed of Czec.hoslovaks to rule. the country. 

3. 
Gener<:!.l Strike Called: 11Radio Czechoslov.;ikillri has issued e. call for a general· strike t~ begin at noon. Reuters reports that at noon sirens and car horns sounded to call for the opening of the strike. I 


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4. ~~..Q.~ho_a.lcwakkrY-q,.o.Jll'S.~§..!:1ectine...: . A clandestine radio station I I 
.has announced that 92 7 d~legates r.1c t at fin unspe.ci. f ied loce.t iori. to hold the ! ·:·:.~.~~ ......"':"p~t't}~ c'on"S"'lc·ss'"•\.:'l'r! t-.h <t1b'd li1fct·e£·1~i·s't:11t~a·u1'~CJ.·:.1·f6t"-·s-ep·t:·eb1b"lt'c:·1'.,~'"''.1·.~..tt .-'.#!"-. ·" 1~-:r.;. ·" ~ ·-· 
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5. Czechoslovak Milita.rv Cells for Sovi e. t W:Lt'hdrawnl: The staff of the CeechOS°lovak c~ntral Military DtslricthaS-~-oirnced its support for Presi­dent Svoboda and has condemned ·tl\e detention by the Soviets of Czechoslovak leader~. The -General Staff of the Army has condemned Soviet lntervention and calls for the withdrawal of e1ll forcd.gn troops and the i·e.lease of de· tained Czechoslovak leaders. The Soviets are reported this morning to hev~ virtually completed tl1eit takeovex of the Hca~quartcrs of the Czechoslovak 
General Staff. 
DECLASSIFIED 
E.O. 12356. Sec. 3.4 
NL) '/tJ -16 ~ 8v·"'kfl Dare 10 -~-9o
NARA. 
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6. 
· ~D.G~~!.l!.!..Ll.L~i.lL?i.AJJ_~: A('.cording to a Vi~nna UPI report, Romanian P~rty-Govcrnm~nl: Chief CC'flusescu announced "a state of fl\ll mobilization" on AugllSt 22. CenuscGcu reiterated his concl~mnation of the intervention in C~echoslovakia. 

7. 
Eva cua tion oj_A1~~..!~Jc~:. A 25-car convey lcft the Prague area for West Germany shortly a[ter 1100 hours local tinic. Arrangements for additional evacuations D~c being made, 


8. U.S. Actions: We have instructed our missions to deliver copies of Presidc.nt-..Toht1son 's s ta Lemen t to Foreign Minf s lries and to empha s i zc that the tT.S. "takes B most serious view of the situ<1t:lon. 11 The Secretary gave 
a. backn1~ound press briefJng on August 21. Prcsiclt>ntial c8ndid.!1te:s were briefed during tl1c day, and the Secretary may inform the 50 Governors of <:levalopn1<-'nts an~ of L:hc. act.ivi.ties <;>f: Embassy Prcigue in aMd.stlng :l.n th<.> eva<.'ua ti.on of Am~ri.cllns. Amba r.sC1dor. BC'h len h~s bd.c fed NATO> EA Ctncl somC! neutral kn~assadors. Wa arc taking an active role in the Securi.ty Council deb~t&.. Th~ Dcpart:mcnL has coordinated' with DOD ?:egarcling vlgUence pro­cedures to be observed by U.S. ~nned Forces in Europe . 
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