2025/06/04 by Christoph Huber · 2 voices
Social Sciences · #European history and politics #Historical Geopolitical and Social Dynamics #Communism, Protests, Social Movements
paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/08850607.2025.2498274
openalex publication_date 2025/06/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/14
Between 1945 and 1955, Austria was divided into four occupation zones. In its zone of occupation, the USSR set up a planned economic enclave with its Soviet enterprises. The Soviets declared the trade of these companies to be military shipments. The U.S. authorities and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) saw a high risk of reexport of strategic goods financed by the Marshall Plan through the Soviet zone of occupation in Austria to socialist Central and Eastern Europe. So, the European Cooperation Administration, which provided a cover for CIA agents, carried out end-use checks on goods financed by the Marshall Plan. The Counter Intelligence Corps was also involved in gathering information about these goods. The Americans stopped some transit shipments. In May 1948, the Americans began good controls in Austria. They were institutionalized in autumn. After the State Treaty of 1955, Austria’s eastern trade remained of interest to the U.S. administration.