יומנים > יומן - מלא 14/09/1948

[Tuesday,] September 14, 1948

At 10 a.m. I left for Na'an for a conference of Palmach commanders. About sixty men attended - battalion commanders and Palmach staff personnel. I explained my position regarding the structure of the army and the Palmach, and I asked for an explanation [as to whether] the Palmach differs from other units in professional, political, ideological, and organizational terms, and if it has a single affiliation and to whom and to what.

       Many participated in the debate: [Shalom] Chavlin, [Issachar] Shadmi, Yigal [Allon], [Yosef] Tabenkin, Eliezer Shoshani, and others. I responded to the debate, and at 8 p.m. I returned to Tel Aviv.

       - At 9 p.m. [Shmuel] Mikunis came to see me. He's complaining about Mapam - although negotiations on a common front with them are underway. Mapam is demanding that he arrange privileges for them regarding ''aliya in Eastern countries, and he refuses - because equality has to be maintained with all the other parties. Mapam is also complaining: Why is Mapai is given a newspaper in Romania and Mapam isn't[?] Mikunis's explanation is that there's no paper in Romania, [and] a party that already has a newspaper is given paper. New licenses for newspapers aren't being issued.

       Mapam claims that they're communists and want to be the Communist Party. Mikunis claims: If you're communists, why don't you unite with us?

       ''Aliya in Romania: It was agreed that over the course of 5 months, 3,600 households would make ''aliya each month with all their dependents (wife, children, parents). 6 transit camps were set up, where training will be provided and the immigrants will learn a vocation. The camps are financed by the government of Romania. The Israeli army can send instructors.

       Bulgaria was leaning towards terminating Aliyat HaNo'ar [immigrant youth programs], because parents were being left without any income and becoming a burden on the government. Mikunis's associates blocked that decision, arguing that during wartime, immigration by young people mustn't be delayed, and the economic problem should be discussed with the government of Israel.

       I asked whether there are differences of opinion between them [the Eretz-Israeli communists] and the Jewish communists in Bulgaria. There's a misunderstanding, replied Mikunis. We're not calling for a complete kibbutz galuyot [ingathering of exiles], but for youth for the sake of the war, enlarging the Yishuv, building up the Negev. In Bulgaria they're surprised that [we're] not taking Jews from the camps [in Cyprus]. It's not true that [they] want to abolish Zionism in Bulgaria or Romania. [They] want the consistory [the government-appointed Jewish community leadership, which was subject to communist influence] to handle ''aliya, but not in order to abolish Zionism. In Czechoslovakia there are Mapai, Mapam, ETZEL, LEHI, and Mizrachi delegates running around. They want to speak with a representative body from Israel and not with the parties. They don't want fascists or members of Beitar to sneak in among the immigrants. They want only democrats making ''aliya. I asked whether democrats doesn't mean - communists? The answer: any democratic Jew, except for a Beitar member, can make ''aliya. The "democratic" committee in Romania is composed of Mapam, Mapai, communists. Mikunis is demanding that they also include General Zionists and Mizrachi.

       They replied that Mizrachi and G.Z. [General Zionists] received money for ''aliya, and didn't arrange ''aliya or return the money, that is, Mizrachi and G.Z. [members] won't be able to make ''aliya. Only the 3 parties will arrange ''aliya. I asked how the two parties (G.Z. and Mizrachi) are to blame if the representatives traded in ''aliya. The guilty should be punished, but not the party [members]. He replied that they traded in the name of the parties, and it's an internal law that internally the coalition should comprise only three parties.

       Gozansky [of the Communist Party in Israel] returned, and they want to send someone else there - the authorities here are causing problems. I promised to arrange for things to go more easily.

       Mikunis also gave me a list of weapons that can be bought in Poland.

       - We received a report from production and science:

       Science: From October 16, 1947, through the end of August we received P£ 119,305 of which the broadcasting station costs 13,500, the January February budget is 14,500, March 15,000, April 12,000, May 9000, in June 10,000, in July 14,000.

       Science delivered to production: 1) 6" mortar (caliber 15.6 cm, weight 450 kg, range 3500-4000 meters, blast charge [?] 650 grams). Shell [?] for it: - weight 20 kg, explosive material 4.5 kg. 3) smoke shell and chemical shell and 3" mortar: caliber 80.6 mm, weight 3600 grams, weight of material 600 grams. 4) M2 anti-tank cannon - caliber 54 mm, armor-piercing shell up to a thickness of 60 mm, weight of shell 1.200 kg, effective range 500-600 meters, blast charge [?] 25 grams (can be increased up to 45 grams). 5) M3 anti-tank C.: caliber 78 mm, armor-piercing shell up to a thickness of 80 mm, weight of shell 3000 [3.000?] kilogram, range of operation up to 8-900 meters (in a territory of 45 degrees), range of operation up to 3000 meters, blast charge [?] 120 grams. 6) PIAT shell - weight 1200 grams, explosive material 320 grams, blast charge [?] 2.5 grams, maximum range 340 meters, on flat territory 120 meters, pierces armor at a thickness of 80 mm, pierces concrete 400 mm, the shell has a ring of C.A.P. [?].

7) Small PIAT shell - weight 600 grams, E.M. [explosive material] 120 grams, maximum range 400 meters (on elevated surface), cone of penetration: up to 60 mm, armor, ring of C.A.P. [?].

8) Long-range flamethrower - 100-200 meter range, amount of fuel 5-6 liters per second, blast [?] pressure up to 25 atmospheres.

9) Small flamethrower - weight 3200 grams, range 45-50 meters.

10) Molotov cocktail - accelerants, automatic, mechanical, and chemical ignition.

11) Anti-vehicle mine - weight of E.M. 3500 kg.

12) Aerial grenade A/8 anti-personnel, weight 8 kg, E.M. 1 kg.

13) Aerial bomb A/20, weight 20 kg, E.M. 5.5 kg.

14) Aerial bomb A/50/80, weight 50 kg, E.M. 40 kg.

15)   "          "    A/100/80, weight 100 kg, E.M. 80 kg.

16) Aerial bomb A/50-15, anti-personnel, against unarmored vehicle, weight 50 kg, E.M. 8 kg.

17) Aerial bomb AI/30 - body A/50-80, filled with solid fuel.

18) Training bomb, 50 kg, 2"-19, A/A aerial bombs for gases.

       Aside from this they made [?] AF ([?] front) AR ([?] rear) 1. AD 2. FGAO [?], set up the Voice of Israel station; a device for remote guidance - a device for activating mines - naval boat-vehicles [?], infra-red lamps (vision goggles, at night for tanks, jeeps, sharp signals [?], marking airfields for parking, identifying airplanes, coastal radar up to a range of 30 km for coastal defense and identification of ships.[)]

       Anti-tank mine with a range of 500 meters (domestic production), electronic mine for airplane sabotage (domestic production), electronic mine for ship sabotage (under development); [?] for sabotage (a small tank with a weight of 500 kg and a weight of 200 kg E.M. against fortifications and tanks) battery operated and guided by cable up to a distance of 600 meters.

       Naval mines, devices, and explosive weapons: anti-personnel weapons weighing 3.5 kg, the grenade 1.5 kg E.M. 180 grams, landmine 102, electrical mine [with a] flat and round explosion cone, adhesive penetrating mine M. Hd [?].

       Being tested:

1) Rockets 2) M-5 mortar of 100 mm circumference, range 8 km, shell 9 kg 3) For production of M4 - mortar of 100 mm circumference, range 8 km, shell 9 kg, mini anti-tank weapon ([?], 800 meter range, and others[)].

       The chemical division - for E.M., blast materials, gases, incendiary materials, and synthetic fuel.

       The manufacturing operation has an improved method of producing fenta, the raw material for TEN [and] also blast material composed of potassium perchlorate and polystyrene for various rockets.

       Biological laboratories for R.B.F. [?]. Currently under production C.A.P.[,] C.A.P. rings [?] for various shells, rifle bullets with C.A.P. [?].

       The study on BBC was completed.

       "Gad" Kozlowski [Pinchas Sapir] informed [Levi] Eshkol on September 6, 1948, that yesterday (September 5, 1948) Allon [Yehuda Arazi] had sent 38 C. of 75 mm with 50,000 shells for them, and 150,000 shells of 20 mm. Allon is loading a second ship with 27 C. of 20 mm with 170,000 shells and another 20 tons of aerial bombs, 50 tons of TNT, and some more small things. This vessel will set sail on the 10th of this month (i.e., 5 days ago). Naval cannons will be ready at the end of the month (where?). The contract for 50 "Spits" [Spitfire planes] was finalized and signed.

       - We bought (?) 6 Halifax [bomber]s from [Emanuel] Tzur at a grand total of 15,000 lira, on the condition that he arm them with 20 mm British ammunition. The value of the ammunition exceeds the cost of the planes.

       - M2 was delivered for production to Vilenchuk. 300 were ordered. Of these 20 should be ready by September 12, 1948.

       - The housing service (camps and housing of the army), from the time of its founding up to September 14, 1948, has expended a total of P£ 480,000, including the upkeep of recruits (?) military transport and materials received from [departments?].

       - The supplies service, from April 1, 1948, to August 15, 1948, has expended - P£ 1,937,201 (1,907,676 complete food rations at a total of P£ 717,447; 64,110 combat rations at a total of 12,870; 65,653 food rations for prisoners at a total of P£ 9,237. Supply of provisions for soldiers and mess halls, aside from fresh goods P£ 1,197,747.

       Vehicles:

139 passenger vehicles at a total of P£ 76,042; 1214 trucks at a total of P£ 468,618; 464 pickups, total 45,464; 244 motorcycles at a total of 38,745 - in sum 2059 vehicles at a total of P£ 628,869.

       And purchased separately there were 800 vehicles (200 of them free) at a total of 35,000; 96 half-tracks at a total of P£ 25,000, 11 tanks 50 [Brickways?] M at a total of 45,000, 25 Internationals at a total of 6000, 27 Federals [?].

       In addition the following were ordered and paid for abroad: 165 jeeps, 18 half-tracks, 40 ambulances, 3 trucks, 140 [trailers?], 40 miscellaneous, total 406, in sum 3474 vehicles (also various units purchased vehicles without the Staff's knowledge).

 

       - Fuel consumption from October 1, 1947, to September 1, 1948

Gasoline

2,987,299 gallons

P£ 358,082

Kerosene

150,434        "     

"       9,778

Diesel

2,456,044     tons

"    41,752

Oils

263,601        "  

"    31,632

 

In stock:

Gasoline

3,275,448 gallons

P£ 393,053

Kerosene

71,569         "   

"       5,171

Diesel

968,717     tons

"    16,468

Oils

224,526        "  

"   28,065

 

Gasoline up to 15th of May 210 mil per gallon

Kerosene       "            "          120    "            "

Diesel              "            "            69    "            "

Oils                  "            "          120    "            "

 

       - Up to September 1, 1948, Vilenchuk's production received: P£ 1,058,000, of this for chemical factories P£ 382,400, for production 675,600; invested in materials production 6300 in a warehouse for production 29,800 [sic], expended for production 639,500; investments in chemical factories 194,600 materials for chemical factories 50,000, expended for production in chemical factories 137,800; total investments P£ 200,900, materials 79,800, for production P£ 777,300.

       Chemical manufacturing products: A) explosive: cheddite 155.4 tons; TEN 13.8; amatol 41.9 tons; fulminating mercury 105 kg; lead azide 120 kg.

       Source materials: calcium chlorate 136.7 tons; perchlorate 0.6 tons; nitric acid 10 tons, hexachlorophene [?] 6 tons.

       Explosive products: caps for 9 mm bullets 5.5 million, for PIAT shells 100 thousand, for Mills grenades 200 thousand; detonators for mines 51,000, for shells mortars and PIAT 300 thousand. Accelerants for mines 100 thousand, for mortar shells 100 thousand.

       Mines: Anti-personnel 70,728, landmine 78,698, vehicular 23,794, devices [switches?] for mines 151,262. Shells: For PIAT 21,614, rounds for the above 8,358, for 6" mortars 2,381.

       Aerial bombs: 8 kg 3,141; 20 kg 2,611; 50 kg 1,058; 100 kg 1,197, devices [switches?] for bombs 60,153.

       Various products: Molotov cocktails 94,374, dovecote (?) 2019, suitcase (?) 454, smoke grenade [?] 29,447.

       Products that are not being transferred to completion in the chemical factories: 6" mortars - 39, PIAT launchers 943, flamethrowers 585, pull mechanisms 14,652, release [mechanisms] 6,623.

       - Dr. Shamgar (Schweiger) from chemical factories - 11 factories. Investment in institutes P£ 189,404, materials warehouse 50,000; for production 133,669, for research (laboratory) 9,371, total P£ 382,444.

       - The instruments received from abroad up to September 10, 1948 (excluding explosive materials, and excluding the instruments on the ship Dromit, also excluding airplanes and their equipment)

1. Machine-gun 37     665; 2) ZB.34 machine guns 5021; 3) Czech rifles 24,500; 4) Rifles via theft [?] 7500; 5) German rifles 5000; 6) German rifles provided 2000; 7) German bullets 65 million, 8) Hotchkiss 13.2 double-barreled machine [gun]s 15 mm, 9) Hotchkiss bullets 600,000, 10) Chauchat machine guns 7.5 mm - 200, 11) 7.5 mm French bullets 3.3 million 12) 8 mm French bullets 1.5 million, 13) 6.5 mm Italian bullets 12 million; 14) 9 mm. [Pr.?] bullets 4.75 million; various bullets 10,000; [15)] 65 mm cannons 50, 16) shells for these 50,000; 17) 75 mm C. -10, 18) shells for these 10,000; 20) 120 mm mortars - 12; 21) shells for these 12,000, 22) 20 mm Hispano-Suiza C. - 35; 23) shells for these 150,000, 24) bayonets 10,000 25) 20 mm Isotta Fraschini C. 1, 26) shells for it 1100; 27) light Hotchkiss tanks 10, 28) for these 10 C. 37 mm with 10,000 shells.

       These weapons cost about $ 15 million (excluding delivery/apparatus, etc.).

       - From Slavin value of production [?] from October 1, 1947, to August 31, 1948

1-2 Sten (Series 3-4) 15,992, P£ 174,886; magazines for these 94,373 P£ 43,565; loaders 21,011 P£ 5899; Mills 156,617 P£ 46,243, Mills fuses 156,365 P£ 12,609, 3" mortars - 209 21,290, shells for these 80,220, P£ 183,105, 9 mm bullets 3,197,500 P£ 66,370, German stocks [?] 241,700 P£ 2417, 3" directional devices 190, P£ 4560, replacement wings for shells 21,135, P£ 4227, ballistic rounds 2" shells 9588, P£ 671, transfers and covers [?] for 75 mm shells 2998, P£ 899. Spare parts for Sten, P£ 2210, 3" fuses [?] 3650, P£ 1460, casings for flamethrowers 72,325, P£ 723, .303 bullets 354,000, P£ 1593, PIAT tubes 1267, P£ 316, cones for Spandau 2079, P£ 519, miscellaneous P£ 3277 - total P£ 576,747.