740.0011 European War 1939/10655: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State

907. I have learned from a reliable source that Stalin recently made the statement to a Soviet official that he did not expect an attack by or war with Germany this year and that he anticipated “satisfactory” negotiations with Germany.65

Steinhardt
  1. The Chargé in Germany reported in telegram No. 1762, May 6, 1941, rumors of important negotiations between Germany and the Soviet Union, and the departure of the Soviet Ambassador, Vladimir Georgevich Dekanozov, for Moscow (740.0011 European War 1939/10680). The German Ambassador, Count von der Schulenburg, however, told Ambassador Steinhardt that the conversations did not as yet deal with “important” matters, and he did not expect a German attack this year (740.0011 European War 1939/10719).