Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, Europe, Volume III

861.24/1171: Telegram

The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Henderson) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, November 20, 1942—7 p.m.
[Received November 20—6:15 p.m.]

478. For Hopkins from Faymonville.

1. Mikoyan has reconsidered his position and now states that he agrees to the unloading of 11 ships in United Kingdom. He still desires information on three questions transmitted in paragraph 2 of my 473, November 18, noon.⁶⁷

2. Commissar strongly recommends that season from December 15 to February 15 be utilized to maximum for shipping through Barents Sea since combination of Arctic night and ice conditions assure almost complete protection from enemy air and submarine attack. He believes that during this season ships should be sent both singly and in convoy. He believes that if reloading operations are undertaken they should be hastened so that a large number of ships can leave Iceland by December 15. [Faymonville.]

Henderson

67. Not printed. The three questions concerned: (1) The names of the ships bearing Soviet cargoes for north Russian ports which it was proposed to unload in the United Kingdom; (2) what items were being held in the United Kingdom for later shipment to Soviet ports which might be used to replace low priority freight if the ships were unloaded; and (3) exactly what items in the Soviet cargoes had deteriorated. (861.24/1635)