711.61/9–2944: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received (September 30?)—12:10 a.m.]
3721. For the President and Secretary. Supplementing my 3600, September 20, 8 p.m. Several weeks ago the Embassy and the military mission adopted a somewhat firmer and more uncompromising policy toward the Soviets with whom we have relations here, particularly in those matters which were within our controls. Among other things at that time General Deane with my approval wrote a firm but friendly letter to General Antonov,30 Deputy Chief of the Red Army General Staff, to the effect that the Red Army’s constant neglect to give consideration to the United States Army proposals could not help but create a feeling in American Army circles that the Red Army did not wish to cooperate with us and react unfavorably on our previous all-out desire to assist Russia, particularly in allocations of items not immediately needed for the war. Whether it is the result of this policy or a coincidence, there have been recently more quick and favorable decisions by the Red Army than for months previous. For example: (1) Approval within 24 hours for visit to Bulgaria by American party to investigate mistreatment of our prisoners, (2) immediate approval by NKVD General to OSS Mission remaining in Bulgaria, (3) when the Anglo-American technical experts were finally allowed to visit German experimental rocket installations in liberated Poland, they were given the most complete collaboration and attention, (4) for the first time, a partially satisfactory reply was made to our many proposals regarding the improvement of air transport between Washington and Moscow, (5) Stalin’s immediate approval when I asked him for permission to send 500 trucks through Russia to our Air Force in China (the Foreign Office called up the next day to find out what arrangements we wanted), (6) General Deane has been called over several times recently by Red Army staff officers and received satisfactory answers to previously neglected matters.
I do not want to give the impression by any means that all our problems are solved as we still have no decision or even reply on many important subjects. We all feel, however, that some little progress is being made.
[Page 1002]I am reporting this to you as it is our feeling that more satisfactory results of the last few weeks is an indication of what might result from the general adoption of the above policy.
- Army General Alexey Innokentyevich Antonov, First Deputy Chief of the General Staff, 1943–1945, and Chief of the General Staff, 1945–1946.↩