711.5611/2–1150: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
474. Soviet press so far silent re H-bomb and specifically related US discussions (Depcirtel February 3, 5 p. m.1). Occasionally carries brief item supporting Soviet position re “prohibiting” A-bomb, growth “peace movement” or “war hysteria US” which evidently based US agitation H-bomb policy,2 but avoids all reference to prospects US possession such bomb. Thus Izvestiya February 11 in regular section [Page 1102] devoted “peace movement” mentions petition to Truman signed Thomas Mann,3 Frederick Schuman4 et al favoring direct negotiations with USSR save world from “atomic catastrophe”.
Embassy’s Soviet contacts too few and unrepresentative permit estimate extent awareness H-bomb has leaked to Soviet people via VOA or other sources. Assume this gradually happening, but so far not direct evidence. Believe subject unlikely arouse much popular excitement here (Embtel 2516, October 5, 19495).
- Not printed.↩
- For documentation on the foreign policy aspects of the development of atomic energy by the United States, see vol. i, pp. 493 ff.↩
- Thomas Mann, German author and novelist resident in the United States at this time.↩
- Frederick L. Schuman was a professor at Williams College.↩
- Foreign Relations, 1949, vol. v, p. 664.↩