Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume V, Soviet Union

116. Memorandum of Conversation⁰

Washington, September 9, 1961, 7:15 p.m.

SUBJECT

• Soviet Protest Against “Bandit Raid” on Soviet Embassy, Resulting in Setting Fire in Ambassadorʼs Quarters

PARTICIPANTS

• Mr. M.N. Smirnovsky, Charge dʼAffaires, Soviet Embassy
• Mr. Igor D. Bubnov, Third Secretary, Soviet Embassy
• The Secretary
• Mr. Foy Kohler, EUR
• R.H. Davis, EUR

At 7:15 p.m., the Secretary received the Soviet Charge, who had demanded to see the Secretary personally on “urgent business” late this afternoon. Mr. Smirnovsky, reading from pencilled notes, said he had come to protest the “bandit raid” this afternoon on the Soviet Embassy and an attempt to set fire to the Embassy. He called this criminal persecution which could have the gravest consequences. He demanded that the criminals be apprehended and punished severely. He also demanded that all necessary security measures be taken to protect the Embassy. He concluded that he was reporting this affair to Moscow.

The Secretary questioned Mr. Smirnovsky at some length and learned the following rather confusing details. According to Mr. Smirnovsky, they had discovered the fire in the Ambassadorʼs quarters on the third floor of the Embassy at 4:45 p.m. No one had been seen to enter the Ambassadorʼs quarters, but entry had been made through a window which was broken and he thought that those responsible might have come over the roof from the adjoining Washington Post building. He remarked he had been told some correspondents were taking pictures. The fire had been set in many places, including against the curtains and the Ambassadorʼs bed. It was not a big fire and they had not informed the police or the fire department, but had extinguished the fire through their own means. He did not know if there had been any attempt to steal anything. At one point, he made reference to finding apples half eaten in the Ambassadorʼs apartment.

In response to the Secretaryʼs question about when Soviet Embassy personnel had last been in the Ambassadorʼs quarters before the fire was discovered, Mr. Smirnovsky merely replied he was not sure, but it could not have been a long time. No one had been seen to enter, but when they found the fire, the room was ablaze.

The Secretary expressed regret that this incident had happened and assured Mr. Smirnovsky that our authorities would do everything to apprehend the criminals and to bring them to justice. He asked if our investigative authorities could inspect the scene of the fire in order to try, through fingerprints, etc., to discover those responsible. Mr. Smirnovsky agreed that the authorities could investigate at the Embassy provided there was someone present from the State Department.¹

0. Source: Department of State, Secretaryʼs Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 65 D 330. Confidential. Drafted by Davis and approved in S on September 12.
1. On September 13 Tyler sent Rusk a memorandum on the subject of “The Case of the Blazing Bedroom or Arson at the Soviet Embassy” in which he stated that investigation of the fire made clear that it was an inside job for which there was no clear probable motive. (Ibid., 601.6111/9-1361) Two days later Davis informed Smirnovsky of these findings, but he rejected them. (Telegram 788 to Moscow, September 15; ibid., 601.6111/9-1561)