Office of the Historian

711.6112 (Aggressor)/1: Telegram

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

Moscow, March 13, 1934—1 p.m.
[Received March 13—10:45 a.m.]

7. Litvinov has been in bed with grippe since our arrival. Have therefore been unable to begin serious discussions.

Divilkovsky85 again proposed to me last night bilateral nonaggression pact between Soviet Union and the United States and added that the Soviet Government was now negotiating nonaggression pact with the Chinese Government of Chiang Kai-shek. I referred Divilkovsky to the conversation of the President and Litvinov on this subject and added that I had no instructions which would lead me to believe that our position had changed. I should be obliged for any guidance you may care to give me in regard to this matter.

Several Soviet officials including Divilkovsky have manifested keen curiosity in regard to Child’s mission.86 What explanation should I make if any?

Bullitt
  1. Secretary General of the Soviet Foreign Office and member of Soviet mission to Washington in November 1933.↩
  2. Richard Washburn Child was sent to Europe to survey economic conditions.↩