760d.61/503: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Thurston) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 29—12:45 p.m.]
963. My 961, November 29, 3 p.m. Investigation by Captain Yeaton seemly [seemingly] confirms the despatch of Soviet forces heretofore in the Polish area to the Leningrad area and the movement from the Leningrad area toward the Finnish border of a considerable quantity of artillery. In his opinion therefore the Soviet Army is now in a position to carry out any military move against Finland that may be decided upon.
The Finnish Legation was advised shortly before by the Foreign Office at Helsinki that instructions regarding the Finnish reply to the last Soviet note were about to be despatched. They have not yet been received by the Legation.
Today’s press continues on an increased scale to devote attention to the Finnish problem and publishes a great many more resolutions by Soviet bodies throughout the country in which emphasis is laid on the exhaustion of patience, the “anger and indignation of the Soviet people which has been aroused by the insolent and lying note of the Finnish Government”, and the readiness of the various armed forces of the State to play their parts.