740.0011 European War 1939/11063: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 18—2:15 p.m.]
995. The Yugoslav Minister told me yesterday that between the date of the signing of the Soviet-Yugoslav pact79 and the defeat of the Yugoslav armies the Soviet authorities had promised him armament, munitions, and planes, and that although there had been sufficient time at least to have discussed the quantities and means of shipment no steps had been taken by the Soviet authorities to implement their assurances. He expressed the opinion that the Soviet Government at the time the assurances were given him contemplated watching developments before commencing deliveries and that had Yugoslavia been able to offer effective resistance deliveries probably would have been made.
The Minister also expressed the opinion that the Soviet withdrawal of recognition of the Yugoslav Legation in Moscow had been demanded [Page 312] in Berlin of the Soviet Ambassador prior to his return to Moscow. He believes that the similar action taken in the case of the Norwegian and Belgian Legations was spontaneous on the part of the Soviet Government in order that Yugoslavia might not be singled out. He confirmed the information reported in my 943, May 10, 2 p.m.,80 that no note has been received by him and that the only notification he had received was presented to him personally and orally by Vyshinski.