Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, General, The Soviet Union, Volume I

740.0011 European War 1939/13760: Telegram

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

Moscow, August 7, 1941—4 p.m.
[Received 4:10 p.m.]

1452. Both Pravda and Izvestiya today publish friendly editorials on Soviet-American relations.⁹⁵ After reviewing the role which the United States has played in the struggle against Hitler, Pravda states that the visit of Mr. Hopkins,⁹⁶ the renewal of the trade agreement,⁹⁷ and the exchange of notes on August 2⁹⁸ are indications of the existence of Soviet-American cooperation in the struggle against Hitler. This cooperation is based upon the national self-interest of both countries in the face of the Hitlerite threat. The editorial expresses the satisfaction of the Soviet Government and people with the decision of the United States to extend economic assistance to the Soviet Union. It concludes by stating “The creation of a powerful anti-Hitler coalition on the basis of Anglo-Soviet agreement,⁹⁹ and Soviet-American cooperation are convincing proof that an invincible and powerful force has arisen which will annihilate Hitler forever.”

Izvestiya’s editorial is based upon the renewal of trade agreement which, it states, is of particular political importance this year because of the complicated international situation. After pointing out that both countries have the aim of destroying German Nazism, Izvestiya states that the United States with its powerful industry is in a position to assist the Soviet Union [by?] deliveries of the necessary technical equipment. On the other hand, the Soviet Union with its enormous resources of various raw materials is in a position to assist the development of the most important branches of American industry. On the basis of the renewal of the trade agreement, the editorial predicts an extension of Soviet-American trade and closer cooperation between the peoples of the two countries, and pays tribute to the role played by the United States in the economic development of the Soviet Union. It emphasizes that assistance to the Soviet Union is in the interest of the United States and states that there is every reason to hope that economic assistance will be given on a scale commensurate with that of the military operations being conducted by the Soviet Union.

Steinhardt

95. A favorable article by the former Ambassador of the Soviet Union in Washington, Alexander Antonovich Troyanovsky, appeared in a Moscow newspaper on August 10, 1941.
96. Harry L. Hopkins, Special Assistant to President Roosevelt; for correspondence on his trip to Moscow, July 30–August 1, 1941, see pp. 797–815, passim.
97. For correspondence regarding the renewal of the commercial agreement on August 2, 1941, see pp. 914 ff.
98. These notes are printed on pp. 815–817.
99. Agreement on Joint Action and Mutual Assistance signed at Moscow on July 12, 1941; for text, see League of Nations Treaty Series, vol. cciv, p. 277, or Department of State Bulletin, September 27, 1941, p. 240. See also ante, pp. 180–183.