Moscow Embassy Files: Lot F–96
The American Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Standley) to the President of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Soviet Union (Stalin)
My Dear Mr. Stalin: I have been requested by the President to transmit to you the following message dated June 17:
“The situation, which is developing in the Northern Area of the Pacific Ocean and in the Alaskan Area, presents tangible evidence that the Japanese Government may be taking steps to carry out operations against the Soviet Maritime Provinces.75 Should such an attack materialize the United States is ready to assist the Soviet Union with American air power provided the Soviet Union makes available to it suitable landing fields in the Siberian Area. The efforts of the Soviet Union and of the United States would of course have to be carefully coordinated in order promptly to carry out such an operation.
“Ambassador Litvinov has informed me that you have signified your approval of the movement of American planes via Alaska and Northern Siberia to the Western Front and I am pleased to receive this news. I am of the opinion that in our common interests it is essential that detailed information be immediately initiated between our joint Army, Navy and Air representatives in order to meet this new danger in the Pacific. I feel that the question is so urgent as to warrant granting to the representatives of the Soviet Union and of the United States full power to initiate action and to make definite plans. For this reason propose that you and I appoint such representatives and that we direct them immediately to confer in Moscow and Washington.”
Sincerely yours,
- Japanese troops were on Kiska and Attu islands in the Aleutian chain. United States naval authorities reported a Japanese concentration toward Midway Island. They predicted that Japan might move against the Aleutian Islands with the object of closing off northwest Pacific waters in preparation for a possible attack against Siberia.↩