Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1942, Europe, Volume III

124.61/239: Telegram

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

Moscow, July 5, 1942—2 p.m.
[Received 4:05 p.m.]

240. In my interview with Stalin and later in considerably more detail with Molotov I took occasion to call attention to the continued lack of cooperation and obstructionism on the part of the Soviet authorities in their relations with American officials in the Soviet Union. I informed Stalin that the President, in order to insure the fullest cooperation with the Soviet Government, had issued instructions to Nelson,⁸⁷ Land⁸⁸ and Stettinius⁸⁹ to give priority to Soviet supplies regardless of how such priorities should affect other activities and I left copies of these instructions with Stalin; I then stated that since my arrival here the Embassy in practically all aspects of its work had been continually subjected to delays, interference and indifference on the part of subordinate Soviet officials⁹⁰ and that it appeared to me that almost a studied effort was being made to thwart its cooperative spirit which Stalin had agreed in my first interviews should exist. Later with Molotov I cited numerous examples of his uncooperative spirit. I intimated to both Stalin and Molotov that an indication of policy, from the top down corresponding to the action taken by the President, would do much to improve this situation and I left my interviews with a feeling that my remarks on this subject had received a sympathetic reception.

Standley

87. Donald M. Nelson, Chairman of the War Production Board.
88. Rear Adm. Emory S. Land, Chairman of the United States Maritime Commission.
89. Edward R. Stettinius, Jr., Lend-Lease Administrator.
90. For correspondence regarding earlier difficulties encountered from Soviet authorities interfering with the proper functioning of the American Embassy in Moscow, see Foreign Relations, 1941, vol. i, pp. 866 ff.