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

861.24/1097: Telegram

The Second Secretary of Embassy in the Soviet Union (Thompson) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, October 9, 1942—3 p.m.
[Received October 10—10:27 a.m.]

407. From Faymonville for Hopkins.

1. Reference your cable 289 October 5, midnight; limiting factors of various routes were explained to Commissar Foreign Trade. He requested following comments be transmitted to you. First, Persian Gulf route has proved disappointing. A year ago plans for extensive increases were approved at Moscow conference. Inadequate railroad direction and insufficient measure for road improvement and for port facilities have restricted traffic. Commissar also believes labor has not been used efficiently. Commissar says potential capacity of trans-Iranian route is great and he hopes General Connolly will be more successful than Brigadier Rhodes⁴¹ in increasing traffic. In Commissar’s opinion “little time left to make good past deficits” and he strongly urges that Americans get results. Second, Commissar believes shipments to North Russian ports can be greatly increased. He urges that ships be sent whether or not escorting vessels available for convoy. He stated that difficulties in northern convoys were “occasioned more by fear than by danger”. He added that he had no doubt that if American naval authorities insisted on action they could get it from British Admirals. Third, Far Eastern route is being used to maximum by Soviet ships. Commissar states that Far Eastern shipments in past 3 months equal amounts received through northern route and Iran by British and American ships. Even small Soviet fishing boats have been made into cargo carriers for trans-Pacific runs, and aggregate imports through Far East are considerable. Commissar states that he is still accepting all lend-lease freight offered at American west coast ports but that his ships have been held up awaiting arrival of cargo and even when cargo arrives at port, loading proceeds very slowly. Unfortunately, cargo offered is seldom of high priority categories and Commissar believes adequate planning would include a greater proportion of essential items in west coast cargoes.

2. Commissar states that no insuperable difficulties exist in removing freight inland from Soviet ports. All necessary munition items are immediately sent westward from Siberian Pacific ports. In North Russia Soviet agencies have had conspicuous success in sending inward 90,000 tons of freight from Archangel in past 12 days. This latter shipment includes much light freight occupying much cubic space. The carrying capacity of the railroads is even greater when heavier materials make up inbound shipments. Commissar adds that in some cases munition items were in the hands of Soviet units on the battle front within 3 days of docking at Archangel. [Faymonville.]

Repeated to Kuibyshev.

Thompson

41. Brig. Sir Godfrey Dean Rhodes, British Director of Transportation and Deputy Quartermaster General; head of the Anglo-Iranian-Soviet Transportation Board.