861.24/1293: Telegram
The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Matthews) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 26—11:55 p.m.]
1452. We were told at the Foreign Office today that Foreign Office was not surprised that no mention was made of Allied aid to Russia in Stalin’s February 23 order of the day.86 As Soviets only on rare occasions make mention of Allied aid, it could hardly be expected in the view of the Foreign Office, that that would be done on the 25th anniversary of the Red army. Some significance is, however, attached by the Foreign Office to the reference in the order of the day to the absence of a second front in Europe and to the statement that the Red army is bearing the whole burden of the war. Of late, the Foreign Office points out, statements by the Soviets to this effect have been on the increase. Foreign Office believes that this indicates that Soviets are preparing to renew agitation on a rather big scale for a second front in Europe.