121.861/168: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Standley) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:45 p.m.]
581. There follows herewith a brief account of the most important known phases of Mr. Davies visit to Moscow:
May 10 [19], arrival met by Vice Commissar Dekanosov,65 Chiefs of American and Protocol Sections of Foreign Office,66 Ambassador and members of Embassy staff.
Press conference at Embassy (see 491, May 20).67
[Page 662]May 20 presented to Molotov and Stalin by Ambassador.
(See 498, and 501 of May 21, 22.68)
May 21 appointments with Voroshilov and Vyshinski. Press conference (see 502, May 22).
May 23 Kremlin dinner (see 527, May 25).
May 24 appointment with Ulrich,69 Kalinin70 and Mikoyan.
May 26 attended luncheon given by Molotov on occasion of the anniversary of the Soviet-British treaty (see 547 of May 28).71
Interview with Stalin (see 539, May 27).72
May 28 press conference.
Interview with Molotov.
May 29 departure (see 555, May 29).
With the exception of the initial conversations with Molotov and Stalin I was not present during Mr. Davies’ other interviews with prominent Soviet officials. I am consequently unable to report on the tenor of his conversations since he did not inform me what transpired.
The press conference of May 28 in comparison to that of May 21 took place in an atmosphere of cordiality. Davies refused to comment on the contents of Stalin’s reply to the President stating merely that “there was every indication that Stalin was in agreement with the contents of the President’s letter”. He expressed the opinion that by the end of 1943 the Soviet Army and Government would be intact, that what Hitler could not attain in 41 and 42 he surely could not attain in 43. He said that Stalin had expressed satisfaction that the President and Churchill were working so closely together. In conclusion he congratulated the correspondents on the fine work they were doing here and stated that he had only the kindest feelings toward them.
- Vladimir Georgiyevich Dekanozov, Assistant People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs.↩
- Georgy Nikolayevich Zarubin and Fedor Fedorovich Molochkov, respectively.↩
- Not printed.↩
- See bracketed note, p. 650.↩
- Vasily Vasilyevich Ulrikh (Ulrich), chairman of the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the Soviet Union.↩
- Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin, chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Soviet Union.↩
- Ante, p. 536.↩
- See bracketed note, p. 655.↩