740.00112EW/8–2344: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 24—2:55 p.m.]
3122. ReEmbs 2938, August 11, 10 a.m. [p.m.] I have received a letter from Molotov dated August 22 of which the following is a paraphrase translation:
“I wish to inform you with respect to your letter of July 24 that the Soviet Government, taking note of the assurances of the American military authorities who are maintaining communications with England, has in mind that the export from Sweden of the ball bearings ordered for the Soviet Union should be effected not directly from Stockholm to Moscow but by the same route used for previous shipments of ball bearings, namely from Sweden to England and thence to the Soviet Union by sea.
M. A. Nikitin, the Soviet trade representative in Sweden, has been instructed to undertake measures connected with the organization of the export from Sweden of the ball bearings. I should be grateful, Mr. Ambassador, if you would advise me with which of the American representatives in Stockholm Mr. Nikitin should get in touch as well as when and where.”
A reply on this matter has been received after a month’s delay and only after pressure from myself on the Foreign Office, from the Military Mission on the Soviet military authorities, and from General Spalding on the Commissariat for Foreign Trade. The Soviet attitude is doubtless due to the fact that they do not want our planes to fly in the Soviet Union. In view of the long delay in replying, it would appear that the need for these bearings is not vital and, as a matter of principle in our relations with the Soviets as well as from the standpoint of the proper use of our planes, I recommend that we decline to transport the bearings to England and that I be instructed promptly to inform Molotov to this effect.
I suggest that the reply be made along the line that, as the Soviet Government has had our offer under consideration since July 24 and is now proposing a round-about route which would involve considerable further delay, the American authorities have concluded that the need for bearings is not sufficiently urgent to warrant the risk to the American personnel and planes involved, particularly as it would appear that a safe route may likely be available by the time the bearings could be transported to the Soviet Union by the route proposed by the Soviet Government.17 General Deane concurs.
[Page 1123]Sent to Department, repeated to London as my 152, August 23, 10 p.m.
- In telegram 2141, September 5, 1944, 11 p.m., to Moscow, the Department replied it did not desire any further approach to be made to the Foreign Office and understood that General Deane was being informed by the War Department of this decision (861.24/8–2144).↩