093.612/7–1444: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:06 p.m.]
2572. Department’s 1678 [1676], July 12, 7 p.m. We have not informed the Soviet Government of our new policy regarding decorations. The Military Mission has not yet received a copy of the memorandum contained in the Department’s 837, April 8, 4 p.m. and in Department’s circular instruction of May 27,3 although it received early in June new detailed instructions on the acceptance of decorations. These instructions did not, however, contain all the points set forth in the memorandum. We feel that it would be preferable to postpone advising the Foreign Office of our new policy until action has been taken in accordance with the former practice on the Soviet request to decorate the Generals mentioned in the Department’s reference telegram. When this has been done,4 we propose informing the Foreign Office of our new policy. Since under the new policy, offers of decorations should be submitted to the senior Army or Navy Commander, I intend to furnish the Foreign Office for its convenience if the Department sees no objection the names of our senior military and naval representatives in those theatres in which the Soviet Government might wish to confer decorations.