Roosevelt Papers: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union ( Harriman ) to the President 1
Personal and Top Secret for the President from Harriman.
I recommend that you consider omitting from your message to Marshal Stalin your . . . [No. 27] the following sentence “Your [Page 4] Army is doing so magnificently that the hop would be much shorter to Scotland than the one taken by Molotov two years ago”. The implication of this sentence is that Marshal Stalin should fly over enemy occupied territory. Because of the dangers inherent in such a flight I feel there may be resentment on the part of Stalin’s principal advisors which might jeopardize the prospects of the meeting itself. Because of the real fear that I have of such a reaction by the Soviets I have taken the liberty of holding delivery of your message awaiting your reply.
- Sent by the United States Naval Attaché, Moscow, via Navy channels.↩