Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, Europe, Volume V

811.79661/11–1945: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, November 19, 1945—7 p.m.
[Received November 19—4:20 p.m.]

3897. Disturbed by last sentence of your message 2356, November 16, 8 p.m., repeating Dept’s 895 to Berlin⁹⁹ in which it is stated that in view of Murphy’s¹ recommendations contained in his 993 to Department November 11, repeated to Moscow as 66,⁹⁹ discussions with Soviet authorities regarding transfer point at Berlin for Moscow-Washington service “may be further postponed”.

Murphy’s recommendations appear to be based on his statement that “it appears to be fairly obvious that the Russians do not want foreign airplanes over Russian territory”. I wish to call Department’s attention to the fact that this is not beginning to be fairly obvious but is a fact confirmed in writing by Soviet officials on many occasions during the past 2 years. The negotiations regarding American service to Moscow commenced at the Moscow Conference in October 1943² and have been the subject of continuing negotiations on the part of the Embassy with the Foreign Office and Military Mission with the Civil Air Fleet. At no time have the Soviets ever deviated from their position that no scheduled American service to Moscow will be permitted.

The present discussions regarding Berlin as a connecting point result from a request made in writing by President Truman to Generalissimus Stalin at the Potsdam Conference.³ In this communication he proposed that the connection which had previously been functioning at Tehran should be transferred to Berlin. This proposal has been accepted by the Soviet Govt in principle and traffic has been interchanged at Berlin during the past 3 months. The Soviet Govt now wishes to formalize the service that has been informally established. I see no value in postponing these discussions.

Such arrangements would not relate to American traffic from Berlin to Warsaw any more than they would relate to Soviet traffic from Berlin to Paris. If the Soviets refuse to permit flights across Soviet occupied Germany to Warsaw, we can refuse a similar privilege to the Soviets in their flights to Paris. This would of course only be effective if the British cooperated.

I have not as yet received reply to my protest to Foreign Office reported in my 3756, November 3, in connection with embargo of U.S. flights between Berlin and Warsaw.⁴

To Department 3897; repeated to Berlin as 155 and Warsaw as 60.

Harriman

99. Not printed.
1. Robert D. Murphy, Political Adviser for Germany with rank of Ambassador.
99. Not printed.
2. For documentation on the tripartite conference in Moscow, October 18–November 1, 1943, see Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. i, pp. 513 ff.
3. Dated July 20; for text, see Conference of Berlin (Potsdam), vol. ii, p. 1167.
4. Telegram 3756 not printed. Telegram 918, November 2, 1945, 4 p.m., from Berlin, reported that the embargo, although it had been imposed, had been lifted (740.00119 (Germany)/11–245).