Office of the Historian

125.677/4–2345: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in the Soviet Union (Kennan)

Washington, July 18, 1945—6 p.m.

1635. Dept agrees in principle with Embassy’s telegram 1313, Apr 23, 2 p.m. concerning advantages of opening a Consulate in Odessa, but before taking any action desires your views on advisability of taking up the matter at the present time.

In this connection Dept has in mind the cutting off of lend-lease supplies to European Russia94 and the expected opening up of new routes to Moscow via Central and Northern Europe. Under existing circumstances there appears to be little possibility, outside of an occasional UNRRA95 ship, of American ships calling at Odessa in the near future.

Grew
  1. For documentation on conclusion of wartime assistance from the United States to the Soviet Union, see pp. 937 ff.↩
  2. United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration.↩