Office of the Historian

711.61/5–1848: Telegram

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

secret   niact
us urgent
Moscow, May 18, 1948—midnight.

936. The oracle has now spoken its awaited words of comforting assurance (Embtels 520, March 22 and 890, May 12) and presumably [Page 871] the Kremlin’s estimate of the American pre-election political scene has led it to hope that this latest well-timed thrust will rest without adequate rebuttal. The distorted publication of the Smith–Molotov exchange successfully confused Europe. Stalin’s open letter is primarily designed to confuse America, lend the appearance of substance to the vacuity of Wallace’s declarations on foreign affairs and thus emasculate American policy.1

Whether or not Wallace’s letter was a plant, certainly the ground was adequately prepared (Paris 2593, May 14 to Department2). The only effective counteraction is to dispel the smoke screen of Stalin’s words, rebut his assertions each in turn and reveal them for what they are.3

It seems to us the shrewd Soviet purpose to befuddle American public in circumstances which impose obstacles to direct and forthright handling on our part can be defeated only by grasping the nettle firmly where it stands.

Sent Department 936. Department pass London 57, Paris 142.

Durbrow
  1. Henry A. Wallace had written an “open letter” to Stalin which was published in the New York Times on May 12. The Chargé in the Soviet Union reported in telegram 932 from Moscow on May 17, not printed, of the considerable attention given to it in the Soviet press, and that Izvestiya for May 16 had characterized it as “an extremely positive and joyous fact in the relations between the two great peoples.” (711.61/5–1748) Stalin replied to the letter on May 17.↩
  2. Not printed.↩
  3. At the 184th meeting of the Policy Planning Staff held on May 18, there was some discussion of the situation produced by Stalin’s response to the “open letter” of Henry A. Wallace. “It was agreed that some statement should be made today and that the statement should be toned down because Stalin’s letter was not addressed to this Government.” (Policy Planning Staff Files, Lot 64 D 563) For the text of the actual press release of May 18, see the Department of State Bulletin, May 30, 1948, p. 705. Additional information was made available by the Department on May 19 in relation to Stalin’s reply wherein comments were made upon 11 topics; ibid., pp. 705–706.↩