Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Central and Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

611.61/3–1950: Telegram

The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Barbour) to the Secretary of State ¹

secret

Moscow, March 19, 1950—7 p. m.

889. Embtel 886, March 19.² Pravda reaction Secretary’s Berkeley speech³ continues dual themes recent Soviet pronouncements, in (1) reiterating familiar charges against US “aggressive-adventurist” policy and (2) proclaiming Soviet adherence “consistent policy peace” supported masses all countries. Absence constructive response and Secretary’s points, while not unexpected, of course further belies “peaceful” protestations and seems to us additionally affirm, if such affirmation necessary, total lack of area of community of Soviet-US interest on which to found negotiable settlement this time.

Reference “calls even from conservative sources for new attempts adjust US-Soviet differences” noteworthy as possible reflection effect irresponsible discussion that line toward strengthening Soviet intransigeance. Similarly Soviet reliance its estimate economic difficulties US probably intentionally highlighted by appearance same issue Pravda of article by Varga⁴ on US unemployment (Embtel 887, November [March] 19⁵).

However, fact Soviets have not overlooked importance speech and are aware its major impact on thinking and direction coordination policy and objectives free world may be assumed from speed with which they have produced intended rebuttal. (While Literary Gazette article same subject March 18 (Embtel 888, March 19⁶) took same uncompromising attitude, and was considerably more abusive it cannot be regarded as carrying same authority as Pravda).

Barbour

1. This telegram was relayed to London, Paris, and Home at 4:20 p. m., on March 19.
2. Not printed. The Embassy reported about a critical article by Ya. Viktorov in Pravda on March 19, which concluded that the speech showed an “absence concrete proposals toward peace. Hence resort to ‘total diplomacy’ based like ‘atomic diplomacy’ on naked force, intimidation et cetera which useless against USSR, other countries able defend independence. In contrast USSR follows ‘consistent policy peace’ supported by ‘million masses all countries’ answering ‘interests all humanity’.” (611.61/3–1950)
3. Secretary of State Acheson delivered a speech on the tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union at the University of California at Berkeley on March 16. For the text, see Department of State Bulletin, March 27, 1950, pp. 473–478, or American Foreign Policy, 1950–1955: Basic Documents (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1957), vol. ii, pp. 1928–1936.
4. Yevgeny (Eugene) Samoylovich Varga was the famous Hungarian-born Soviet economist.
5. Not printed. In an article in Pravda of March 19 on “The Growth of Unemployment in the Countries of Capitalism” Varga concluded with the judgment that the “enormous army of unemployed bears witness that capitalism has completely spent itself, that the capitalistic system is the greatest brake on all progress. Only the liquidation of this system, its substitution by Socialistic system, can once for all eliminate such incurable sores of capitalism as anarchical production, of risks and unemployment.” (961.61/3–1950)
6. Not printed. This article was by the playwright Anatoly Surov. In despatch 367 from Moscow on March 25, the Embassy summed up the reaction to the speech in these words: “The alacrity with which Soviet propaganda reacted to the Berkeley speech and the extremes of scurrility employed, particularly by Surov who compared the Secretary to a grass-snake, are clearly indicative of a realization that the Berkeley speech contains a broad appeal, which from the Soviet viewpoint must be ridiculed as quickly and fully as possible.” (961.61/3–2550) Translations of the articles by Viktorov and Surov prepared by the Joint Press Reading Service were enclosed with this despatch.