No. 551
Editorial Note
The announcement of the death of Iosip (Joseph) Vissarionovich Stalin on the evening of March 5 was made by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union, and the Presidium of the U.S.S.R. Supreme Soviet that evening. For text of the announcement, circulated by the Soviet media on March 6, see Current Digest of the Soviet Press, volume V, No. 6, March 21, 1953, page 5; Documents on American Foreign Relations, 1953, page 133; or Documents (R.I.I.A.) for 1953, page 1.
In response to the news of Stalin’s death, the Secretary of State ordered the following message delivered to the Soviet Foreign Ministry by the United States Embassy in Moscow:
“The Government of the United States tenders its official condolences to the Government of the U.S.S.R. on the death of Generalissimo Joseph Stalin, Prime Minister of the Soviet Union.”
The message, transmitted by the Department of State to Moscow in telegram 702, March 5, was released to the American press by the White House on March 5. In telegram 1261 from Moscow, March 6, Chargé Beam reported that he handed the message of condolence to Acting Foreign Minister Malik for communication to Chairman Shvernik at 4 p.m. that day. (Microfilm telegram files, “Moscow FY 53”)