86. Editorial Note
On November 6, the Supreme Soviet held a “Jubilee” session in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution. Khrushchev delivered the major address—a long review of Soviet economic and political history, a recapitulation of Soviet accomplishments and goals, and a restatement of Soviet positions on various international issues. In the course of the speech, Khrushchev urged that there be further high-level negotiations between Communist and Western officials. A two-page analysis of the speech was sent to the Secretary of State as an enclosure to a memorandum from Cumming, November 8. (Department of State, Central Files, 761.11/11–857)
On November 7, Secretary Dulles, in a statement at National Airport in Washington, said that he did not interpret Khrushchev’s remarks “as necessarily meaning a summit meeting.” Dulles’ comments at the airport, as well as the statement regarding Khrushchev’s speech made by the Department of State press officer at the press briefing on November 7, were quoted in telegram 536 to Moscow, November 8. (Ibid., 611.61/11–857) In telegram 917 from Moscow, November 8, Ambassador Thompson reported that he was inclined to believe that Khrushchev had proposed a summit meeting and that “this proposal is being seriously put forward and is not merely a propaganda gambit although I doubt that Khrushchev expects an early acceptance.” Thompson also discussed what he thought the Soviet Government hoped to achieve by such a meeting and his belief that the United States Government’s reply should be “along the line that we are prepared to participate in high level discussions at any time when there is prospect of success.” (Ibid.) One view of what was anticipated at the Jubilee session is in a paper prepared by the CIA’s Senior Research Staff on International Communism entitled “Speculation on the Program of the 40th Anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution,” October 29, which was sent to Under Secretary Herter as an attachment to a memorandum of November 4 from F.M. Dearborn, Special Assistant to the President. (Ibid., 761.00/ 11–457)
[Page 183]In recognition of the anniversary, it was decided that President Eisenhower would send Voroshilov a message of greeting, and Murphy, Elbrick, and Buchanan would attend a reception at the Soviet Embassy in Washington. (Notes on the Secretary’s Staff meeting, November 5, 1957; ibid., Secretary’s Staff Meetings: Lot 63 D 75)