Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, vol. VI: Eastern Europe, The Soviet Union. Department of State Publication 8470, (Washington, DC : Gov't Printing Office, 1969), pp. 694-696.
NOTE: As with most telegrams, superfluous
words were omitted. This creates grammatical errors which are not
part of the transcribing, but rather an inherent part of the telegram itself.
At other times it appears words were mistakenly omitted from the original
transmission. The parts enclosed in brackets [ ] were inserted by
the State Dept. Text in red indicates
a quote of Soviet government sources.
UNO here means United Nations Organization.
861.00/2-1246 : Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Kennan) to the Secretary of State
| Moscow, February 12, 1946 - 3p.m.
[Received 4:58 p.m.] |
In Stalin's speech,39 which was of course most authoritative of all, following main points stand out.
1. Straight Marxist interpretation of World Wars one and
two as products of crises inherent in monopoly capitalism. This was coupled,
however, with statement that World War two bore anti-Fascist liberating
character from very outset - an interesting deviation from recently revived
1939-41 line that war was purely "imperialist" in pre-Soviet phase.
2. Contention that war proved Soviet system to be "better
form of organization of society than any non-Soviet social system".
3. Justification in light of war of previous 5-year plans
and collectivization. Here he admitted significantly that at time of first
5-year plan party had not feared "to go against current".
4. Revelation that ration system will be abolished in
near future and that "special attention" will
be devoted to increasing consumers goods output and lowering prices. Here
he significantly omitted reference to grave housing situation and measures
to improve it.
5. Statement that three or more new 5-year plans will
b e required to guarantee country against "all contingencies"
by increasing pig iron output to 50 million tons annually, steel to 60
million, coal to 500 million and petroleum to 60 million tons.
Although more militant and oratorical in tone, speeches
of other politburo members follow along lines of Stalin's speech in substance.
All argue that war proved far-seeing wisdom of party's pre-war policies,
expatitate on superior democracy of Soviet system and its freedom from
capitalist crises and unemployment, and advance present party program of
"consolidating victory" through restoration
and increase of economic might of USSR. Necessity of maintaining and improving
Armed Forces unanimously emphasized on ground that forces of "Fascism
and reaction" are still alive in world, in "bourgeois
democracies" and elsewhere.
Most of the speeches refer to enormous "international
authority" currently enjoyed by USSR but at same time give little or no
indication that Soviet leaders place any serious reliance on future of
international collaboration. UNO was discussed only by Molotov and Big
Three coalition was referred to, in retrospective light at that, only by
Stalin, Kalinin40 and Zhdanov.41
Kaganovich42 struck openly isolationist note
in his statement that "two of our most dangerous
and base foes from this capitalist encirclement -- Hitlerite Germany and
Imperialist Japan -- have been smashed" but "we
must remember that our country continues to be in capitalist encirclement".
Malenkov's speech deserves special note as manifestation
of an attitude of total suspicion toward motives of outside world. After
urging that armed forces should be strengthened so that "friends
will respect us and forbear to interrupt our great constructive work",
he declares that USSR has no intention of permitting others to harvest
fruits of its dear-bought victory, that all those who may think of organizing
new war against Soviet Union should remember that it is already a mighty
power, and that USSR does not intend "to draw other
peoples' chestnuts out of fire" except for its own good.
Full translation of Stalin's speech and several of the
others follow by despatch.43
39 This speech, delivered in Moscow on February 9, called forth much comment within the Department of State. Among the memorands written was one by H. Freeman Matthews, Director of the Office of European Affairs, dated February 11, which read in part: "Stalin's speech of February 9 constitutes the most important and authoritative guide to post-war Soviet policy .... It should be given great weight in any plans which may be under consideration for extending credits or other forms of economic assistance to the Soviet Union." (761.00/2-1146) In his memorandum of February 12, Elbridge Durbrow, Chief of the Division of Eastern European Affairs, remarked that Stalin firmly denounced capitalism and concluded: "It is felt that in view of the clear indication of the new Soviet line we should be most diligent to counteract Soviet propaganda and political moves which in all probability will be directed primarily at dividing the British and ourselves in order to give the Soviets a freer hand to attain their own aims." (861.00/2-1246)
40 Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Soviet Union. He resigned on March 19, 1946, because of poor health, and died on June 3.
41 Andrey Alexandrovich Zhdanov, member and a Secretary of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party.
42 Lazar Moiseyevich Kaganovich, member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and Deputy Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars (after March 15, Council of Ministers).
43 Despatch 2442, February 12, from Moscow,
not printed.
| KENNAN |
