Foreign Relations of the United States, The Soviet Union, 1933–1939

741.61/873: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, November 14, 1939—5 p.m.
[Received November 14—2:27 p.m.]

897. In the course of a conversation last night with the Counselor of the British Embassy, Gordon Vereker, who has recently been appointed Minister to Bolivia, he referred to the impending return of the French Ambassador⁹⁷ to Moscow, and stated that notwithstanding the conduct of the Soviet Government, which unquestionably would have justified the British and French Governments in breaking off diplomatic relations with it, the British and French Governments had come to the conclusion that it was undesirable to take such action. He remarked that insofar as his Government is concerned its experience in 1927⁹⁸ had been very unsatisfactory for following the breaking off of diplomatic relations with the Soviet Government in that year it had suffered all the disadvantages of lack of representation in Moscow without any compensating advantage. He added that since the Soviet Government does not recognize what he described as the customary amenities of diplomatic intercourse, including rebuke, his Government had come to the conclusion that the mere rupture of diplomatic relations was pointless.

Presumed disadvantages of breaking off diplomatic relations with the Soviet Government as described by Vereker are (1) the possibility [impossibility?] of obtaining information on any subject here through other than a diplomatic establishment and (2) the unwillingness of Molotov and frequently Potemkin to receive diplomats of lower rank than chief of mission.

Vereker stated that since the departure of the French Ambassador about September 1 the French Government has been so embarrassed by the operation of the latter factor that Ambassador Naggiar is already en route to Moscow—although it was no secret at the time that his departure resulted from the German-Soviet pact⁹⁹ and was intended to be permanent.

In conclusion Vereker gave it as his opinion that both the British and French Governments would maintain their diplomatic establishments in Moscow intact under all circumstances short of an outright declaration of war.

Steinhardt

97. Paul-Emile Naggiar.
98. Relations between Great Britain and the Soviet Union were broken off on May 26, 1927, after evidence had been uncovered suggesting Soviet military espionage and revolutionary activities. Diplomatic relations were restored on October 1, 1929.
99. Treaty of Nonaggression between Germany and the Soviet Union, with secret additional protocol, signed at Moscow on August 23, 1939; for texts, see Department of State, Nazi-Soviet Relations, 1939–1941 (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1948), p. 76.