Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1940, General, Volume I

860I.00/432: Telegram

The Chargé in Estonia (Leonard) to the Secretary of State

Tallinn, July 5, 1940—noon.
[Received July 5—11:18 a.m.]

82. I have been informed confidentially that the visit of the Soviet official mentioned in my telegram No. 80⁵⁹ is in connection with the (1) extension of coast and island defenses and reorganization of the Estonian Army, (2) elections to be held for Parliament and (3) possible change in the person of the President of Estonia, probably after the elections.

Dates of elections not yet announced but will probably be held soon, after which radical political changes may be expected.

Leonard

59. Dated July 2, 5 p.m., not printed; it advised of the second visit of Andrey Alexandrovich Zhdanov to Tallinn, where his presence caused uneasiness (740.0011 E. W. 1939/4356).