740.0011 European War 1939/16119: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 27—3:12 a.m.]
1831. For the President, the Secretary and Under Secretary. I have learned from several reliable sources that the Soviet authorities have since the outbreak of the war been fully conscious of the fact that the ultimate transfer of the central Government from Moscow to a smaller city farther east would be one of the most delicate and dangerous problems with which they would be confronted. There was ample evidence in Moscow during the few days prior to the transfer to Kuibyshev of a decline in the morale of the population and of growing unrest and lawlessness. Thompson20 reports further deterioration for several days after the departure of the Government and the Diplomatic Corps became generally known. During the past 3 days he reports much improved conditions which he now describes as normal excepting for a certain amount of apathy among the people.
These developments indicate that for the time being, at least, Stalin has solved the problem arising out of the necessity of moving the Government from Moscow by his action in transferring the Government and Diplomatic Corps to Kuibyshev and establishing them there well in advance of the possible entry of German forces into Moscow while himself remaining in Moscow.
There is little doubt that the general public of the Soviet Union has by now been conditioned to the transfer of the Government and that the population of Moscow is now prepared for the possible fall of the city. As the population of Moscow is already aware that the Government has left, Stalin’s eventual departure for Kuibyshev appears to have been well cushioned. Should the Soviet forces be able to hold Moscow for at least another week or two as now seems quite possible, it is probable that the Government will without serious difficulty be able from Kuibyshev to maintain its authority throughout the country irrespective of any disturbance that may take place in [Page 652] Moscow or any steps the Germans may take after their entry into Moscow to establish a puppet government.
Although there appears to be considerable discontent among the masses accompanied by considerable grumbling, I can find no evidence which would justify me in concluding that the authority of the Government is at the present moment in danger or that there is any serious cleavage between the Government and the army commanders. In my opinion, a continuation of this condition will depend primarily on the Government’s ability to feed the masses.
Several of the senior members of the British Military Mission and several of the British experts left Kuibyshev this morning by plane for Iran and to return to England.
- Llewellyn E. Thompson, Jr., Second Secretary of Embassy and Consul in the Soviet Union, who was in charge of the group remaining in Moscow after the removal of the Embassy to Kuibyshev.↩