811.111 Diplomatic 61/872a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)
1347. The War Department has informed the Department that difficulties have arisen in regard to the residence at Fairbanks, Alaska, of wives and children of Soviet military and civilian officials connected with the Soviet Purchasing Commission and Aircraft Ferrying Service.97 [Page 724] From an original group of approximately 33 Soviet personnel permanently stationed at Fairbanks, the War Department reports there are now 123 civilian employees, not including children but including an unspecified number of women, and 30 to 50 military personnel stationed there. In addition accommodations must be provided for 150 to 175 transients who may be in Fairbanks at one time.
In Fairbanks there is a serious shortage of housing facilities and food. Because of climatic conditions special housing with insulation and heat must be provided and because of transportation and communication difficulties adequate food supplies present a special problem. Wives and dependents of United States Army and civilian personnel are not permitted to proceed to Alaska and the War Department has pointed out that the presence there of Soviet wives and children creates hard feelings and may even lead to serious incidents.
In the light of the above you are instructed to inform the Soviet Government that it is regretted that visas cannot be granted to wives and children of Soviet personnel stationed in Alaska for residence there and that visas granted to Soviet citizens traveling via Alaska have been and will be valid in Alaska only for the time necessary in transit.
In regard to the arrangement (reference Department’s 514, October 15, 1942, 6 p.m. to Kuibyshev98) whereby no objection was contemplated to the landing and departure without passports and visas of the Soviet mission, pilots, and other Soviet technical personnel in Alaska, it was never contemplated in the original arrangement under reference that wives and children of Soviet personnel stationed in Alaska would proceed there without passports and visas and of course they should not do so in the future.
You will also request the Soviet authorities to inform their personnel in the United States who may in the future be transferred for duty to Alaska that their wives and children will not be expected to accompany or to join them. In this connection War Department has reported the arrival at Fairbanks in October of 5 families (total 10 persons) of Soviet Army officers there. They were among persons [Page 725] mentioned in your 1462, September 25, noon,99 and no indication was given that these families were to remain in Alaska.
In your approach to the Foreign Office you should take up the question of wives and children of Soviet personnel already in Alaska and say that it would be appreciated if steps could be taken to withdraw them as soon as conveniently possible.
You may cite as reasons for this action as much of paragraphs 1 and 2 above as you deem advisable. The Department has also informed the Soviet Embassy in Washington of the above and requested its cooperation.
For your confidential information the War Department has reported that one or two rather serious incidents have already occurred involving American and Soviet personnel at Fairbanks which the Army believes attributable to the presence of Soviet wives.
Henceforth you will place the following words on all visas granted to Soviet citizens for transit via Alaska: “Valid for single journey via Alaska where bearer is not to remain beyond minimum necessary transit period.”
- This situation had been brought to the attention of the Department on October 22, 1943. After some preliminary consideration of ways to forestall the further influx of Soviet wives and children into Fairbanks, and even to persuade the return home of most of those who had already arrived contrary to original intentions, it was agreed upon “not to take any action until the Conference in Moscow had terminated.” The problem arose again upon receipt of telegram No. 1912, November 11, from the Ambassador in the Soviet Union, wherein it was stated that the Commissariat of Foreign Affairs had asked for the issuance of Alaskan visas to Soviet wives and three children for residence there. (811.111 Diplomatic 61/890, 815)↩
- Not printed, but see telegram No. 323, August 22, 1942, from the Ambassador in the Soviet Union, and footnote 22, Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. iii, pp. 720 and 721, respectively.↩
- Not printed.↩