861.00/5–246: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Smith)90 to the Secretary of State
[Received May 2—11:50 a.m.]
1401. Soviet press May 1st publishes Stalin’s Order of Day as Minister of Armed Forces.
After briefly reviewing Red Army achievements in conquest of Germany and Japan during great patriotic war, order states that Soviet Union now marches in vanguard of struggle for peace and security, that peoples which Soviet Union liberated from Fascist yoke received opportunity to build state life on democratic footing and now enjoy fraternal Soviet aid and that world has had opportunity to convince itself not only of Soviet might but of just nature of its policy based on recognition of equality of all peoples and on respect for their freedom and independence. Referring then to Five-Year Plan as opening new prospects for further growth of Soviet productive forces which Soviet people led by Communist Party may be relied on to spare neither strength nor labor “to fulfill and over-fulfill”, it states, “While promoting peaceful Socialist construction, we must not forget for moment machinations of international reaction which is hatching plans for new war. It is necessary to remember injunctions of great Lenin that in going over to peaceful labor, we must constantly be on alert and guard like apple of our eye armed forces and defense power of our country”. It concludes that fulfillment of this honorable task is possible only if level of military efficiency of members of Red Army, Navy and Air Force is raised still higher.
Sent Department as 1401; repeated Paris 126, London 227 and Frankfurt.
- Horace H. Smith, First Secretary of Embassy and Consul at Moscow, was Chargé at this time.↩