861.00/9–448: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Smith) to the Secretary of State
1868. Zhdanov’s death last Tuesday, August 31,1 marked only third vacancy in almost decade in all-powerful Politburo—other two vacancies having resulted in like manner by death in 1945 of Shcherbakov,2 head of wartime political administration of Red Army and chief Moscow party organization, and by passing of Kalinin3 in 1946, old Bolshevik and titular chief of Soviet state. Neither of these at time of death, however, could be said to have occupied such leading position or exercised such profound influence within party as—in words of his official obituary—’the loyal disciple and companion in arms of great Stalin”, Comrade Zhdanov. Although his highest government office was Deputy of Supreme Soviet, honors paid him at state funeral equalled those bestowed upon Kalinin when all leading members of party and state led by Stalin followed on foot caisson bearing body the kilometer distance from Hall of Columns to Lenin’s tomb on Red Square.
There eulogies delivered by Molotov, in behalf party’s Central Committee and Council of Ministers, by Popov4 in behalf workers of Moscow, by Popkov5 in behalf Leningrad’s workers, and by Marshal Govorov6 for armed forces served to repeat brief description of [Page 917] Zhdanov’s life in party and work as outstanding Marxist theoretician and propagandist which had been contained in published obituary of day before signed simply by 18 comrades including the 13 surviving members of Politburo. According to this outline Zhdanov’s father (as Lenin’s) was inspector of public schools in Mariupol where Zhdanov was born in 1896. Entering revolutionary movement in 1912 at age 16 years and party three years later, he rapidly distinguished himself in party work in Tver (Kalinin) and Gorki (1924–1934) districts culminating in election as candidate member Politburo and Secretary Central Committee in latter year.
Kirov’s assassination7 led to his appointment in 1934 to head Leningrad party organization which he “inspired and mobilized to destroy and extirpate the Trotsky–Zinoviev double dealers and traitors”. That he performed his task well is attested by his election to full membership in Politburo and designation as chief of party’s Agitation and Propaganda Administration 1939. It was during this period and until the war with Germany that Zhdanov’s star shone brightest and speculation centered on him as heir-apparent to Stalin.
In popular mind Zhdanov’s name is probably most closely connected with heroic defense of Leningrad for which he received rank of colonel general and many decorations. However he was abruptly relieved as head of Leningrad party in 1944 in circumstances indicating he was not in highest favor and that there was distinct desire in high circles that he should not receive public credit for saving Leningrad.
No mention is made in obituary of his term as head of Allied Control Commission in Finland. Instead remaining paragraphs proceed to mention his activities after war when “questions of ideological work became important in party life”, including brief reference to his “brilliant reports on questions of literature, art, philosophy and on the international situation”—the only specific reference made here to his role as leading founder of Cominform in September, 1947.
It was particularly in last two years that Zhdanov’s position as party’s outstanding Marxist theoretician became established.8 His talents are bound to be missed in party and state affairs but his death at this juncture is not likely to have any effect on Soviet internal or [Page 918] foreign policies or party’s ideological lines upon which Zhdanov would not have dared to pronounce without full approval by real ruler of Russia and international Communism—Stalin.
While cleavage between Soviet and Yugoslav parties has very likely become too deep for healing, it may be remarked especially view total absence so far any Soviet editorial comment on rift that if there existed tendency this direction Soviet circles, providence has provided in passing Zhdanov removal an important obstacle to reconciliation.
Who may succeed to his vacant chair at Politburo meetings is of course subject of much speculation. To Malenkov, already full member, may fall Zhdanov’s role of leading party theoretician if we may rely on facts that with Zhdanov he was founder of Cominform and appears standing next to Stalin in significant pictures of funeral. G. M. Popov, Secretary of Central Committee, head of Moscow party organization and only non-member of Politburo to stand with Stalin and six others as honor guard before bier, appears likely prospect for election as candidate with Bulganin9 being made full member. Or choice may descend on Suslov,10 present chief Agitation and Propaganda and member Orgburo and reputedly Zhdanov’s protege.
- It was stated in Ambassador Smith’s telegram 1838 from Moscow on September 1, not printed, that Andrey Aleksandrovich Zhdanov had died of heart failure, and that Pravda for this date had carried his obituary and other messages in an article extending three pages. An imposing state funeral was held in the Red Square in Moscow on September 2. (861.00/9–148)↩
- Alexander Sergeyevich Shcherbakov, Colonel General, had been chief of the Main Political Administration of the Red Army and an alternate member of the Politburo. He died on May 10, 1945. See Foreign Relations, 1946, vol. vi, footnote 5, p. 673.↩
- Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin had resigned on March 19, 1946 as chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Soviet Union because of ill-health, and had died on June 3. See ibid., p. 719.↩
- Georgy Mikhailovich Popov was secretary of the Moscow Committee of the Communist Party, among other positions.↩
- Peter (Pyotr) Sergeyevich Popkov was secretary of the Leningrad Committee of the Communist Party, among other positions.↩
- Leonid Alexandrovich Govorov, Marshal of the Soviet Union, was Deputy Minister of the Armed Forces. During the war his troops had been engaged in the successful defense of Leningrad during its siege.↩
- Sergey Mironovich Kirov who had been secretary of the Central and Leningrad Committees of the All-Union Communist Party, was assassinated on December 1, 1934. See Foreign Relations, The Soviet Union 1933–1939, pp. 300, 303, 379, and 380.↩
- Zhdanov was described in despatch No. 698 from the Embassy in Moscow on September 22, 1948, not printed, as the chief Marxist theoretician and propaganda specialist in the Soviet Union—after Stalin himself. “After the war he became the driving force in a campaign to assert party control individually and in turn over each branch of Soviet arts and letters.” His general objective was to eliminate western “decadent, idealistic and formalist trends” from Soviet arts and letters, and the adoption of a policy of increasing hostility and opposition to the influence cast by the former allies in the West upon life in the Soviet Union. (861.9111/9–2248)↩
- Nikolay Alexandrovich Bulganin, Marshal of the Soviet Union, was Minister of Armed Forces and Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers. He became a full member of the Politburo in February 1948.↩
- Mikhail Andreyevich Suslov was a secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party among other offices, and steadily became recognized as a distinguished party authority in ideological affairs.↩