761.00/7–653: Telegram
No. 34
The Secretary of
State to the Embassy in
Czechoslovakia1
4. Recent events in Eastern Germany coupled with unverified reports overt popular unrest other Soviet Satellites have tended create public impression here that Soviet power structure in EE may be beginning disintegrate and that local commie rulers trying stem adverse tide by making various concessions to dissatisfied elements.
Department has been inclined view Soviet and Satellite actions since Stalin’s death as deliberate and calculated plan new Kremlin rulers to consolidate their own internal position and at same time disrupt Western alliance by stepping up pace of diplomatic “peace” campaign. It has assumed that Soviets do not intend relax hold their EE empire and that behind facade amnesties and other gestures process of Sovietization of Satellite peoples would proceed apace.
On July 10 Secretary will begin exchange of views with British and French Foreign Ministers covering number of topics including current situation Satellite countries.
With foregoing in mind Department would appreciate receiving soonest brief cabled evaluation from each Satellite mission of local political and economic situation with emphasis first-hand observations in capital and from recent travel in countryside. Fundamental question is whether chronic popular discontent with regimes has recently shown tendency take overt and bolder form and, if so, how, when and where.
- Drafted by Thurston and cleared with Armstrong, Merchant, and Galloway. Repeated to Warsaw, Budapest, and Bucharest for action, and to Moscow, Bonn, and Belgrade for information.↩