761.00/12–2453: Telegram
No. 613
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union
(Bohlen) to
the Department of State
764. Final disposition of Beria case brought no surprises.1 Description of summary court proceedings accordance law December 1, 1934 added no new factual or other information concerning real background and cause of Beria case. It is still Embassy’s view that essence of case from beginning was role of secret police in Soviet dictatorship following Stalin’s death and that decision for whatever reason of Malenkov and his associates to subordinate police to party was direct cause Beria’s downfall. From all accounts final liquidation Beria and his immediate associates has been greeted by complete indifference and possibly secret pleasure by Soviet population and there have been no signs of anxiety or apprehension which accompanied similar phenomena during Stalinist purges in Thirty’s. Indeed, all published material in last week has emphasized that case was closed and sought to create impression that it was not a beginning but an end. However, should need arise in future undisclosed “evidence” in Beria case could be conveniently used for implicating almost anybody in Soviet regime. Presence of two leading regular army members on special panel Supreme Court (one of whom Marshal Konev) while not unusual in cases of treason is probably reflection role of army in affair. Other membership of court appears to reveal desire to involve in responsibility representatives of chief institutions Soviet Union.
The regime in this case made a definitely half-hearted attempt to construct a convincing case against Beria possibly due to extremely troublesome consequences of “proving” that Beria had been an agent of foreign imperialism while he was working hand-in-glove in Politburo with present leadership. Indeed, in reading material of [Page 1223] past week it is doubtful if present leadership wished Soviet population really to believe most of these charges against Beria.
There is of course elementary justice in fate of Beria and his GPU associates but it would have been more fitting if retribution had been meted out by his victims rather than his accomplices. Apart from political significance of Beria case which is of course important, entire proceedings go to confirm obvious fact that Stalin’s successors have no greater semblance of morality or regard for truth than had Stalin himself.
- Telegram 763 from Moscow, Dec. 24, reported that the Soviet press had announced the execution of Beria and six accomplices by shooting on Dec. 23. (761.00/12–2453)↩