61. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State1
1622. The well-known writer and Soviet expert Louis Fischer who just arrived here following twenty-four day visit to Moscow gave following information to EmbOff today relating to Voice of America broadcasts to Soviet Union. Information based mainly on conversations he had with about twenty close friends he had known in pre-war days.
- 1.
- Voice broadcasts can be heard easily outside Moscow and with special devices even in Moscow.
- 2.
- Russians prefer BBC broadcasts and listen to it eagerly. Writers at House of Creation gather daily at 5 pm to listen to BBC.
- 3.
- Voice programs are strongly disliked because “they reflect dislike of Russian people and country” and “reek with propaganda”. Russians are fed up with their own propaganda and like even less to listen to American.
- 4.
- American jazz of course is delight of Russian youth.
Russians who made these remarks to Fischer hoped Voice would improve and give them straight news, facts and viewpoints of US without irritating Russian patriot feelings. One friend remarked “no matter what we think of regime, we are patriots”.
Other information follows which was told in strict confidence. He was struck by freedom with which ordinary people talked as compared with Stalinist era and relative absence of fear of police. He also noted persons asked questions that would never have been put forward in pre-war days and which indicated people are beginning to think of themselves. For instance, one student asked him what he thought of Marxism in such a way as to indicate it was not gospel. Writers felt freer and paid less attention to “directives” in publication.
Everybody with whom he talked had read secret Khrushchev speech to which they referred as a “letter”. Depth of revelation had shocked them. In talking with Mikoyan latter made remark he (Fischer) had some bad things in his books about Soviet Union. Fischer replied they were not worse than “facts revealed by Khrushchev speech and asked why it could not be published in Soviet Union. Mikoyan said “still too early to do this”. Mikoyan revealed towards end of Stalinist regime he was “facing destruction” and he otherwise let Fischer know he was violent anti-Stalinist.
[Page 138]Fischer found great respect for Malenkov among his old friends who thought he was “not finished as a top leader”. Malenkov was greatly respected for his competence, culture and breeding.
Russian friends greeted Fischer with open arms and saw him several times without in any way showing fear of police. One friend saw him five times. Thanks to Mikoyan visa was extended from eight to twenty days.
Fischer requested especially in using above information it not be attributed to him for fear it possibly endanger friends whom he saw.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 761.00/9–2456. Secret; Limited Distribution. Repeated to Moscow.↩