Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume V, Soviet Union

158. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State⁰

Moscow, February 21, 1962, 5 p.m.

2255. Eyes only Secretary. Deptel 1937.¹ I gather from Salinger memo February 1² that cold war themes are barred. Believe target should be average Soviet citizen and that problem uppermost in his mind is peace. Therefore suggest plug for disarmament might be one of main themes. Description of what could be done with savings on arms expenditure might enable President to deal both with Soviet charge that our munitions manufacturers oppose disarmament as well as to show how well off our people presently are. For example New York electrical workers now have 25-hour week; with disarmament everyone could have the same. Believe friendly tone of Adzhubei interview made great impression here and similar expression of good will would be most useful. Support for exchange program would be useful and could be peg for following line. We would like more visitors come to US not in order to try to sell them our system but to help do away with suspicion and mistrust which is greatest obstacle to peace today. Such visitors can see for themselves good will of American people and lack of any incentive on our part to expand or dominate other countries. President might say we would like to see Soviet people similarly prosper and be content as this is also in interest of peace. Should more controversial approach be permitted, President might point out that he is aware of much discussion in Soviet Union of policies of Stalin but such discussion appears to ignore Stalinʼs actions in field of foreign affairs which gave rise to much of the mistrust of Soviet Union by American people. Soviets have built up image of Roosevelt and use suitable Roosevelt quotation might be helpful.

Youth of Soviet Union is element most dissatisfied with old Communist methods and there is considerable admiration for youthful leadership in US. Therefore any statement appealing to youth would be effective.

While in short speech targets must be limited, may be opportunity to deal with one or more of strongest Soviet misconceptions about US, namely: that we are colonialist power; that higher education beyond reach of average American; that few can afford adequate medical care; that unemployed get no relief.

In making arrangements would be highly desirable to obtain commitment that prior announcement of telecast would appear in newspapers; otherwise audience here will be greatly restricted.

An alternative approach might be for President to discuss what problems we are dealing with in US—agricultural surpluses, segregation, urban renewal, automation, etc.—but am inclined to think disarmament or exchange agreement better pegs.³

Thompson

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 101/2-2162. Secret.
1. Telegram 1937, February 20, asked Thompson for suggestions or points that the President might use in the television exchange with Khrushchev. (Ibid., S/S Eyes Only Microfilm Files)
2. Document 151.
3. On February 20 Rusk had also asked Kennan for his views on the television exchange. (Department of State, S/S Eyes Only Microfilm Files) In his reply Kennan suggested avoiding attacks on Khrushchev or the Soviet regime and concentrating on the U.S. desire for peace and disarmament. The President should also stress that the United States had no designs on other countries, believed in the possibility of peaceful coexistence, and realized that some important problems were probably not immediately solvable. Kennan concluded with a personal proposal for the creation of an international authority to administer matters affecting the worldʼs population such as the uses of outer space, the atmosphere, oceans, Antarctica, and migratory wildlife. (Telegram 3991 from Paris, February 23; ibid., Central Files, 611.61/2-2362)