Department of State Memorandum, Copy of United States Note to the Soviet Union

DEPARTMENT OF STATE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON DECLASSIFIED E.O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) DEPI. OF STATE LTR. 3-67 BYHC-NLT NARS Date 3-14-73 Copy of U.S. note to the Soviet Union us, SERVICE COVERN SECRET "During the year and a half that I have resided in SOVIET UNION I have been obliged with the deepest regret to witness in SOVIET press an increasing flood of half truths, distortions. of truth and utter falsehoods about my country and my government. I have tried to overlook this incendiary press campaign, feeling that to take issue with a myriad false or incorrect statements would simply be adding fuel to the flame of hatred toward my country which SOVIET press has apparently undertaken to kindle in hearts of SOVIET PEOPLE. "However, an occasion has now arisen when I must break this self-imposed rule. An article by one BORIS GORBATOV just published in LITERARY GAZETTE No. 39 is so wantonly libelous in its personal attack, on the President of the UNITED STATES that I cannot permit it to pass with- out the strongest, protest. It has thoroughly shocked me. "As I have told you personally on several occasions, I believe that I have a duty to SOVIET Government as well as to my own, and that this duty is to inform the SOVIET Government as honestly and frankly as possible of the be- liefs and opinions of the people of my country. This being the case, I must assure you in the most solemn terms that every right-minded AMERICAN citizen will be deeply affronted by this article and will feol that he in some way shares personal insult thus gratuitously offered to President TRUMAN. "I cannot recall that even at the height of our com- mon struggle against Nazi Germany our enemies ever stooped to greater ridicule and vituperation against the head of any country than has Mr. Gorbatov against the Chief Execu- tive of a friendly state associated with the Soviet Union in the