Telegram from American Embassy in Moscow to Secretary of State on Francis Gary Powers Trial

INCOMING TELEGRAM Department of Stute WH OFF IC IAL USE ONLY 201 H 37-L Action Classification Control 11063 Rec'd: AUGUST 18, 1960 EUR 5:34 AM FROM: MOSCOW Info SS TO: Secretary of State G SP NO: 435, AUGUST 18, 10 AM C s L H P PR I OR ITY US LA S CA FURTHER EMBTEL 434. SCS IRC AMERICAN CORRESPONDENTS MOSCOW CONSULTED LATE LAST NIGHT ON CIA IMPRESSIONS OF POWERS TRIAL. THEY BEL IEVE F IRST DAY'S CHIEF NSA PROPAGANDA EMPHASES INTENDED BE FAIRNESS AND OBJECT IVITY OF OSD TRIAL AS EXEMPL IFIED BY DEFENSE PRESENTATION, AND POWERS AS ARMY VICT IM CAPITAL IST SYSTEM IN WHICH HE WAS OBL IGED ACCEPT EM- NAVY PLOYMENT REPUGNANT TO HIM IN ORDER ESCAPE F INANC IAL HANDICAPS. AIR NIC DIVISION OF OP IN ION AMONG CORRESPONDENTS AS TO DEGREE OF RMR "DEFENSE" FOR POWERS. AT LEAST ONE WAS GREATLY IMPRESSED SAY ING THIS SECOND TRIAL HE HAS ATTENDED WITHIN WEEK AND MUCH SURPRISED BY AMOUNT OF WESTERN ELEMENTS INTRODUCED INTO SOVIET COURT PROCEED INGS. MOST OF HIS COLLEAGUES FEEL POWERS OF SUCH LIMITED INTELL IGENCE THAT NE ITHER BRAINWASHING NOR ANY SPEC IAL PROCEDURAL TRICKS NEEDED TO OBTAIN FROM HIM WHAT SOVIETS MOST WANTED. HE MERELY FOLLOWED PATH OVER WHICH THEY HAD APPARENTLY LED HIM OFTEN BEFORE. FRENCH CORRESPONDENT WORK ING ON REACT O O N OF MAN IN STREET SAYS ALL THINK POWERS WILL SERVE ONLY SHORT PART OF WHATEVER SENTENCE IMPOSED, BUT THEY ARE CHIEFLY INTRIGUED BY WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO HIM WHEN HE THEN RETURNS HOME. MOST SAID TO BEL leve HE WILL FACE "GAS CHAMBER" IMMEDIATELY. CORRESPONDENTS SEEMED ATTACH LITTLE INTEREST TO PRESENCE AT TR IAL OF KHRUSHCHEV'S DAUGHTER ELENA. THOMPSON RH REPRODUCTION FROM THIS OFFICIAL USE ONLY COPY IS PROHIBITED. UNLESS "UNCLASSIFIED" Classification