Stalin agrees with Mao Zedong that North Korea is not yet ready to launch an assault, and reports that the Soviet Union has told North Korea to concentrate on developing liberated areas and guerrillas in South Korea.
November 5, 1949
Cable Telegram no. 20475 from Gromyko to Kovalev
USSR MFA
10th department
TOP SECRET
Spets Nº 198
Outgoing Nº 20475
Received at 0250 5 November 1949
Sent at 0355 5 November 1949
Cable
to PEKING
to KOVALEV
Copy Nº [blank]
PRIORITY
SPECIAL
[Translator’s note: one version of
this document has “via GRU cipher” here]
Pass the following reply of Filippov [Stalin] to Mao Zedong in response to his telegram of 21 October:
“To Cde. Mao Zedong.
In connection with your telegram of 21 October on the question of Korea we consider it necessary to inform you that we hold to the same opinion on the question you touched upon and at one time [we] gave our advice to the Korean friends in the same spirit.
FILIPPOV”
Telegraph when this is done.
GROMYKO
Five copies printed. yan
5 November 1949 Authenticated: [illegible signature]
Copies
1. to Cde. Stalin
2. to Cde. Molotov
3. to Cde. Malenkov
4. to the 10th Department
5. copy
[handwritten: 12156/sh]
Gromyko demands Kovalev to pass the reply of Stalin to Mao Zedong in response to his telegram regarding the Workers' Party of South Korea.
Author(s):
Associated People & Organizations
Associated Places
Subjects Discussed
Related Documents
Document Information
Source
RGASPI, f. 558, op. 11, d. 333, ll. 0041. Contributed by Sergey Radchenko and translated by Gary Goldberg.
Original Archive
Rights
The History and Public Policy Program welcomes reuse of Digital Archive materials for research and educational purposes. Some documents may be subject to copyright, which is retained by the rights holders in accordance with US and international copyright laws. When possible, rights holders have been contacted for permission to reproduce their materials.
To enquire about this document's rights status or request permission for commercial use, please contact the History and Public Policy Program at [email protected].
Explore Related Resources
China, North Korea, and the Origins of the Korean War
How China did -- and did not -- push Kim Il Sung towards war in the lead up to June 25, 1950.