861.24/671: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 10—11:14 a.m.]
4823. For President and Hopkins from Harriman. In order to expedite all possible shipments earliest moment, following gives additional Soviet requirements in more detail. Generally we feel that their requests are on the whole responsible and entirely in keeping with the defense they are carrying on and which we want to see maintained.
Many of their needs arise from the destruction of the Dnepropetrovsk power plant6 and isolation of Leningrad, which has principally affected aluminum, steel production and ferro-alloys. They are making every effort to relocate machinery from above regions east of Volga and into the Urals, and there is reason to believe they will succeed.
I have earlier cabled specific commitments made with your approval but have agreed to present the following other needs for best possible consideration and recommend acceptance:
Aluminum—the British have already supplied 50,000 tons ingot and will continue 2,000 tons per month. Soviets immediate requirement is 4,000 tons ingot and 500 tons rolled duralumin monthly and we are urged to furnish 2,000 tons ingot and 500 tons duralumin monthly. I hope you will agree since the Soviet aluminum production has been severely damaged and this material is desperately needed for aircraft production.
I realize this will mean some curtailment of our military allotment but learning here that over 90 percent of aluminum of both England and Russia goes to aircraft it would seem that some cut in our other military needs can be made without too much sacrifice.
Rolled brass—5,000 tons monthly. This principally for expanded munition program and seems reasonable in terms of our own requirements.
Copper tubes and other copper articles—300 tons monthly. This does not seem large in terms of our total available.
Ferro-silicon—7,000 tons and ferro-chrome 2,000 tons monthly; this is to replace in part their lost production.
[Page 845]Armor plate for tanks and aircraft immediately is several times the quantities of 1,000 tons monthly already promised. This again has to do with lost steel production.
Hard alloys and cutting tools up to $500,000 per month. High speed steel, 300 tons monthly, and tool steel, 1,500 tons monthly, are required principally for shell production and expanded airplane manufacture.
Other steel needs include hot rolled 7,000 tons, billets 8,000, cold rolled strip and sheet 8,000 each, wire 7,000, wire rope 1,200, alloy tube 300, stainless steel wire 60 and nickel-chrome wire 70 tons, all monthly quantities. Specifications furnished us but also in hands of Amtorg. This is again principally because of damage to or relocation of important plants.
Further badly needed, 4,000 tons tin plate monthly.
Toluol up to 4,000 tons monthly.
OPM7 is familiar with the machine tool requirements averaging 1,200 pieces monthly. They could use second-hand tools if in satisfactory working condition.
Various items of plant equipment such as electric furnaces, forging equipment and miscellaneous factory equipment are pressed for early release in view their urgent program expansion in the Urals.
Abrasives amounting to $300,000 monthly. Sole leather and suitable hides up to 1500 tons monthly are seriously needed for army boots.
Phenol 1500 tons monthly and essential chemicals for anti-freeze and various military uses in smaller amounts can only be referred for whatever action possible.
We have offered woolen items and shoes, referred to your No. 3906, September 19,8 which they are considering. Please furnish to Amtorg samples 7-ounce khaki cloth mentioned same cable.
200,000 tons wheat and 70,000 tons sugar monthly also needed. Principal problem is shipping.
They further request up to 1,000 trucks monthly with preferred capacity 3 tons although some smaller acceptable if sturdy road vehicles. Their truck production has been reduced through damage to steel plants while needs for army and movement imported goods have of course greatly increased.
Need for jeeps is immediate and I strongly urge as many as possible be shipped these next months.
British are supplying promptly and monthly thereafter 1,500 tons of tin, 7,000 tons lead, 800 tons nickel, 10 tons cobalt, 3,000 tons electrolytic zinc, 6,000 tons rubber, 4,000 tons jute, 300 tons shellac, [Page 846] large amounts of wool, 1,500 tons cocoa beans and $150,000 industrial diamonds.
We have agreed to examine whether it would be possible for us to help the British to the extent of half their zinc commitment. They are dangerously low in available stock.
Miscellaneous telephone equipment and field telephone cable 100,000 kilometers monthly.
Water tight electric cable for naval purposes 100 kilometers monthly and under-water telegraphic cable 50 kilometers monthly, are asked for and the British Admiralty which has necessary details, will consult with United States of America.
In view of the very great sacrifices the British are making for quick delivery I cannot too strongly urge that everything possible be done at home to arrange top priority for these materials. On most of these items each day counts.
All the above Batt9 and other members of mission unqualifiedly endorse. [Harriman.]
- An official Soviet announcement on August 28, 1941, admitted the loss of Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhe, and that the dam near the latter place had been blasted (about August 20, 1941) and the machinery in the hydroelectric plant had been destroyed.↩
- Office of Production Management.↩
- Not printed.↩
- William L. Batt, Director, Materials Division, Office of Production Management.↩