Cipher Message No. 145101 from Meretskov and Grushevoy with a Letter to Stalin from Residents of Dalian

[handwritten at the top: "To Cde. Stalin"]

TOP SECRET

Reproduction prohibited  Copy Nº 1

CIPHER MESSAGE Nº 145101/sh

from PRIMVO [the Maritime Military District]

sent 12 September 1946 7.12-7.14

received 12 September 21.05-22.20

arrived at the 8^th Directorate of the General Staff of the Red Army

12 September 21.30-23.00

by wire

especially important

[handwritten: from Cde. Meretskov]

to Cde. STALIN.

Report:

1. An all-city rally devoted to the day of victory over Japan was held in the city of DALIAN on 3 September. Two hundred thousand Chinese residents of the city of DALIAN, who sent a letter of gratitude sewn in silk about 100 meters [long] to Cde. STALIN, attended the rally. The letter was signed by about 200,000 residents of the city of DALIAN. The signing of the letter occurred in the second half of August of this year at large rallies of the urban rayons of the city of DALIAN.

[at the bottom of the first page:] Deciphered on 0.45 13 September Denisov

8 copies printed

Chief of the 4^th Department of the 8^th Directorate of the Red Army

[illegible signature]

The text of the letter:

"TO THE GREAT FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE, HIS EXCELLENCY GENERALISSIMO STALIN

Today, 3 September, on the day of the great victory, we residents of the free city of DALIAN with heartfelt gratitude and endless respect present this letter to you signed on a red banner. May it always hang before you! May the leaders of the Soviet people, the warriors of the Red Army who fought heroically, and all honest citizens of the Soviet Union who fought see this banner and understand how the people of the city of DALIAN celebrate their liberators. A Chinese folk saying says, "When you eat, don't forget who feeds [you]".

We, all the residents of the city of DALIAN, both small and old, men and women, know that if not for your wise leadership and superior art of command of the armed forces, if not for the action of the Soviet Red Army in the Far East, then there would have been no "22^nd of August", the day of the liberation of PORT ARTHUR [Lüshun] and DALIAN, there would have been no "3^rd of September", the complete victory over Japan, there would not have been our deliverance from 40 years of slavery and bondage, and there would be no peaceful democratic free life. After 40 years of suffering in slavery, having received liberation, we really feel the sweetness of life. We deeply understand that the Soviet Union is the most sincere friend of the Chinese people, and therefore desire straight from the heart to present a gift to you and the Soviet people, and also to express sincere gratitude to you and the heroic Red Army.

From now on we are liberated; however our country is still experiencing the calamities of a war provoked from the foreign and the domestic remnants of fascist elements and reactionaries. However, we want to tell you that we will fight to the end for our strong, independent, democratic, and peaceful country. We believe that the Chinese people will achieve victory under the banner of our new democracy in CHINA no matter what the cost.

Dear Comrade STALIN!

In the name of the flourishing of your country, in the name of the victory of the cause of the liberation of humanity, we wish you good health for many years!

Long live the eternal friendship of the peoples of the two countries - CHINA and the USSR!

Long live Generalissimo STALIN!

The 35^th year of the Chinese Republic

3 September".

In addition, the following gifts were sent to Cde. STALIN at this same rally in the city of DALIAN:

1) A silver plaque [doska] with the inscription, "From the trade union of the longshoremen of the port and the railroad of the city of DALIAN".

2) Four silk banners with the inscription, "From the students of city schools", "From the oil mill workers' trade union",  "From the city girl's high school", and "from the 'Dachzhush [sic]' Food Company of the city of DALIAN".

The presentation of the letter and gifts at the 3 September rally was accompanied by the tumultuous rejoicing of the 200,000 Chinese who attended.

Chinese public figures of the Liaodong Peninsula and many ordinary Chinese expressed a genuine wish for all the gifts to Cde. STALIN be delivered to him personally.

2. A city rally encompassing 15,000 of the Chinese population was held in the city of PORT ARTHUR on 22 August, on the day of its liberation by the Red Army.

At the rally in the name of the city government, the Chinese-Soviet friendship society, and the democratic league, representatives of the Chinese population presented a gift, a silver plaque with engraved pictures and an inscription on it, to Cde. STALIN through the command of the 39^th Army:

"On the memorable day of 15 August the city government, the democratic league, and the Chinese-Soviet friendship society of the city of PORT ARTHUR present a gift to the life-saving star of humanity, Generalissimo STALIN".

The same gift in the name of the same organizations was presented to the Military Council of the 39^th Army at a rally with the inscription: "To the Military Council of the Red Army deployed in PORT ARTHUR - a bulwark of peace".

3. All the gifts and letters to Cde. STALIN received by representatives of the Military Council of the 39^th Army are being delivered to the city of VOROSHILOV and will then be sent to MOSCOW.

MERETSKOV, GRUSHEVOY

Nº 00601/46/OP                                                                      11 September

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Printed by Kapotina 2.40 13.9.46