Top Secret

BY CIPHER

To Comrades Surits, Maisky, Umansky, Merekalov, Gelfand, Smetanin, Derevyansky, Nikitin, Zotov, Listopad, Potemkin, Nikitnikova.

For your information. In view of a serious conflict between the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, Comrade Molotov, and the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs, Comrade Litvinov, arising from Comrade Litvinov's disloyal attitude toward the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, Comrade Litvinov submitted a request to the CC to relieve him of his duties as People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs. The CC VKP(b) granted Comrade Litvinov's request and relieved him of his duties as People's Commissar. The Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, Comrade Molotov, has been appointed People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs concurrently.

No. 504/cipher. May 3, 1939

Secretary of the CC VKP(b)

I. Stalin

Rodina. 1993. No. 10. P. 48.

AP RF. F. 3. Op. 63. D. 29. L. 71.