What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is a reading from the public record titled “24may films,” a diplomatic cable dated twenty-four May nineteen forty‑four, originating from the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Trade and addressed to the United States. The document appears in the Black Vault archive, a repository of declassified government material, and is notable for its insight into wartime cultural negotiations between the Soviet Union and American film distributors. The document was released to the public through the Black Vault website, uploaded as a digitized text file. The entry can be found at archive dot org slash download slash 24mayfilms slash 24mayfilmsdjvu.txt. No specific Freedom of Information Act case number is listed; the declassification authority is indicated as the United States National Archives, which made the material available for public download on the Black Vault platform. Now we read the key content of the cable: YEN ON A it 1 34 ° From: MOSCOW To: NEW YORK NO I 481 twenty-four May nineteen forty‑four (8 groups unrecovered, 2 groups unidentified) with RXO about organising a nixed company with a (D% capital) of $200,000 run along the lines discussed in the firm's offer. In your negotiations, proceed on the following basis: 1) 11 group unidentified) RKO that in connection with the absence (4 groups unrecovered) for Individual firms lease of American films 11 group unidentified) on percentage unidentified plural noun) [1 group unidentified) therefore obtaining American films [1 group garbled) on a firm account. The supplying of Soviet films to the firm is carried out on percentage (same plural noun as above). The Peoples Commissariat of Foreign Trade (one group garbled) that lease of American films on a percentage basis (1 group unrecovered) but that the USSR does not export its currency. 2) (C« Payment) for (unidentified adjective) American films we (1 group unidentified) on the average $50,000‑60,000. 3) (1 group unidentified) lease in the USA of 12 Soviet films a year on (1 group unidentified) against (unidentified participle) by us on a firm account 8 RKO films for the same period or a different number (C% at a ratio of) 3 i 2. 4) In order (1 group unidentified) films (unidentified adjective) time (1 group unidentified) of films, • are willing instead of the (unidentified adjective) 50% (1 group unidentified) for our films 40% or even 30% (8 groups untranslatable, 85 groups unavailable or unrecovered) film. (3 groups unrecovered) lease of our films (1 group unidentified) country, (16 groups unrecovered) of our films (1 group unrecovered), that YEN ON VENOM A (9 groups unrecovered) will [unidentified verb] to other firms for lease (7 groups unidentified). Considering that (2 groups unidentified) may (3 groups unrecovered) in if group unrecovered) of American films of other firms besides RKO, (3 groups unidentified) in the contract. Basic proposals (2 groups unidentified) in the agreement. Please also inform concerning progress of negotiations: 1) 13…

Why was this case declassified?

This material was released by the National Security Agency (NSA) through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked on this page so the citation chain is auditable.

24may Films

◆ BLUF — The short version

This is a reading from the public record titled “24may films,” a diplomatic cable dated twenty-four May nineteen forty‑four, originating from the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Trade and addressed to the United States.

Agency: National Security Agency (NSA)
Date: JUL 18 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source documenthttps://archive.org/details/24may_films

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Episode notes

Source document: https://archive.org/details/24may_films

Questions about this case

What was 24may Films about?: This is a reading from the public record titled “24may films,” a diplomatic cable dated twenty-four May nineteen forty‑four, originating from the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Trade and addressed to the United States.
Why was this case declassified?: This material was released by the National Security Agency (NSA) through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked in the case notes above so the citation chain is fully auditable.

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24may Films

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