740.0011 European War 1939/516: Telegram
The Minister in Yugoslavia (Lane) to the Secretary of State
Belgrade, September
23, 1939—8 p.m.
[Received 10:55 p.m.]
[Received 10:55 p.m.]
288. One official German source states that Russia is being permitted to occupy two-thirds of Poland for the following reasons:
- 1.
- It permits economy of force in German divisions needed to occupy Poland.
- 2.
- It renders British claims of a war aim to restore Poland more difficult of fulfillment. By occupying substantially only that part of Poland which has a German population Hitler can argue that his action was not motivated by conquest but by racial attachment to the [Page 451] Reich. To restore the other two-thirds of Poland England must deal with Russia. England and France are thus forced in a position where they must consider seriously a declaration of war against Russia. Germany desires to have them declare war on Russia.
- 3.
- It whets Russia’s appetite for conquest and makes more probable her participation as an active military ally of Germany. Up to the present time Russia has committed herself with reservations; the Germans want combined action of Russian air and submarine forces.
Repeat[ed] to Paris.
Lane