860M.01 Memel/580: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union ( Kirk ) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 22—12:35 p.m.]
134. My 106, March 14, 6 p.m.,56 second paragraph. The Lithuanian Minister57 here received this morning a message from Kaunas stating that the Lithuanian Government had accepted the German ultimatum in regard to the transfer of Memel to the Reich and instructing him to communicate the foregoing to Litvinov. He has not yet had occasion to see Litvinov but expects to shortly.
The Minister states that, in recent conversations with Litvinov in regard to the threat to Memel, Litvinov had in no way minimized the gravity of the situation which would be created by a transfer of the territory to the Reich but had characterized it as another of the series of aggressive acts of Germany which had been made possible by the attitude adopted by the powers in the face of those acts; and restated the principle which he, Litvinov, had constantly advocated, namely, collective action and mutual assistance on the part of the powers against German aggression.
The Minister added that the transfer of Memel might be regarded as an initial step toward further German penetration into Lithuania on the basis of a menace to neighboring German territory resulting from what the Nazi Government might choose to call local disturbances within Lithuania. The Minister also referred to the consternation which this last move might well cause in Poland but offered the opinion that Germany is not for the moment inclined to precipitate open hostility on the part of Poland by action against the Corridor.