740.0011 European War 1939/3597: Telegram
The Minister in Latvia (Wiley) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:08 p.m.]
115. The Military Attaché has just arrived in Riga from Kaunas. In Kovno,19 Lithuanian General Staff circles frankly foresee new Soviet demands of a sweeping nature. The German, Latvian and Estonian Military Attachés told Huthsteiner that the incidents alleged by the Soviet Government had been fabricated. All regarded the situation as grave. The German Military Attaché made the prediction that new Soviet demands on Lithuania would involve not only an increase of the Soviet armed forces but a great measure of control over Lithuanian domestic affairs. Of course, he went on, similar demands would be made on the other Baltic States. The German Military Attaché added that it was now clear that Germany had been guilty of a damnable blunder in evacuating the German Baits.
On his return from Kaunas, Huthsteiner met the German Military Attaché to Helsinki and Tallinn who until recently was accredited here also. He forecast that by September 1st the Baltic States would cease to exist.
Major Huthsteiner’s impression is that the German General Staff expect the Russians to take over this area and that for the present Germany will not make serious objection.
[Page 367]The Major’s German informants confirm the entry of Italy in the war in the near future.20 Hostilities they say will be over by September 1st and England will have to swallow bitter terms of peace.
Please inform War.
- Kaunas.↩
- For correspondence regarding efforts made by the United States to keep Italy from entering the war against the Allies, see vol. ii, pp. 685 ff.↩