860C.20/99: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
London, November
29, 1941—8 p.m.
[Received November 29—5:40 p.m.]
[Received November 29—5:40 p.m.]
5762. To the President and Secretary of State from Harriman.
- 1.
- I received a cable from Stalin which I summarized as follows:
- Polish Ambassador to Moscow, M. Kot, had interview with Stalin short time ago, from which Stalin gained the impression that the Soviet and Polish Governments would be able to come to an agreement on all basic matters of interest to both Governments. On the other hand, Stalin advised me for my information that M. Kot did not, during the discussion, bring up the subject of withdrawing Polish troops from Russia for training in another country.
- 2.
- I have consulted Count Raczynski, Polish Ambassador,29 and he advises me that
- (a)
- it was either lack of information or inadvertence which led M. Kot to refrain from mentioning the above subject.
- (b)
- that General Sikorski intends to press the subject in his meeting with Stalin.
- (c)
- that the Poles expect to leave, within Russia, the divisions for which the Russians have supplied arms, and they wish to send out for equipping only the unarmed recruits.
- (d)
- that from the discussions between Generals Sikorski and Wavell,30 it seems clear that India is better than Iran for training and equipping the Polish troops, particularly on account of better facilities for transportation of supplies.
- 3.
- I propose, subject to the President’s and your approval to reply
to Stalin substantially along the following lines
- (a)
- Suitable expressions of my appreciation of his attention to my telegram of November 12,31 as indicated by his answers of November 14 and November 27.
- (b)
- That the suggestion of withdrawing Polish recruits for training outside Russia is in accordance with the wishes of the Polish Government, as well as the Government of the United States, and that I am quite sure that the Polish Government has not changed its attitude on this point.
- 4.
- I am not sending you the exact language of the proposed cable to preserve code secrecy.
- 5.
- Please advise whether the above is approved or whether you prefer I send to Stalin simply a personal acknowledgement and thanks for the cable.
- 6.
- It is perhaps of interest that I had received, some days ago, a letter from Count Raczynski, which he amplified in conversation, expressing his appreciation for my original cable to Stalin and stating that since the receipt of the cable the attitude of the Soviet Government towards the Polish troops had been much more friendly, and it in fact facilitated the arrangements and understandings making General Sikorski’s visit to Russia possible. [Harriman.]
Winant