740.0011 European War 1939/17383: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Thurston) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 12—6 a.m.]
2041. I had my first opportunity for a personal conversation with General Sikorski last night, just prior to his departure to visit Polish [Page 268] encampments to the east of Kuibyshev. Upon the conclusion of this inspection, he will proceed directly to Tehran and thence to London, postponing his proposed visit to the United States until about mid-January.
General Sikorski confirmed the reports I have already repeated to the Department of the generally satisfactory nature of his conversations with Stalin, including Stalin’s very favorable assertions with respect to the reconstitution of a great and strong Polish state, and said that reports which are now reaching Kuibyshev indicate that action is being taken to expedite the liberation and transfer to warmer areas of Polish citizens still held in remote parts of the Soviet Union in labor camps and other places of compulsory residence.
He also stated that contrary to seemingly authentic reports which I had received from other sources, Stalin did agree to the departure from the Soviet Union of 25,000 Polish troops, and he stated that 9,000 of these men well be dispatched to Cairo to reinforce the British troops engaged in the North African campaign and that the remaining 16,000 men will be dispatched to Scotland where they will join the Polish troops now assembled in the British Isles.
At the request of the Polish Ambassador and on the invitation of General Sikorski, I have consented to have the Military and Naval Attachés, Colonel Lambert and Thayer, accompany General Sikorski on his tour of nearby Polish encampments. Vyshinski is also accompanying this expedition and it seemed to me desirable that as many of our observers as possible should avail themselves of this opportunity (the only one thus far offered them since the outbreak of the Soviet-German hostilities) to travel off the usual routes.