740.0011 European War 1939/14419: Telegram
The Chargé in Germany (Morris) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2 p.m.]
3295. Following telegram has been sent to Ankara.
August 27, 10 a.m. I appreciate your 309, August 23, 3 p.m. to the Department. I have confirmed that the Turkish Ambassador was received only by Ribbentrop by whom he was engaged in conversation for nearly 3 hours. What you learned of the conversation from your colleague appears to be substantially accurate. In addition Ribbentrop played up the alleged enormous Russian losses. He stated that Germany had taken 2 million prisoners and had put out of action 3 million other Russian troops, that effective Russian resistance was nearly at an end, that the town of Nikolaev had been found with all its installations intact and gave other details purporting to show that the German victory was overwhelming. The Ambassador drew the conclusion that these statements which he knew to be grossly exaggerated were made with the object of impressing him and intimidating his Government. This information is from a sure source.
The impression prevails in Turkish circles here that Turkey will not be asked outright to grant passage to the German Army or to declare herself in favor of German policy but will be asked to give more and more positive assurances of a tolerant neutrality, their degree and form to be measured by the proportion and success of German arms. It is expected that this type of pressure will reach its maximum when and if Germany succeeds in occupying all the Russian Black Sea littoral and the Caucasian area.
Repeated to Department.