Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, General; the British Commonwealth; the Far East, Volume I

740.00116 European War 1939/655: Telegram

The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Henderson) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, November 26, 1942—3 p.m.
[Received November 27—2:45 p.m.]

497. (1) The British Ambassador⁴⁷ tells me that:

(a) On November 5 he had a long talk with Stalin regarding Soviet proposals for the immediate trial of Axis leaders who have fallen into Allied hands and in particular regarding the Pravda editorial referred to in Kuibyshev’s 909, October 20, 1 p.m. He charged that the tone of the editorial was unjustifiably unfriendly towards the British Government. Stalin denied the charge and only after the paper had been sent for and the editorial had been examined jointly by him and the Ambassador did he finally admit that it was not conducive to an improvement of relations. Stalin apparently felt extremely bitter towards Hess and during the conversation gave the impression that he was still suspicious that the British might use Hess to make some kind of a deal with Germany at Russia’s expense. The Ambassador told Stalin in detail what the British had learned from and regarding Hess and explained the British position with respect to this question. He felt that he finally convinced Stalin that the Soviet Government had no reason for concern with regard to Hess. Although Stalin appeared mollified he nevertheless did not altogether abandon his idea that war guilty Axis leaders should be tried at once before International Tribunal.

(b) On November 24 the Ambassador discussed with Molotov problem of the proposed International Tribunal. He insisted that Great Britain could not arrange for Axis prisoners in its keeping to be tried before such a tribunal without the consent of its Allies, particularly the United States. Molotov agreed that the cooperation of the United States would be necessary before such a tribunal could be set up, but said that in the meantime the British and Soviet Governments could discuss the matter between themselves and perhaps reach some kind of a tentative understanding. Molotov did not take kindly to the Ambassador’s suggestion that following the conclusion of the war the guilty be punished not through the medium of an International Tribunal but as a result of international decisions of political rather than of a juridical character. Molotov made it clear that the Soviet Government desired full-dress political trials apparently similar to the Soviet purge trials of 1936–37 on an international scale. The conversation was of an exploratory nature on both sides and no understandings were reached or attempted.

(c) Molotov then referred to the North African situation and expressed some concern with regard to Darlan (see Moscow’s 482, November 20, 11 p.m.⁴⁹) …

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(d) Molotov was much more friendly than usual during the course of the conversations.

(2) The British Ambassador is planning to leave for England within the next few days and will be away about 6 weeks.

Henderson

47. Sir Archibald Clark Kerr.
49. Printed in vol. ii, section under France entitled “Interest of the United States in political and economic conditions in French North Africa.”