740.0011 European War 1939/20489: Telegram
The Secretary of Embassy in Charge at Moscow (Thompson) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 20—9:12 a.m.]
75. General Anders,45 Commander-in-Chief of the Polish forces in the Soviet Union, informed me this evening that he had come to Moscow because he had been notified that effective March 20th the number of rations being furnished to the Polish troops would be drastically reduced. In an interview last evening Stalin told him that because of the serious food situation he is obliged to reduce the number of his reserves and that he cannot continue to furnish rations for more than 44,000 Polish troops. Stalin explained that he had expected to obtain 200,000 tons of wheat per month from America but because of the difficult shipping situation he has received only 60,000 tons. [Page 120] He also emphasized the difficulties caused by the fact that the territory which has been recaptured from the Germans is completely devastated and the population starving. Anders told me that he now has some 65,000 officers and men and that about 1,500 additional have been arriving daily.
Anders said that after a lengthy but cordial discussion Stalin had agreed to allow the Polish troops in excess of the rations available to be evacuated from the Soviet Union. Anders is leaving Moscow tomorrow for Tehran and subsequently London in order to make the necessary arrangements for the evacuation of these troops to British occupied Iran.
Anders also told me in the strictest confidence that while there has been no specific agreement on the subject he expects to evacuate a considerable number of Polish women and children to Iran with the troops and said he hoped that representatives of the American Red Cross would be available there to examine the situation of these unfortunate people. He said that their greatest need would be food although they are miserably clothed and many will be in need of medical attention.
- Lt. Gen. Wladyslaw Anders.↩