740.0011 European War 1939/19317

Memorandum by the Assistant Chief of the Division of European Affairs (Henderson) to the Acting Chief of the Division (Atherton)

Mr. Atherton: You will note that Mr. Litvinoff,23 in reply to a question put to him by Mr. Dupong,24 replied that the Soviet Government was not inclined to press Great Britain to send an expeditionary force to Europe this spring because it did not wish such a proposition to be considered as a favor to the Soviet Union. Mr. Dupong interpreted [Page 504] this remark of Litvinoff as an indication that British-Soviet suspicion still existed.

It is possible that a lack of confidence continues to exist between the British and Soviet Governments. We do not believe, however, that Mr. Litvinoff’s remark should be considered as evidence of distrust. It is well established Soviet diplomatic tactics to maneuver in such a manner that the Soviet Government, instead of being compelled to ask other governments to take actions favorable to the Soviet Union, is in a position to act as though such actions were a favor on its part towards the other governments.

You will recall how reluctant they were last summer to ask the U.S. for assistance.25

L[oy] W. H[enderson]
  1. Maxim Maximovich Litvinov, Soviet Ambassador in the United States.
  2. Pierre Dupong, Prime Minister and President of the Government of Luxembourg, who visited in Washington during January 1942.
  3. For correspondence on the beginnings of assistance from the United States for the Soviet Union, see Foreign Relations, 1941, vol. i, pp. 768 ff.