740.0011 European War 1939/21385: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State 99
[Received May 4—12:13 p.m.]
2353. Personal for the President. Since arriving here1 I spent one night with the Prime Minister and Saturday night with Eden. The question of convoys which we discussed was, as you know, taken up by the two Admirals and has been dealt with directly by you and the Former Naval Person.2
I believe your suggestion regarding convoys of 35 ships will be accepted. A possible alternative for reinstating additional convoys later might be an offer of destroyers and cruisers allocated from other than Atlantic convoys.
I find that Molotov is expected here in the next 48 hours. He is coming to complete final negotiations on the pending Anglo-Russian Treaty which will include British recognition of the Russian frontiers of June 1941 (the Baltic States and the Finnish boundaries of that date), So far, in spite of Eden’s insistence, the Russians have failed to include your suggestion providing that the inhabitants of the Baltic States who wish to do so might be permitted to leave those territories with their effects.
I have urged that the British arrange for Molotov to make his planned trip to the United States before the treaty is finally signed. There will be differences between the British and Russians which Molotov will in all probability wish to refer to Stalin. The necessary delay involved would thus give Molotov time to make the journey. I realize that the preliminary conversations may to all intents and purposes bind the British Government but I felt that at least you would have an opportunity to see Molotov before final action is taken.
My conversation with the Prime Minister on this subject was very brief. I feel that he reluctantly came to the conclusion that acceptance of the Russian position was necessary. Both the Prime Minister and Eden feel that Stalin has made the Baltic States-Finnish issue the basis of trust in Britain as a friendly ally. They believe that if mutual confidence could be established it would mean a great deal in the prosecution of the war and in building the future peace. They do not believe that failure to meet Stalin’s wishes would lead to a Russian-German arrangement.
[Page 553]An unfortunate incident occurred Thursday which has been a disturbing factor preliminary to Molotov’s visit. He sent his secretary on ahead to make arrangements for him. He was flying in a Flamingo last Thursday with two other Russians and five Britishers when it burst into flames in the air and was destroyed with all on board. This incident has been kept completely secret but Maisky is very disturbed and suspicious of sabotage.
Eden has been impressed by the recent tone of Soviet broadcasts with regard both to Britain and to the United States. He gave me the following summary prepared for him by British Monitoring Services:
“During the last fortnight, references to both Britain and the United States on the Soviet home and foreign broadcasts have been more sympathetic than during any previous period.
On the Soviet home front the solidarity of the British and Soviet trade unions, the supplies from the two great British and American democracies, like the alliance between the USSR and these two democracies have been very much stressed.
In the Soviet broadcasts to Germany, British bombing was given prominence and German attempts to belittle the effect of these bombings was effectively ridiculed.
In the Soviet broadcasts to France, Britain and the United States were mentioned as the two countries which, together with the USSR, have solemnly undertaken to right the wrongs done by the Axis Powers. Commando and bombing raids were well ‘played up’. American supplies to the USSR were featured repeatedly.
In the Soviet broadcasts to Italy the growing might or British air power was emphasized and Italians were reminded of the battle of Britain and of the German fiasco.
Within the last 10 days Great Britain and the United States of America have been more and more sympathetically mentioned in Soviet broadcasts to the Balkans.”
- The substance of this telegram was sent by the Department to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union for his information in telegram No. 201, May 6, 1942, on the bottom of which was initialled: “OK FDR”. (740.00119 European War 1939/995a)↩
- Ambassador Winant returned from the United States on Thursday, April 30, accompanied by Adm. Harold R. Stark, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe.↩
- Code name for Prime Minister Churchill.↩