Moscow Embassy Files: Lot F–96
The American Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Standley) to the People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union (Molotov)
My Dear Mr. Molotov: The President has asked me to transmit the following message dated August 5, 1942 to Mr. Stalin:
“Knowledge has come to me which I feel is definitely authentic that the Government of Japan has decided not to undertake military operations against the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics at this time. This, I believe, means postponement of any attack on Siberia until the Spring of next year.9 Will you be kind enough to give this information to your visitor.”10
Sincerely yours,
- In his reply of August 7, 1942, Stalin expressed interest in this information.↩
- Within a week the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, was to come to Moscow for conversations with Stalin. In another communication of August 5, 1942, President Roosevelt informed Stalin that he had asked W. Averell Harriman “to go to Moscow to be at your call and that of your visitor to render any help which he may possibly give.” Harriman had proposed in a telegram from London on August 4 to the President that he should go to Moscow, overtaking the Prime Minister on the way, because “your sending me along would indicate to our host our agreement on military and political matters and show your extreme personal interest at this critical moment. Also my personal report to you might be of particular value.” (No indication of a written report has been found at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, N. Y.) On the same day the President replied that he hesitated to have Harriman go, “for I do not want anyone anywhere to have the slightest suspicion that you are acting as an observer.” Following the receipt of a telegram from Prime Minister Churchill asking for Harriman’s presence in Moscow because he had “a somewhat raw job” to do and felt that “things would be easier if we all seemed to be together,” the President authorized Harriman by telegram on August 5 to leave for Moscow as soon as possible. Stalin briefly expressed on August 7 his appreciation to the President “for the advice concerning the forthcoming arrival of Mr. Harriman in Moscow.”↩