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 9, 1942, to Mr. Stalin.
“Your frank opinion on the following plan, which I think may be useful, would be very much appreciated:
“For the primary purpose of explaining to the Governments of Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt the danger they run in a German victory and that their greatest hope for the future lies in the defeat of Nazi domination of the places of the Near East and the Middle East, I am sending Mr. Wendell Willkie to visit the Governments of these countries.
[Page 618]“For a wholly different purpose Mr. Willkie would very much like to visit the Soviet Union. In addition to seeing for himself the undying unity of thought in repelling the invader and the great sacrifices which you are all making, he wants to know more about the wonderful progress made by the Russian people.
“As you know Mr. Willkie was my opponent in the 1940 elections and he is today the head of the minority party. He is heart and soul with my administration in our foreign policy of opposition to Nazism and real friendship with your Government, and he is greatly helping in war work. For the sake of the present and the future I personally think that a visit to the Soviet Union by Mr. Willkie would be a good thing. He would proceed to the Soviet Union by air during the first two weeks of September.
“I should be grateful if you would confidentially and frankly inform me whether you would welcome a very short visit by him.”13
Sincerely yours,