Roosevelt Papers: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the President1
urgent
Personal and secret for the President only from the Secretary of State:
From Molotov’s attitude at the Conference and from what he said at a personal visit he paid on me last night I am convinced that the Soviet authorities are bitterly disappointed at our reaction to their request for Italian naval and merchant vessels. My impression is that they desire this shipping as a token to convince their people of our recognition of the part the Soviet forces have played in the collapse of Italy and as an indication that our three countries are collaborating. I believe it is their feeling that they have made every effort to meet us in our proposals in other matters and are at a loss to understand our reluctance to make this, what seems to them, small gesture, particularly as we have not been able to agree to their only two proposals concerning Turkey and Sweden.2 I cannot overemphasize the importance they appear to place on the acceptance by us of this request and I believe it would be of great importance in cementing the spirit of cooperation initiated in this conference if an acceptance of their request in principle at least could be given promptly, even though the technical questions would have to be reserved for detailed examination and negotiation.