740.0011 Moscow/10–1843
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State
Mr. Molotov, while attending the reception at the Embassy here this evening, sent word to my apartment that he would be glad to say a few words to me. I cordially invited him to come up. When he came in, without much preliminaries, I expressed my high opinion of the splendid results of the Conference over which Mr. Molotov is presiding. I then said that I wondered whether I could say a few words to Mr. Molotov as a warm friend of both of our countries, anxious to bring them and keep them more closely together. He replied in an agreeable manner in the affirmative. I thereupon said that I was very much concerned about the possible course the second front discussion may well take; that the fullest possible discussion of this and all other military questions in which the great allied nations are interested, either or all, should be most welcome at all times, such discussions, for instance, as have been taking place here during the Conference and kept private. I said the danger is that as time goes on terrific controversies conducted by the press in which great shafts of bitter criticism are hurled back and forth between the press of our respective countries, according to their respective viewpoints and calculated to create serious friction between our countries in the future, may largely handicap the very fine movement launched at this conference for ever increasing international cooperation among our countries as well as others. I said this would be most regrettable and that I was speaking without any reference whatever to the merits or demerits of military questions, including the second front.
Mr. Molotov seemed interested to hear this viewpoint and did not undertake to argue in the opposite direction, but offered some comment about how the press might carry on such a growing controversy.
I then said that the second front controversy carried on in public is one of the circumstances that might go far to submerge and divert attention from the monumental accomplishments of the Conference here this week and that another circumstance that may contribute to the same effect is that while some of us know the truth about the military requirements and the emergencies which the Marshal31 feels thus far have prevented him from going away to meet the other heads of governments in military conference, I said the great public of [Page 671] other countries is steadily getting the impression that the Marshal does not desire to go to meetings away from home but prefers to remain at home as in the past. I added that if the Marshal could see his way clear at the end of this Conference to approve strongly its work and at the same time to say that he is thoroughly agreeable to meeting Mr. Churchill and President Roosevelt at points abroad and that only compelling military emergencies prevent his making such trips at any time just whenever he might be invited, but that he could only go when in his own judgment military considerations would permit him to leave home, and then proceed to go as in the pending situation in which he has an invitation from President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill, the effect of this, combined with the Conference, would be world-wide and tremendous.
Mr. Molotov again emphasized the view that most people, including ourselves, did not give the Marshal full credit for the true significance of the military emergencies and their effect on his own movements. I then again reiterated that some of us fully understand. I then said, “Why cannot the Marshal fly down even for one day and meet the President and Mr. Churchill?” He held out a little hope for his doing so and said that if it was so extremely important to have the proposed meeting why was the President not willing to fly just a little further and meet the Marshal in Tehran. I then repeated my inquiry and said “Why could not the Marshal fly down and meet the President and Churchill for even one day and then leave you there as his representative?” Mr. Molotov instantly dissented from this suggestion by saying that he himself was in no sense a military man and would not fit into that sort of a situation. Mr. Molotov requested me the second time to repeat what I said about the Marshal giving public approval to the work of the Conference and indicate his interest in meetings with Messrs. Roosevelt and Churchill, and then undertake to carry out the latter.
- Marshal Stalin.↩