Moscow Embassy Files: Lot F–135
Memorandum of Conversation, by the First Secretary of Embassy in the Soviet Union (Bohlen)
| Participants: | The American Ambassador; Mr. Bohlen. |
| Mr. V. M. Molotov; Mr. Berezhkov.91 |
The Ambassador then said that it had been generally understood at the [Moscow] Conference that the United States Chief of Staff was very anxious to have General Deane establish the closest contact with the Soviet General Staff which would be of great assistance in coordinating military plans and would undoubtedly contribute to the shortening of the war. He pointed out that General Deane had the absolute confidence of General Marshall and was not here as a Military Attaché but as a representative of the United States General Staff to assist in the prosecution of the war. Mr. Molotov expressed himself in complete agreement with the Ambassador and promised to speak to Stalin at the first opportunity in order to place General Deane in personal contact with a responsible officer of the Soviet General Staff.
The Ambassador said that along the same lines he thought it very important that General Vandenberg, one of our leading Air Staff Officers and a distinguished pilot in his own right, establish contact with the Soviet Air Staff to exchange information in regard to German air tactics and strength. It would likewise be valuable for General Vandenberg to be able to visit advance fighter squadrons in order to ascertain the use which the Soviet pilots were making of American fighter aircraft and also to obtain information as to the type of fighter best suited to Soviet needs since the old type of fighters were going out of production and new ones were coming in. Mr. Molotov again promised to do everything that he could to assist in both of these suggestions.
The Ambassador then mentioned briefly the question of the shipment by the Soviet Union of medical and other supplies to American prisoners of war in Japan,92 but added that he believed there were some new developments in that situation. Mr. Molotov promised to do everything he could to expedite the matter.
[Page 721]The Ambassador, in concluding, referred to the good care and hospitality which the Soviet authorities had accorded our interned aviators but suggested that we did not wish to impose upon that hospitality too long. Mr. Molotov laughed and replied that he thought this matter would become “apparent in the future”93 and that the Soviet Government was prepared to do anything it could to improve their condition and their “fate”. The Ambassador pointed out that he did not wish to pursue the matter further since probably the less said the better, but it was a subject dear to the hearts of our soldiers. Mr. Molotov replied that it was dear not only to the hearts of our soldiers.