740.00119 European War 1939/8–744
The Second Secretary of the British Embassy
(King) to the Chief of the Division of Central European
Affairs (Riddleberger)
Washington, 7 August,
1944.
Dear Riddleberger: With reference to our recent
conversation, I have pleasure in sending you the attached paraphrase of a
telegram from the Foreign Office to Moscow about alleged German peace
feelers.
Yours very sincerely,
[Enclosure]
Paraphrase of a Telegram From the Foreign Office to
Moscow, Dated July 23rd, 1944
The Soviet Ambassador75 wrote to me76 on the 8th July stating that
the Soviet Government would be grateful for information in regard to
reports that had appeared in the British press suggesting a renewal of a
“peace offensive” on the part of the Germans. He referred in particular
to two reports, (1) a message from the Berne correspondent of the Daily Telegraph stating that the Pope,77 following an appeal
addressed to him by German bishops to help Germany, had expressed to Mr.
Myron Taylor78 his profound desire for
peace, and (2) a Reuter’s report concerning the alleged arrival in
Seville of a German diplomatic mission and connecting this rumour with
stories of a journey by Doctor Salazar79 to Seville,
with the
[Page 539]
Portuguese
Ambassador’s80 recent return to London and with Mr.
Hopkinson’s81 journey to
this country.
2. I have informed M. Gusev in reply that I have no information in regard
to (1) and that (2), like the other reports which have subsequently
appeared in the News Chronicle purporting to
summarise German military peace feelers in the Iberian peninsula in
recent months, is entirely without foundation. I asked him to inform the
Soviet Government that no peace approaches have been received recently
by His Majesty’s Government from German sources and reminded him that
His Majesty’s Government have always promptly informed the Soviet
Government of any such approaches which have reached them in the past
and will of course continue to do so.
