740.00119 European War 1939/9–3044: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union ( Harriman )

2331. The Department is repeating for your information the following report from American military sources. It is interesting as reflecting the immediate impact of the Rumanian negotiations, though the reporting officer may not have had access to a sufficient variety of sources to make a general survey of the situation.

“Government officials and business men in Rumania feel that Britain and the United States have broken their promises and have abandoned Rumania to Russia. Returning members of Rumanian Armistice Delegation spread story that negotiations in Moscow were dominated by Russians, the British and American representatives refusing to discuss the terms without conferring first with Russian representatives. According to a Rumanian industrialist, the position of the Rumanian Government is difficult because the Government is ignored by the Russians. Probably it will fall. In addition, the Russians apparently intend to undermine the position of King Mihai. The King’s representatives were ignored for 48 hours by Burenin, Soviet commanding general in Bucharest. The Rumanian people, who believed country would not be occupied by Russians, feel their government has misled them. Maniu37 is reported disappointed in Great Britain, having expected more consideration and easier armistice terms. Russian authorities have confiscated all radios, inferior ones being destroyed and good ones sent to Russia. Russian troops are said to have entered and ransacked German Legation in Bucharest on September 11 on grounds Germans had previously stolen furnishings from Soviet Legation. Members of the International and Rumanian Red Cross complain that Russians have confiscated supplies, equipment, medicines and Red Cross ambulances.”

Sent to Moscow; repeated to London and Ankara.38

Hull
  1. Iuliu Maniu, Rumanian Minister of State and leader of the National Peasant Party.
  2. As Nos. 8012 and 846, respectively.