Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, Europe, Volume IV

741.61/1007: Telegram

The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Hamilton) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, May 26, 1944.
[Received May 27—1:30 p.m.]

1901. Moscow newspapers for May 26 published on the front page greetings from Molotov to Eden⁶⁹ on the second anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Alliance between the USSR and Great Britain.⁷⁰ Molotov extended greetings to Eden, the British Government and the British people in the name of the Soviet Government, the Soviet people and from himself personally.⁷¹

He stated that as a result of the successes of the Soviet Army and of the Allied Armies, the forces of Hitlerite Germany have been undermined and the common task now was to annihilate the foe by a joint decisive blow. The achievement of victory by the Anglo-Soviet-American coalition over the common enemy would still further strengthen the cooperation between the countries and would create a powerful basis for firm friendly relations between all freedom-loving peoples.⁷²

Eden’s telegram of greetings to Molotov stated that at the Moscow and Tehran Conferences, great events had been blueprinted. Hand in hand and together with their American and other Allies the two countries would carry through to its victorious end the mighty storming of the common enemy and would thus strengthen the bond of friendship and understanding upon which their alliance rested.

Hamilton

69. Anthony Eden, British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
70. Treaty of Alliance in the War against Hitlerite Germany and Her Associates in Europe, and of Collaboration and Mutual Assistance Thereafter, signed at London on May 26, 1942. For text, see League of Nations Treaty Series, vol. cciv, p. 353, and also telegrams 2897 of May 24 and 2922 of May 26, 1942, from London, Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. iii, pp. 558 and 564, respectively.
71. For comparison with Molotov’s luncheon on the occasion of the first anniversary of this treaty, see telegram 547, May 28, 1943, from Moscow, ibid., 1943, vol. iii, p. 536.
72. In his next telegram, the Chargé in the Soviet Union summarized in detail newspaper editorials which he judged to be cordial, following the general line of 1943, but indicated that this year they “express much greater confidence in early victory and place much more emphasis upon political and postwar cooperation among the Allies.” (741.6111/74)