Moscow Embassy Files: Lot F–96, Box 2
The American Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union (Molotov)
My Dear Mr. Molotov: I have just received the following message from the President to Marshal Stalin:
“Personal and Secret for Marshal Stalin from President Roosevelt:
“I have just seen our Commanders in the Pacific theater. Though I am highly pleased with the progress that is being made, I am greatly impressed with the magnitude of the task. Your agreement to inaugurate promptly planning for future joint cooperation between our respective forces has been reported to me by Harriman. I have [Page 985] been told by General Deane of the proposals which he submitted to the Red Army General Staff concerning Soviet-American collaboration. I hope that you will instruct your Staff to pursue expeditiously with the United States Military Mission in Moscow the joint preparation of plans. The United States Joint Chiefs of Staff have authorized the Military Mission to represent them in this planning in preparation for the time when you are ready to act. I feel that there is nothing we could do at the present time in preparing to bring the Pacific war to a speedy conclusion that would be of more assistance.”95
Will you please transmit this message to Marshal Stalin?
Sincerely yours,
- For correspondence concerning the entry of the Soviet Union into the war in the Pacific, see Foreign Relations, The Conferences at Malta and Yalta, 1945, pp. 361 ff.↩