Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, Conferences at Malta and Yalta, 1945

Bohlen Collection

Harriman Memorandum of Conversations¹

Leningrad, February 10, 1945, 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

top secret

		1st Conversation
Present:	Mr. Harriman	Date:	February 10, 1945
	Mr. Molotov	Time:	2:00 PM
	Mr. Pavlov	Place:	Koreis
		2nd Conversation
Present:	The President	Date:	February 10, 1945
	Mr. Harriman	Time:	[blank]
		Place:	Livadia Palace
		3rd Conversation
Present:	The President	Date:	February 10, 1945
	Mr. Harriman	Time:	4:30 PM
	Marshal Stalin	Place:	Livadia Palace

Subject: The Far East—Political

At Mr. Molotov’s request I called on him at Koreis² at 2:00 p. m. He handed me in English translation the draft of Marshal Stalin’s political conditions for Russia’s entry in the war against Japan as discussed with the President on February 8.³

I explained to Molotov that there were three amendments I believed the President would wish to make before accepting:

2. b) should indicate Stalin’s readiness to accept the President’s proposal that Port Arthur and Dairen should be free ports and 2. c) should cover the alternative of the railways being operated by a Chinese-Soviet Commission, both of which Marshal Stalin had agreed to. In addition I said I felt sure that the President would not wish to dispose finally of these two matters in which China was interested without the concurrence of the Generalissimo.

Mr. Molotov indicated that Marshal Stalin had agreed to the first two points but it took me some time to explain to Molotov the reasons for the last. I agreed to submit to Molotov the President’s suggested revisions.

On my return to Livadia I showed the President the proposed draft (copy attached) with the amendments covering the points mentioned (copy of amendments attached): The President approved and authorized me to resubmit them to Mr. Molotov, which I did.

After the formal Conference meeting in the afternoon between the President, the Prime Minister, Marshal Stalin and their associates, Marshal Stalin came to me to explain the further changes he had in mind for the Agreement. He said that he was entirely willing to have Dairen a free port under international control, but that Port Arthur was different, it was to be a Russian naval base and therefore Russia required a lease.

I suggested to Marshal Stalin that he take the opportunity to discuss this matter at once with the President, which he thereupon did.

The President agreed to Marshal Stalin’s revised proposal regarding the ports as above.

Marshal Stalin then explained that he agreed it would be more appropriate for the Manchurian Railroads to be operated by a Chinese-Soviet Commission. He further agreed in the need for concurrence of the Generalissimo on these matters but stated that the Generalissimo should also give his concurrence to status quo in Outer Mongolia.

The President asked Marshal Stalin whether he (Stalin) wished to take these matters up with T. V. Soong when he came to Moscow or whether Stalin wished the President to take them up with the Generalissimo.⁴

Marshal Stalin replied that as he was an interested party he would prefer to have the President do it.

The President then asked when the subject should be discussed with the Generalissimo having in mind the question of secrecy.

Marshal Stalin said he would let the President know when he was prepared to have this done.

The President said that he would send an army officer from Washington through Moscow to Chungking with a letter of instructions to Ambassador Hurley in order to insure secrecy.

At that moment the Prime Minister interrupted the discussion. I had an opportunity later, however, to ask Marshal Stalin whether he would undertake to draft the further revisions, to which he replied in the affirmative.

W. A. Harriman

3. Attachments⁵

[Attachment 1—Translation]

Draft of Marshal Stalin’s Political Conditions for Russia’s Entry in the War Against Japan

The leaders of the three Great Powers—the Soviet Union, the United States of America and Great Britain have agreed that in two or three months after Germany has surrendered and the war in Europe has ended the Soviet Union shall enter into the war against Japan on the side of the Allies on condition that:

1. Status quo in the Outer Mongolia (the Mongolian Peoples Republic) should be preserved;

2. The former rights of Russia violated by the treacherous attack of Japan in 1904 should be restored viz:

a) the southern part of Sakhalin as well as all the islands adjacent to this part of Sakhalin should be returned to the Soviet Union,

b) possession of Port Arthur and Dairen on lease should be restored.

c) the rights possessed by Russia before the Russo-Japanese war to the operation of the Chinese-Eastern Railroad and the South-Manchurian railroad providing an outlet to Dairen should be restored on the understanding that China should continue to possess full sovereignty in Manchuria;

3. The Kurile islands should be handed over to the Soviet Union. The Heads of the three Great Powers have agreed that these claims of the Soviet Union should be unquestionably satisfied after Japan has been defeated.

For its part the Soviet Union expresses its willingness to conclude with the National Government of China a pact of friendship and alliance between the USSR and China in order to render assistance to China with its armed forces for the purpose of liberating China from the Japanese yoke.

[Attachment 2]

Mr. Harriman’s Suggested Changes in Marshal Stalin’s Draft of Russia’s Political Conditions for Russia’s Entry in the War Against Japan

Item 2. b):

possession lease of the port areas of Port Arthur and Dairen en lease should be restored, or these areas should become free ports under international control.

Item 2. c):

Add the following after the word “Manchuria;” at the end of the paragraph “or these railroads should be placed under the operational control of a Chinese-Soviet Commission.”

Item 3.:

Add final paragraph:

“It is understood that the agreement concerning the ports and railways referred to above requires the concurrence of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek.”

Note: Portions crossed out are deletions and portions underlined are additions to original document.

1. The document is labeled “copy” and a typewritten note at the bottom of the first page says: “Dictated by Mr. Harriman”.
2. Yusupov Palace.
3. For this discussion, see ante, pp. 768–770.
4. See post, pp. 952–953.
5. The third attachment was a typewritten copy of the final agreement. For the text of the agreement as signed on February 11, 1945, see post, p. 984.