740.00119 EAC/1–445: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom ( Winant ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:35 p.m.]
105. Cornea18 142. For the Secretary and Assistant Secretary Dunn. Tuesday’s19 meeting of the European Advisory Commission brought to light certain unexpected obstacles to an early discussion of the treatment of United Nations prisoners of war found in Germany upon surrender or collapse. You will recall that in its memorandum to Eden20 of October 25 (my despatch 19746 of December 821), the Soviet Government gave the highest priority to this question. On December 1 the Commission agreed to set up a committee on this problem (my 10609, December 1, 6 p, m., Cornea 13222). At the time the Russians were willing to act, I was left without instructions.
On Tuesday Strang’s23 pressing of Gousev24 to begin immediate discussion of this problem led to a flareup between them. Gousev pointed out the great Soviet interest in the problem because of the [Page 372] large numbers of Soviet citizens who have suffered inhumane treatment at German hands. He also stressed the current Soviet resentment over the treatment and status of Soviet nationals captured by Allied armies. Gousev insisted with considerable emotion that it was contrary both to international law and to good relations among Allies for British military authorities to treat captured Soviet nationals as prisoners of war, and stated in conclusion that in view of the failure to find a satisfactory solution to this problem, especially between the United Kingdom and Soviet Governments, he had no instructions regarding participation in discussion of United Nations prisoners of war. When Strang pressed for discussions on United Nations prisoners of war found in Germany on surrender as a subject distinct from the current problem, Gousev insisted that those questions were closely bound together.
In this connection, I recall my conversations with officials of the International Red Cross prior to our being in the war. I urged Maisky25 to intercede with his Government in favor of adhering to the Hague and Geneva conventions,26 but at that time the Russians seemed little interested.27 The losses which Russia has suffered in manpower and the brutal treatment of Russians in German-occupied areas, which aroused the sympathy of the Russian people and reacted on their Government, have been responsible for a change of policy. In the last few months the Soviet Government has shown a desire to relieve and assist their own people who have fallen into German hands, regardless of the military or paramilitary uses to which the Germans have put them. I also find a growing impression that the Soviet Government would accept the return of white Russians with the exception of a few outstanding anti-Soviet personalities. This new attitude may be accounted for by an unwillingness to save [have?] small unfriendly minority Russian groups in other countries.
I thought you ought to have this additional background on the Soviet attitude toward Allied treatment of captured Soviet nationals, especially as it may affect the status of American prisoners of war captured by the Russian forces in eastern Germany. In view of the Russians’ constant emphasis on their equal role as a great power and their recurring insistence on what they interpret as reciprocity in inter-Allied relations, it is possible that they may decide to organize [Page 373] American war prisoners captured in Germany during the operational period as labor battalions behind the Russian lines. I do not want to be a party to inaction in respect to safeguarding the interests of our soldiers who are prisoners of war.
While the question of the current status of Soviet prisoners is naturally a matter for negotiation in Washington and at SHAEF,28 I believe it would be most helpful in strengthening our position and in safeguarding the future welfare of our prisoners, 90% of whom are located in eastern Germany, if I could be furnished with instructions as I requested on October 24 (my 9134, 7 p.m., Cornea 11629) and on December l.30 In the opinion of my joint advisers and General Barker, G–1, ETOUSA and SHAEF,31 the revised United States draft directive on prisoners of war (see my 11158, December 15, 9 p.m.32) fully safeguards American interests. Early circulation of the United States directive in the EAC would, I feel, convince the Russians of our good will towards their prisoners and might help a great deal in securing early consideration for this vital question. Please furnish paraphrase to Generals Hilldring33 and Strong.34
- Series designation for telegrams from London concerned with the negotiations in E.A.C.↩
- January 2.↩
- Anthony Eden, British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.↩
- Neither the text of the memorandum nor the transmitting despatch is printed. Pertinent parts of the memorandum were referred to in telegram 9851, November 11, 1944, 8 p.m., from London, Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. i, p. 393.↩
- Ibid., p. 413.↩
- Sir William Strang, United Kingdom Representative on the European Advisory Commission.↩
- Fedor Tarasovich Gousev, Representative of the Soviet Union on the European Advisory Commission.↩
- Ivan Mikhailovich Maisky, then Ambassador of the Soviet Union in the United Kingdom.↩
- For text of the convention regarding the laws and customs of war on land, signed at The Hague on October 17, 1907, see Foreign Relations, 1907, pt. 2, p. 1204, or 36 Stat. 2277. For text of the international convention relative to the treatment of prisoners of war, signed at Geneva, July 27, 1929, see ibid., 1929, vol, i, p. 336.↩
- For documentation regarding efforts by the United States to persuade the Soviet Union to adhere to the Geneva Convention of 1929 relative to the treatment of prisoners of war, see ibid., 1941, vol. i, pp. 1005 ff.↩
- Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force.↩
- Not printed; it requested that action on a new directive regarding prisoners of war be expedited by the Department (740.11009 EAC/10–2444).↩
- Telegram 10609, Cornea 132, Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. i, p. 413.↩
- Maj. Gen. Ray W. Barker, Chief of the Personnel Division, General Staff (G–1), European Theater of Operations, U.S. Army (ETOUSA) and SHAEF.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Maj. Gen. John H. Hilldring, Director of the Civil Affairs Division of the War Department.↩
- Presumably, Maj. Gen. George V. Strong, Senior Army Representative on the Joint Post-War Committee of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.↩