861.24/1–545: Telegram

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

58. I have taken no action here on Department’s cable 2856, December 19, 9 p.m.,63 as I have not received an answer to my 4940, December 21, 10 p.m.64 Part of my inquiries was clarified by the Department’s cable 2871, December 22, 2 p.m.,64 namely, that the last paragraph of the note handed to the Soviet Ambassador65 referred only to action on our part if the Soviet Government had not obtained the prior approval of the United States.

Before discussing this matter with the Soviet officials here, I am anxious to know what our policy is in regard to transfers now being made such as flour to the Poles, trucks to Tito,66 American equipment to the Polish army, et cetera, and our attitude towards requests of the “Polish Provisional Government.” Is it desired that I should make inquiry as to the facts on any of these or other transactions which have come to the attention of the Department or Embassy?

Harriman
  1. Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. iv, p. 1158.
  2. Not printed.
  3. Not printed.
  4. Handed to Ambassador Gromyko on December 19, 1944; Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. iv, p. 1157.
  5. Josip Broz Tito, leader of Partisan guerrilla forces in Yugoslavia and President of the National Committee of Liberation of Yugoslavia.