Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, The British Commonwealth, The Far East, Volume VI

740.00119 PW/8–2245

The Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Soviet Union (Stalin) to President Truman

[Translation]^33a

I have received your message of August 18[17].

1. I understand the contents of your message in the sense that you refuse to satisfy the request of the Soviet Union for the inclusion of the Northern part of the Island Hokkaido in the region of surrender of the Japanese armed forces to the Soviet troops. I have to say that I and my colleagues did not expect such an answer from you.

2. As regards your demand for a permanent aviation base on one of the Kuril Islands which, in accordance with the Crimea decision of the three powers, have to come into possession of the Soviet Union, I consider it my duty to tell you in this respect the following.

3. First, I have to remind you that such a measure was not provided for by the decision of the three powers neither in the Crimea, nor in Berlin, and in no way does it ensue from the adopted there resolutions. Second, demands of such a nature are usually laid before either a conquered state, or such an allied state which is in no position to defend with its own means certain parts of its territory and, in view of this, expresses readiness to grant its Ally an appropriate base. I do not believe that the Soviet Union could be included among such states. Third, as your message does not state any motives for a demand to grant a permanent base I have to tell you frankly that neither I, nor my colleagues understand what circumstances prompted such a demand to be made of the Soviet Union.

[Moscow,] August 22, 1945.

1. This translation appears to have been received from the Embassy of the Soviet Union in Washington. A smoother translation has subsequently been published in Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the U.S.S.R., Stalin’s Correspondence, vol. ii, Doc. No. 365, p. 267.