740.00119 P.W./8–2545: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 25—9:30 p.m.]
3061. Received letter from Vyshinski40 this evening asking me to transmit to you from Molotov reply along the following lines to message contained in your 1896 [1898], Aug. 23, 7 p.m.
“In as much as the proposed declaration concerns General Order No. 1, I would like, before answering the substance of the question raised in your letter, to know whether there has been inserted in General Order No. 1 the amendment to the effect that the Japanese forces on the Kurile Islands should surrender to the Soviet Forces, as was communicated by Generalissimo Stalin in his message of August 16 to President Truman.”
In order to save time I have addressed a letter this evening to Vyshinski asking him to invite Molotov’s attention to the fact that on Aug. 19 General Deane transmitted to General Antonov the amended text of General Order No. 1 containing this specific provision. I inquired whether I might assume that this answered Molotov’s question.
However, as the question was addressed by Molotov to you, I suggest that you instruct me to confirm General Deane’s communication in case I find Molotov wishes a reply from you.
- Andrey Yanuaryevich Vyshinsky, Assistant People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs.↩