Office of the Historian

740.00114 European War 1939/1889: Telegram

The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Thurston) to the Secretary of State

Kuibyshev (Moscow), November 21, 1941—8 p.m.
[Received November 22—11:14 a.m.]

1962. Embassy’s 1936, November 17, 2 p.m. The Swedish Minister has informed me that he called on Vyshinski day before yesterday and took up with him the question of Soviet adherence to the Prisoners of War Convention, pointing out that the interest of his Government arose, apart from humanitarian considerations, from the fact that it represents Soviet interests in Germany and therefore has a legitimate concern in the treatment accorded Soviet prisoners of war held in Germany.

In reply Vyshinski referred bitterly to the atrocities being inflicted by the Germans not only on Soviet prisoners of war but on Soviet civilians in the occupied areas, stating that the Soviet Union can have no dealings with a state addicted to such barbarous practices and that it has moreover already given general notice of its intention to observe the Hague Convention of 1907 as well as other international treaties concerning the rules of warfare (see Embassy’s 1458, August 9), which should suffice. Assarsson nevertheless suggested that a declaration [Page 1014] might be made regarding the application of the provisions of the Prisoners of War Convention. Vyshinski’s attitude, although noncommittal, seemed to be somewhat more favorable toward this proposal and he said he would refer it to his superiors for consideration.

I shall endeavor to see Vyshinski tomorrow with respect to this general subject.60

Thurston
  1. In telegram No. 1963, November 22, 1941, the Chargé reported that in a conversation on the night of November 21, 1941, Vyshinsky had stated that he was not yet prepared to discuss the adherence of the Soviet Union to the Geneva Prisoners of War Convention, but he hoped to be able to do so in the near future (740.00114 European War 1939/1890). A similar report on the conference of the Swedish Minister with Vyshinsky was sent in telegram No. 776, November 25, 1941, from the Chargé in Sweden (740.00114 European War 1939/1900).↩