Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The Far East, Volume V

893.24/1123

Mr. Lauchlin Currie to President Roosevelt ⁷⁰

[Washington,] May 8, 1941.

Memorandum for the President:

Re: Luncheon with Oumansky,⁷¹ May 7.

Oumansky spent a good deal of time detailing to me his difficulties in connection with (a) gold imports, (b) attempt at redefinition of combat zone to exclude Petsamo and Murmansk, (c) recognition of Baltic countries, and (d) export licenses. I looked sympathetic and asked a few questions, but made no comments.

What he appeared to be chiefly desirous of learning from me in connection with China was whether we were actually going to give substantial aid to China under lend-lease. I replied that I thought that the aid would be substantial and would be limited only by physical, not financial, reasons. He asked me whether I had encountered any feeling at Chungking that substantial American aid would enable the Chinese to dispense with Russian aid and adopt a more belligerent attitude toward the Chinese communists. I replied that I had encountered none. Finally, he inquired rather closely of me whether I knew of any impending “appeasement” move on our part vis-à-vis Japan. I replied that I did not. He appeared to be dissatisfied with my answer and said that he would not be at all surprised if Matsuoka did come here.⁷²

One rather interesting thing he told me was that Dr. Quo Tai Chi passed on some information to him from the Chinese Ambassador at Berlin, whom Quo Tai Chi had met at Lisbon. This was to the effect that the German foreign office was highly displeased with the Russian-Japanese Pact. Oumansky also said that the Russo-Japanese Pact would not lead to any weakening of the Far-Eastern Siberian army.

I questioned him as to the significance of the Stalin–Molotoff move. He interpreted Stalin’s assumption of the premiership as a symbolic move, indicating the gravity of the crisis, and associated it with Lenin’s position as premier in equally serious times.

Lauchlin Currie

70. Copy forwarded on May 8 to the Secretary of State by Dr. Currie.
71. Constantine Oumansky, Soviet Ambassador in the United States.
72. Yosuke Matsuoka, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, had been contemplating a trip to the United States; see telegram No. 631, May 2, 9 p.m., from the Ambassador in Japan, reporting disapproval of this plan by the Japanese Prime Minister, vol. iv, p. 175.