Office of the Historian

Roosevelt Papers: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the President1

secret
urgent
Moscow, 4 November 1943.

(Personal and secret for the President from Harriman.)

Now that I have had a chance to take a long breath I thought you would want from me a review of the more important impressions of the Soviet attitude we got in and outside of the conference room. Certain of the doubts which some people have had regarding Soviet intentions are now laid to rest. On the other hand the character of certain real difficulties that exist has been more sharply defined.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

(3) The Soviets accepted the explanation of our military plans but our whole permanent relations depend in a large measure on their satisfaction in the future with out [our?] military operations. It is impossible to over-emphasize the importance they place strategically on the initiation of the so-called “Second Front” next spring. An invitation to the next military conference is, I believe, essential if the seeds sown at this conference are to germinate. It is clear they never like to be faced with Anglo-American decisions already taken. If they are asked to the conference they will expect to participate during the consultative stage. It is obvious that this will be to some extent a nuisance and time consuming, but from the long view it will be, in my judgment, well worthwhile. It is important to invite Molotov as well as the military staff. His position as second to Stalin is more apparent than on my previous visits. A subsequent brief meeting with Stalin himself is still of the highest importance, and I feel that every effort should be continued to find a way to bring this about. I expect to cable you further on this subject. It would be helpful in this connection if you could inform me of your decision regarding the invitation to the military conference.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

  1. Sent by the United States Naval Attach, Moscow, via Navy channels, in six sections, beginning on November 4, 1943. The portions printed here were apparently received in Washington by November 6. The source text bears the notation “Sent to State for information”.↩
  2. For the paragraphs which are omitted here, see post, p. 152.↩
  3. For the paragraphs which are omitted here, see post, p. 154.↩