740.00119 European War 1939/1999
The British Embassy to the Department of State
Aide-Mémoire
His Majesty’s Ambassador at Moscow reports that Monsieur Molotov on October 1st sent him a memorandum summarizing the letter which the United States Chargé d’Affaires in Moscow addressed to M. Molotov on September 22nd concerning policy towards Italy, and of M. Molotov’s reply of September 25th.35 The memorandum ended by asking for the views of His Majesty’s Government.
His Majesty’s Government do not propose to be drawn by this attempt on the part of the Soviet Government to elicit from them an independent view on the question of Italy, which is primarily a joint Anglo-American responsibility. They therefore suggest that it would be better that the reply to the Soviet Government’s communication should emanate from the United States Government, since it was addressed to them, and that His Majesty’s Government should inform the Soviet Government that they agree with that reply.
As regards point 1 of M. Molotov’s communication of September 25th, His Majesty’s Government suggest that the Soviet Government at once be informed that the full armistice was signed on September 29th.36
As regards point 2, which questions the agreed policy of the United States Government and His Majesty’s Government of regulating the application of the armistice terms according to services rendered, the Prime Minister has already made it clear to the President that in his view we cannot be put in a position of having to defer to the Soviet Government on this point. (Mr. Churchill said, “We cannot be put in a position where our two armies are doing all the fighting but Russians have a veto and must be consulted upon any minor variation of the armistice terms, which Eisenhower considers militarily essential. Unconditional surrender and terms expressing it are basic principle. The Commander-in-Chief must be free to apply it as, when and how he thinks most helpful.”)
As regards point 3, the President and the Prime Minister are in concurrence regarding the reply to M. Molotov. (See the Prime Minister’s telegram to the President No. 442 of October 8th.)
His Majesty’s Government suggest that the State Department may wish to draft an answer to points 1 and 2, and would be glad to have an opportunity to comment upon it before the reply is sent. As [Page 386] soon as the reply has gone, His Majesty’s Government will ask His Majesty’s Ambassador at Moscow to inform M. Molotov that they have nothing to add to the answer sent by the United States Government.