740.0011 European War 1939/31891
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chargé in the Soviet Union (Hamilton)69
| [Participants:] | Mr. Donald M. Nelson70 |
| Mr. Molotov | |
| Mr. Hamilton | |
| Mr. Edwin A. Locke71 |
On October 11 the Embassy got in touch with Mr. Molotov’s private secretary and asked for an appointment for Mr. Nelson to call on Mr. Molotov. Some hours later Mr. Molotov’s secretary telephoned and said that Mr. Molotov would be glad to see Mr. Nelson at any time which would suit Mr. Nelson’s convenience. (Note: The unusual character of this reply is indicative of the Soviet official attitude of special friendliness and courtesy toward Mr. Nelson). The appointment was arranged for three o’clock on October 12. Mr. Nelson was accompanied by his assistant, Mr. Edwin A. Locke.
The conversation between Mr. Nelson and Mr. Molotov lasted for one hour and a quarter. It was conducted through Mr. Molotov’s interpreter.
Mr. Nelson referred to the fact that he had visited Stalingrad on his way to Moscow and said that he had been tremendously impressed by what he saw there, not only the destruction brought by the war and the evidence of the heroic struggle of the Russian people but also and particularly by the spirit of hope and determination which characterized the people of Stalingrad and the manifestations as exemplified in their factories of their determination to live with hope in the present and the future. Mr. Nelson referred also to the ways in which he considered the Russian people and the American people had similarities and strong bonds of mutual interest. He mentioned especially that as a business man and speaking as such he thought that there was a great future in the exchange of goods between Russia and the United States, that the United States had a great surplus of capital equipment, that Russia needed this equipment, and that Russia had supplies which the United States needed. Mr. Nelson emphasized that the characters of our two peoples made it natural that there should develop friendship between them. He expressed the view also that the self-interest of each country lay in the same direction, and that [Page 711] self-interest could and should lay a firm foundation for collaboration between our two countries.
Mr. Molotov made suitable comments in reply to Mr. Nelson’s observations. After the conversation had proceeded for some time, Mr. Molotov asked, at an appropriate point, whether Mr. Nelson thought that Russia could count on receiving from the United States after the war machinery and capital equipment. Mr. Nelson replied that he could not make any promises on the subject but that speaking as a business man it was his firm hope that the interests of the United States and the interests of the Soviet Union would develop along such common lines that American machinery and equipment would be sent to the Soviet Union. He said that naturally American business men would look on the Soviet Union as furnishing a market for such equipment. He expressed the personal conviction that our two countries should work in such a way that a mutually profitable interchange of goods would take place.
At another point in the conversation Mr. Molotov asked whether Mr. Nelson thought that there could be worked out a satisfactory financial basis for an interchange of goods between the Soviet Union and the United States. Mr. Nelson replied that he was glad to give his own opinion on that point. He then restated in somewhat different terms the idea which he had previously expressed that the economies of our respective countries were supplementary and complementary and that he thought there could be and should be worked out ways for the interchange of goods. Mr. Molotov again asked whether Mr. Nelson thought that there could be worked out a financial basis for such an interchange and Mr. Nelson made substantially the reply which he had made before. During the course of the conversation Mr. Nelson referred to the fact that the United States had built up a tremendous war machine, that its manufacturing output was great, that the industry was now devoted to war production, that while the American people could continue to turn their energies to war production if they had to, they did not wish to do that. Mr. Nelson said that he wanted to see our productive facilities turned to peace time endeavor and to producing things which would contribute to the betterment of the lives of our peoples.
Mr. Molotov expressed agreement and went on to comment in regard to the need of peoples being given intelligent leadership. He said that that was a proper function of government and of government leaders. He cited Germany as an illustration and said that Hitler and Hitlerism had lead [led] the German people astray. Mr. Nelson said that he was of course not an expert on this matter but that during his lifetime he had seen the German people first under the [Page 712] Kaiser and then under Hitler embark on programs of acquisitiveness and foreign conquest. Mr. Nelson asked how Mr. Molotov explained the fact that the German prisoners which were being taken by American troops were so sullen and had an attitude that they were defeated this time because they had made mistakes but that they would, as soon as able, try again and would be successful. Mr. Nelson said that these German soldiers were not officers but were men in the ranks. He said that the soldiers seemed to be thoroughly imbued with the Hitlerite idea of battle and conquest. He said that he wondered whether Hitler created the present state of mind of the German people or whether the German people created Hitler. He said that historically the German people had been known for their desire to seize other people’s belongings and other people’s territories.
Mr. Molotov commented that naturally the German people had something to do with the evolution of a Hitler just as Hitler had something to do with the present attitude of the German people. He said that the German people at present were filled with poison and that there was needed intelligent leadership to permit the German people to get rid of the poison and that this would take a long time. Mr. Nelson commented that possibly Mr. Molotov was right and that a leadership could be found which was capable of leading the German people away from their past traits of acquisitiveness and conquest but that he did not know whether this was feasible or not.
Mr. Molotov said that the first task was to defeat the Germans thoroughly, to kill off as many Hitlers and Hitlerites as possible, and then for the United States, Great Britain and the Soviet Union to formulate a common program on how to deal with Germany. Mr. Molotov said that Germany was an international problem. Mr. Molotov indicated that there would have to be collaboration between the three Governments to accomplish the desired end. Mr. Nelson expressed his hearty agreement.
Toward the end of the call Mr. Nelson said that he would like very much to meet Premier Stalin if that were possible. Mr. Hamilton said that the President would very much like to have Mr. Nelson have the opportunity of meeting Marshal Stalin. Mr. Molotov said that he would bring the matter to Marshal Stalin’s attention.
The call ended with mutual expressions of friendliness. As Mr. Nelson was leaving he noted the model of a tank near the entry to Mr. Molotov’s room and exchanged a number of observations with Mr. Molotov in regard to tanks and tank production.
The call was marked throughout by cordiality and friendliness on the part both of Mr. Molotov and of Mr. Nelson.