Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, Europe, Volume III

861.24/1165

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Welles)

[Washington,] November 6, 1942.

The Soviet Ambassador called to see me this afternoon at his request. Mr. Litvinov stated that in the last two or three weeks the merchant ships already loaded with military supplies for Murmansk were tied up either at Atlantic ports or at northern British ports and that he had learned that orders had been received by the masters of some of these ships to unload their cargoes. These orders had been issued, he was informed, on the ground that the escorting vessels would not be available for convoy duty in the near future. He stated that he wished to enter the most vigorous protest against these orders which he claimed were altogether counter to the agreements reached between the Soviet Government and the British and the United States Governments.

I told the Ambassador that I would be very glad to look into the matter immediately, but that I was aware of the fact that he knew the urgent duties upon which the naval vessels which otherwise might have been available for such convoy duty were now engaged upon.⁵⁸

He said that he had been informed of this necessary delay over a month ago and that he was beginning to wonder how long this delay would continue.

I told him that I trusted that the delay would not continue much longer, but that I would request that a reply to his protest should be made to him by the competent authorities of this Government.

The Ambassador once more seemed to be in an increasingly optimistic frame of mind with regard to the general war situation. He stated that he believed that if the Germans and Italians could be completely driven out of North Africa and a consistent bombing campaign undertaken against Italy, Italian morale would in all probability collapse during the coming winter months. I added that the news of the past few days was exceptionally encouraging and that I hoped that our common objectives might soon be found.

S[umner] W[elles]

58. These naval vessels were at that moment providing protection for the convoys which had sailed from American and British ports on October 24 and 25, for the North African landings of November 8.