Triumph and Tragedy (The Second World War) (42 page)

Stalin now sent me a cordial invitation.

Marshal Stalin to

30 Sept. 44

Prime Minister

I have received your message of September 27.

I share your conviction that firm agreement between
the three leading Powers constitutes a true guarantee
of future peace and answers to the best hopes of all
peace-loving peoples. The continuation of our
Governments in such a policy in the post-war period as
we have achieved it during this great war will, it seems
to me, have a decisive influence. Of course I have a
great desire to meet with you and the President. I
attach great importance to it from the point of view of
the interests in our common business. But, as far as I
am concerned, I must make one reservation. The
doctors advise me not to undertake long journeys. For
a certain period I must take account of this.

I warmly welcome your wish to come to Moscow in
October. We shall have to consider military and other
questions, which are of great importance. If anything
prevents you from coming to Moscow we should of
course be very ready to meet Mr. Eden. Your
information about the President’s plans for a journey to
Europe is of great interest to me. I also am sure of his
success in the election. As regards Japan, our position
is the same as it was at Teheran.

I and Molotov send you our best wishes.

On this I put matters in train.

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263

Prime Minister to Sir

1 Oct. 44

A. Clark Kerr (Moscow)

You will have seen Marshal Stalin’s telegram of
September 30, which is most friendly. Anthony and I
propose to start, weather permitting, on Saturday night.

The journey is much shorter now, as we can avoid the
detour by the Atlantic and Spain, and also that by the
mountains and Teheran. It should not take more than
three days, or perhaps two. The Air Ministry will make
the arrangements with Moscow.

2. I think it would be better to go as the guests of the
Russian Government, because their high sense of
hospitality helps business. But of course we must have
festivities at the Embassy. Will you sound them on this?

3. I am thinking that Mrs. Churchill might come with
me. She has her Red Cross there now, and people in
England would be glad to know she was on the spot to
look after me. I wonder how this would fit in. Of course
she would not expect to go to the Kremlin banquet,
which would be men only. But I presume there are
things she could see apart from her own Red Cross.

Would it be an embarrassment to the Russians, as
there is no Mrs. Stalin? Pray advise me quite freely on
this.Reply most urgent.

The Ambassador replied next day that he and the Russians were delighted that I had decided to come, and that Anthony would be with me. “The iron stands hot for the striking. The Russians expect you to be their guest. The idea that Mrs. Churchill should come with you has been warmly welcomed.”

My wife however decided not to go at this moment. I asked Roosevelt to tell Stalin that he approved of our mission, and that Mr. Harriman would take part in the discussions. I inquired what I could say about the United States’ Far Eastern war plans.

Triumph and Tragedy

264

Prime

Minister

to

4 Oct. 44

President Roosevelt

… We want to elicit the time it will take after the
German downfall for a superior Russian Army to be
gathered opposite the Japanese on the frontiers of
Manchukuo, and to hear from them the problems of this
campaign, which are peculiar owing to the lines of
communication being vulnerable in the later stages.

Of course the bulk of our business will be about the
Poles; but you and I think so much alike about this that
I do not need any special guidance as to your views.

The point of Dumbarton Oaks will certainly come up,
and I must tell you that we are pretty clear that the only
hope is that the Great Powers are agreed [i.e.,
unanimous]. It is with regret that I have come to this
conclusion, contrary to my first thought. Please let me
know if you have any wishes about this matter, and
also instruct Averell accordingly.

The President then sent his fullest assurances of approval and goodwill.

President

Roosevelt

4 Oct. 44

to Prime Minister

I can well understand the reasons why you feel that
an immediate meeting between yourself and Uncle Joe
is necessary before the three of us can get together.

The questions which you will discuss there are ones
which are of course of real interest to the United States,
as I know you will agree. I have therefore instructed
Harriman to stand by and to participate as my observer,
if agreeable to you and Uncle Joe, and I have so
informed Stalin. While naturally Averell will not be in a
position to commit the United States — I could not
permit anyone to commit me in advance — he will be
able to keep me fully informed, and I have told him to
return and report to me as soon as the Conference is
over.

I am only sorry that I cannot be with you myself, but
I am prepared for a meeting of the three of us any time

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265

after the elections here, for which your meeting with
Uncle Joe should be a useful prelude, and I have so
informed Uncle Joe.

Like you, I attach the greatest importance to the
continued unity of our three countries. I am sorry that I
cannot agree with you however that the voting question
should be raised at this time. That is a matter which the
three of us can, I am sure, work out together, and I
hope you will postpone discussion of it until our
meeting. There is, after all, no immediate urgency
about this question, which is so directly related to public
opinion in the United States and Great Britain and in all
the United Nations.

I am asking our military people in Moscow to make
available to you our joint Chiefs’ statement to Stalin.

You carry my best wishes with you, and I will eagerly
await word of how it goes.

Prime

Minister

to

5 Oct. 44

President Roosevelt

Thank you very much for what you say, and for your
good wishes. I am very glad that Averell should sit in at
all principal conferences, but you would not, I am sure,
wish this to preclude private tête-à-tête between me
and U.J. or Anthony and Molotov, as it is often under
such conditions that the best progress is made. You
can rely on me to keep you constantly informed of
everything that affects our joint interests, apart from the
reports which Averell will send.

2. I gather from your last sentence but one that you
have sent some general account of your Pacific plans
to your people in Moscow, which will be imparted to U.

J., and which I shall see on arrival. This will be most
convenient.

3. Should U.J. raise the question of voting, as he
very likely will do, I will tell him that there is no hurry
about this and that I am sure we can get it settled when
we are all three together.

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266

All the major issues had thus been settled. It only remained to plan the journey.

Prime

Minister

to

4 Oct. 44

Marshal Stalin

Your people are anxious about the route I have
been advised to take. It is not good for me to go much
above 8000 feet, though I can, if necessary, do so for
an hour or so. We think it less of a risk to fly across the
Ægean and Black Sea. I have satisfied myself that on
the whole this is the best and involves no inappropriate
risk.2. So long as we can get down safely to refuel if
necessary at Simferopol or at any other operational
landing ground on the coast which you may prefer, I
shall be quite content with the facilities available. I have
everything I want in my plane. The only vital thing is
that we may send an airplane on ahead to establish
with you a joint signal station regulating our homing and
landing. Please have the necessary orders given.

3. I am looking forward to returning to Moscow
under the much happier conditions created since
August 1942.

Marshal

Stalin

to

5 Oct. 44

Prime Minister

The landing on the aerodrome Sarabuz, near
Simferopol, has been arranged. Send your signal
aircraft to that aerodrome.

Eden and I with Brooke and Ismay started in two planes on the night of the 5th. At Naples we had four hours’

discussion with Generals Wilson and Alexander. I was much distressed by their tale. Five weeks had passed since I left Italy at the outset of Alexander’s offensive in the last Triumph and Tragedy

267

days of August. It will be convenient to carry the story forward to its end in the autumn.

The Eighth Army attack had prospered and augured well. It surprised the Germans, and by September I had penetrated the Gothic Line on a twenty-mile front.
2
Kesselring, as ever, was quick to recover, and began to send reinforcements from the central sector. Just in time they manned the Coriano Ridge, barring the way to Rimini, and for a week they resisted all attacks. Then we took it.

Prime Minister to

15 Sept. 44

General Alexander

Many congratulations upon the storming of the
Coriano Ridge and the passage of the Marano. I can
see that this has been a grand feat of arms upon the
part of the troops involved. Pray give them my
compliments. I hope this success may cast a brighter
light on your immediate prospects.

From his centre and right Kesselring sent across seven divisions, and there were three days of heavy fighting at San Fortunato. When it was taken, by skilful combination of ground and air attack, the enemy withdrew, and Rimini fell on September 20.

By weakening his centre Kesselring gave Alexander the occasion he had awaited for the Fifth Army. The enemy had withdrawn from their forward positions to economise troops, and we were able to close up to the main position without having to make preliminary attacks. On September 13 the Fifth Army struck, and two days later the 8th Indian Division, leading our XIIIth Corps, advanced across trackless mountains and broke into the Gothic Line on the road to Faenza. By the 18th both the British and the IId U.S.