In a post from yesterday, we reported on the West’s efforts to convince the Soviet Union to declare war against Japan after the latter’s 7 December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, stressing that it would offer the US a chance to make use of prime Soviet real estate in the Far East (to wit, Soviet airfields) in attacking the Japanese. Ultimately, it was decided to not pressure the Soviets in this regard, as they had their hands full dealing with the Nazis.
Today, we present a translation of similar hemming and hawing regarding whether or not to perform some dexterous diplomatic arm-twisting on Moscow to allow the Yanks to deploy from Soviet soil to carry out their operations. The wording is a bit toned down, this time suggesting Stalin and Company merely speak out against the Japanese, thus opening the door to the Americans. What we’re left with is a ping pong match of five separate telegrams, to and from the Foreign Office, involving the likes of Vice President Henry Wallace, Lord Halifax, British diplomat Stafford Cripps, and Chinese military leader Chiang Kai-shek.
To make the affair even more interesting, the source of the information is none other than presumed Cambridge Five associate John Cairncross, under the pseudonym LIST, operating free of suspicion in London and passing along his information to Soviet London resident Anatoly Gorsky (using the pseudonym VADIM) to deliver up-chain to Kremlin leadership.
We believe we have access to much more regarding the Japan issue from this cast of characters, and hope to provide translations over the coming weeks. Here’s the latest.
CIPHER TELEGRAM NO. 8974
From LONDON
Received 15 XII 1941 at 0240 Decoded 15 XII 1941 at 1200
Further to No. 1456.
Materials from “List”. We are transmitting the contents of an urgent telegram from HALIFAX No. 5681, dated 8 December to the British Foreign Office [Закоулок]:
“1. The Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs [in English: / THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE / ] in a conversation today spoke about the benefits that the US could obtain if Russia spoke out against Japan and authorized the US the use of its air bases.
“2. You and the Chiefs of Staff of course are bearing in mind everything in the previous paragraph, but I am forwarding it to you since the Vice Minister spoke with special emphasis on this question. He argued assertively that it would also be advantageous for the Russians.
“3. He expressed his satisfaction with the actions and behavior of the South American republics.”
Here, we are transmitting the contents of the Foreign Office No. 295, dated 9 December, to Stafford CRIPPS:
“In telegram No. 5681, Lord HALIFAX reported that on the 8th of December, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs spoke with him on the benefits that the US could receive, should Russia speak out against Japan and allowed the US the use of its air bases.
“Mister WALLACE persistently argued that it would be to the advantage of the Russians.
“We now ask of the US government has made any recommendations to the Soviet government in accordance with the above.
Here, we are transmitting the contents of the urgent telegram from the Foreign Office No. 6226, dated 9 December to HALIFAX:
“Regarding your telegram No. 5681 dated 8 December. Has the US made any recommendations to the Soviet government in terms of paragraphs 1 and 2?”
Here, we are transmitting the contents of the urgent telegram from HALIFAX No, 5731, dated 10 December to the Foreign Office:
“Regarding your telegram No. 6823:
“1. The US government has not yet made any such recommendation, but today WALLACE told me that they have decided to make the recommendation. He said that any assistance you can offer will be highly valued.”
Here, we are transmitting the contents of the telegram from the English ambassador in Chongqing No. 654, dated 11 December to the Foreign Office:
“1. Chiang Kai-shek has returned to the question of a declaration of war by the Soviet Union. He said that initially the reaction of the Russian military adviser was negative. Now, however, he got a sense that any chances at a Soviet declaration of war would increase significantly, if a military pact was concluded and they were provided with concrete evidence of the existence of a coordinated allied strategy in the Far East.
“2. Chiang Kai-shek attaches great importance to the American influence on the Soviet government, and hopes that we can make a corresponding recommendation to the US government.”
13.XII.41 No. 1473 VADIM
Translating History 