‘A Situation of Delicacy and Danger’: Anglo-Soviet Relations, August 1939–March 1940

Contemporary European History

Volumn 8, Issue 2, 1999, Pages 175-208

  Carley, Michael Jabara ^a  

^a NONE

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EID: 85008565050     PISSN: 09607773     EISSN: 14692171     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/S0960777399002015     Document Type: Article

References (102)

1. E.g., M. J. Carley, Down a Blind-Alley: Anglo-Franco-Soviet Relations, 1920-1939,’ Canadian Journal of History, 29, 1 (April 1994), 147-72.
2. Alistair Horne, To Lose a Battle, France 1940 (London: Papermac, 1990), 138-42.
3. Martin Gilbert, Finest Hour: Winston S. Churchill, 1939-41 (London: Minerva, 1989), 90-1.
4. Shirer, Diary, p. 302; and Horne, France 1940, p. 146.
5. Sir A. Cadogan’, Gladwyn Jebb, 18 Sept. 1939, reporting a meeting with the French chargé d'affaires, Roger Cambon, C14998/13953/18, Public Record Office, London, Foreign Office (hereafter PRO/FO) 371 23102; and Seeds, no. 270, 29 Sept. 1939, C15399/13953/18, Diary.
6. Carley, Prelude to defeat'; idem, Fearful Concatenation’.
7. Shirer, Diary, 192.
8. Sargent's minute, 24 Aug. 1939, C12678/15/18, PRO FO 371 22980.
9. Kennard, no. 205 saving, 24 Aug. 1939, C11985/15/18, PRO FO 371 22977.
10. D. W. Lascelles's minute, 22 Oct. 1939, N5544/92/38, PRO FO 371 23683.
11. Carley, Fearful Concatenation.
12. Pierre Broué, Histoire de l'Internationale communiste, 1919-1943 (Paris: Fayard, 1997), 734-42.
13. Sidney Aster, Ivan Maisky and Parliamentary Anti-Appeasment, 1938-39’, in A. J. Taylor (ed.), Lloyd George: Twelve Essays (London: Hamish Hamilton, 1971), 317-57.
14. Conversation between Lord Strabolgi [Joseph Montague Kenworthy] and Mr. Maisky. 20th September 1939, private and confidential, C14877/13953/18, PRO FO 371 23103.
15. S.L. Oliphant’, Laurence Collier, head of the Northern Department, 21 Sept. 1939, C14296/13953/18, PRO FO 371 23103; and Frank Roberts's minute, 27 September 1939, C14877/13953/18, Conversation between Lord Strabolgi.
16. Halifax to Seeds, no. 686, 23 Sept. 1939, N5736/1458/38, PRO 371 23697; and Maiskii to Molotov, highest priority, very secret, 23 Sept. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 124-5.
17. Halifax to Seeds, no. 710, 27 Sept. 1939, N4803/1459/38, PRO FO 371 23697; and Maiskii to Molotov, highest priority, very secret, 27 Sept. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 131-2.
18. Seeds, no. 349, immediate, confidential, 30 Sept. 1939, C15320/13953/18, PRO FO 371 23103.
19. S of S’, Cadogan, 23 Sept. 1939, N4571/57/38, PRO FO 371 23678; and Secretary of State’, Vansittart, 26 Sept. 1939, Seeds.
20. S.A. Cadogan’, Sir L. Oliphant, 25 Sept. 1939, S of S’.
21. War Cabinet Conclusions, no. 38 (39), 5 Oct. 1939, N5057/92/38, PRO FO 371 23682; and War Cabinet Conclusions, no. 43 (39), 10 Oct. 1939, N5169G/92/38, Sir L. Oliphant.
22. Maiskii to Narkomindel (commissariat for foreign affairs), highest priority, very secret, 7 Oct. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 167-9.
23. Maiskii to Narkomindel, immediate, very secret, 8 Oct. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 170-1.
24. Maiskii to Narkomindel, highest priority, very secret, 13 Oct. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 183-4.
25. Eden to Halifax, personal and confidential, 13 Oct. 1939, N5426/92/38, PRO FO 371 23682.
26. Halifax to Stanley, 14 Oct. 1939, N5296/92/38, PRO FO 371 23682.
27. Maiskii to Narkomindel, highest priority, very secret, 16 Oct. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 190-1.
28. Halifax to Seeds, no. 736, 16 Oct. 1939, N5342/92/38, PRO FO 371 23682.
29. Maiskii to Narkomindel, 16 Oct. 1939, cited above.
30. Maiskii to Narkomindel, highest priority, very secret, 17 Oct. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 196-7.
31. S.A. Cadogan., ’ Butler, 17 Oct. 1939, N5493/93/38, PRO FO 23682; and Antony Lentin, A Conference Now'’: Lloyd George and Peacemaking: Sidelights from the Unpublished Letters of A. J. Sylvester’, Diplomacy and Statecraft, 7, 3 (November 1996), 563-88.
32. Notes of a conversation of the people's commissar for foreign affairs of the USSR V. M. Molotov with the ambassador of Germany. Schulenberg,’ secret, 19 Oct. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 200-1; and Molotov to Maiskii, very secret, 19 Oct. 1939, Butler., 201-2.
33. Declaration of the Soviet and Germany governments,’ signed by Molotov and Ribbentrop, published in Izvestiia, 20 Sept. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 136-7.
34. Maiskii to Molotov, highest priority, very secret, 20 Oct. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 204-5.
35. Notes of a conversation of the people's commissar for foreign affairs of the USSR V. M. Molotov with the ambassador of Germany. Schulenberg,’ secret, 13 Nov. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 287-7.
36. Maiskii to Narkomindel, immediate, very secret, 27 Oct. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 237-5 (concerning a breakfast meeting with Horace Wilson, Neville Chamberlain's main advisor); and the excerpt from Maiskii's journal, secret, 30 Oct. 1939, Maiskii to Molotov., 247-8 (concerning a dinner meeting with Elliot).
37. I. M. Maiskii, Memoirs of a Soviet Ambassador: The War, 1939-43 (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1968), 14-15.
38. Untitled Foreign Office memorandum, secret, not signed, 19 Oct. 1939, C16324G/15/18, PRO FO 371 22985; and First Month of the War,’ Leeper, 4 Oct. 1939, C16151/15/18, Excerpt from Maiskii's journal.
39. Sargent's minute, 11 Oct. 1930, C16404/15/18, PRO FO 371 22985; and Halifax's minute, 11 Oct. 1939, Untitled Foreign Office memorandum. Sargent's minute, 11 Oct. 1930, C16404/15/18, PRO FO 371 22985; and Halifax's minute, 11 Oct. 1939, Untitled Foreign Office memorandum.
40. Sargent's minute, 11 Oct. 1930, C16404/15/18, PRO FO 371 22985; and Halifax's minute, 11 Oct. 1939, Sargent's minute., and John Colville, Fringes of Power: Downing Street Diaries, 1939-1955 (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1985), 40, entry of 13 Oct. 1939.
41. Maiskii to Narkomindel, very secret, 25 Oct. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 219
42. Halifax to Seeds, no. 762, 25 Oct. 1939, N5634/92/38, PRO FO 371 23683.
43. Untitled memorandum, secret, Stanley, 25 Oct. 1939, N5678/92/38; PRO FO 371 23683; War Cabinet conclusions, no. 62 (39), 27 Oct. 1939, N5783G/92/38; PRO FO 371 23683; and Maiskii to Narkomindel and Narkomvneshtorg (commissariat for foreign trade), highest priority, very secret, 26 Oct. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 223-234.
44. Maiskii to Narkomindel, immediate, very secret, 12 Nov. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 280-1.
45. Maiskii to Narkomindel, highest priority, very secret, 13 Nov. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 289-91.
46. Maiskii to Molotov, very secret, 20 Nov. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 320-1; and untitled memorandum, Elliot, 20 Nov. 1939, N6574/57/38, PRO FO 371 23678.
47. War Cabinet conclusions, no. 91 (39), 23 Nov. 1939, PRO FO 371 23683, and Maiskii to Narkomindel, very secret, 24 Nov. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 335-6.
48. Maiskii to Molotov, highest priority, very secret, 27 Nov. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 340-2; and Halifax to Seeds, no. 836, 27 Nov. 1939, N6717/991/38, PRO FO 371 23693.
49. Minute by W. Ridsdale, News department, quoting Tass correspondent, Andrei Rothstein, 18 Nov. 1939, N6423/57/38, PRO FO 371 23678
50. S.L. Oliphant’, Collier, 21 Sept. 1939, N4712/194/38; and Collier to War Office, 25 Sept. 1939, News department, quoting Tass correspondent., PRO FO 371 23643.
51. V. K. Derevianskii, Soviet ambassador in Helsinki, to Narkomindel, very secret, 9 Oct. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 171-2; and M. G. Iudanov, Soviet chargé d'affaires in Helsinki, to Narkomindel, very secret, 13 Oct. & 4 Nov. 1939, Collier., 184, 257-8.
52. Halifax to Seeds, no. 762, 25 Oct. 1939; and Maiskii to Narkomindel, very secret, 25 Oct. 1939.
53. cited above.
54. Maiskii to Narkomindel, highest priority, very secret, 13 Nov. 1939, cited above.
55. Collier to H. Knatchbull-Hugessen, British ambassador in Turkey, most secret, 10 Nov. 1939, N6125G/57/38, PRO FO 371 23678; Knatchbull-Hugessen to Collier, most secret, 18 Nov. 1939, N6585G/57/38, PRO FO 371 23678; and Collier to Knatchbull-Hugessen, secret, 1 Dec. 1939, Extract from War Cabinet conclusions.
56. Burgin, ministry of supply, to Halifax, most secret, 31 Oct. 1939, N5894G/1290/38; PRO FO 371 23697; Halifax to Burgin, secret, 8 Nov. 1939, British ambassador in Turkey.; Burgin to Halifax, secret, 4 Nov. 1939, N6037G/1290/38, British ambassador in Turkey.; Halifax to Burgin, secret, 16 Nov. British ambassador in Turkey.; and Russia: Vulnerability of Oil Supplies’, Chiefs of Staff Committee, no. (39) 142, 2 Dec. 1939, N7104G/1290/38; British ambassador in Turkey.
57. Terent'ev to Narkomindel, highest priority, very secret, 27 Oct. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 235-8; and Terent'ev to Stalin, Molotov, and K. E. Voroshilov, commissar for defence, very secret, 7 Dec. 1939, ministry of supply., 373-80.
58. Maiskii to Narkomindel, immediate, very secret, 29 Nov. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 347-9.
59. Maiskii to Molotov, secret, 11 Dec. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 391-6.
60. Seeds, no. 503, 6 Dec. 1939, and various minutes by Foreign Office officials, 8 Dec. 1939, N7134/57/38, PRO FO 371 23678, and Snow to FO, 6 Nov. 1939 & FO to Snow, 24 Nov. 1939, N6667/991/38, PRO FO 371 23693
61. Cairns, Winter War’, 212; and Horne, France 1940, 179-80.
62. Cadogan's minute, 1 Dec. 1939, N7143/57/38; PRO FO 371 23678.
63. Minutes by Sargent and Halifax, 2 Dec. 1939, C19731/3356/18, PRO FO 371 23074.
64. Surits to Narkomindel, very secret, 23 Dec. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 439-40.
65. E.g. Record of conversation of the people's commissar for foreign affairs V. M. Molotov with the ambassador of Turkey in the USSR A. Kh. Aktay’, secret, 28 Dec. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 452-4.
66. Maiskii to Narkomindel, very secret, 23 Dec. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 441-2.
67. Maiskii to Narkomindel, immediate, very secret, 25 Dec. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 448-9.
68. John Harvey (ed.), The Diplomatic Diaries of Oliver Harvey, 1937-1940 (London: Collins, 1970), entry of 24 Dec. 1939, 332.
69. Brock Millman, The Ill-Made Alliance: Anglo-Turkish Relations, 1934-1940 (Montréal & Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 1998), 351-6; and Sargent's minute, 19 Jan. 1940, N1147/283/38, PRO FO 371 24851.
70. Vansittart's untitled memorandum, 29 Mar. 1940, N3210G/49/38, PRO FO 371 24846.
71. Cadogan's minutes, 19 Jan. 1940, N1147/283/38; PRO FO 371 24851; and 25 Mar. 1940, N3698G/40/38, PRO FO 371 24846.
72. R. Campbell, British ambassador in Paris, no. 36 saving, 12 Jan. 1940, N546/341/38, PRO FO 371 24853; and Harvey, Diary, entry of 29 Feb. 1940, 338.
73. Horne, France 1940, 183; and Cadogan's minutes, 25 Mar. 1940, cited above.
74. A. J. P. Taylor, English History, 1914-1945 (New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1965), 469, n. 1.
75. For example, see Record[s] of conversation of the people's commissar for foreign affairs V. M. Molotov with the ambassador of Germany in the USSR von der Schulenberg’, secret, 17 Oct., 26 Oct., 2 Nov., 4 Dec., 9 Dec., 17 Dec., 22 Dec. 1939, DVP, XXII, bk. 2, 193-4, 252-3, 365-7, 386-7, 418-20, 436-7; From notes of a conversation of the deputy commissar for foreign affairs V. P. Potemkin with the ambassador in Germany in the USSR von der Schulenberg’, secret, 11 Oct. 1939, English History. 176-7; Record[s] of conversation of the people's commissar for foreign affairs V. M. Molotov with the ambassador of Germany in the USSR von der Schulenberg’, secret, 7 Jan., 25 Jan., 5 March, 26 March 1940, DVP, XXIII, bk. 1, 23-6, 49-53, 128-9, 184-7; and Conversation in the Kremlin of the general secretary TsK VKP(b) I. V. Stalin with the special representative. of Germany K. Ritter’, special file, 29 Jan. 1940, English History., 57-61.
76. Albert Resis (ed.), Molotov Remembers: Inside Kremlin Politics, Conversations with Felix Chuev (Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 1993), 11, 21-32.
77. Maiskii to Molotov, 26 Jan. 1940, DVP, XXIII, bk. 1, 53-56.
78. Halifax to J. H. Le Rougetel, British chargé d'affaires in Moscow, no. 52, confidential, 8 Feb. 1940, N1390/30/38, PRO FO 371 24843.
79. Conversation of the plenipotentiary representative of the USSR in Great Britain I. M. Maiskii with the Parliamentary under-secretary. Butler’, Maiskii, 30 Jan. 1940, DVP, XXIII, bk. 1, 61-3; and Fitzroy Maclean's minute, 7 Feb. 1940, N1390/30/38, PRO FO 371 24843.
80. Conversation of the plenipotentiary representative of the USSR in Great Britain I. M. Maiskii with the Parliamentary under-secretary. ’, Maiskii, 16 Feb. 1940, DVP, XXIII, bk. 1, 88-90.
81. Conversation of the plenipotentiary representative of the USSR in Great Britain I. M. Maiskii with the Parliamentary under-secretary. ’, Maiskii, 22 Feb. 1940, DVP, XXIII, bk. 1, 102-5.
82. Conversation of the Narkom for foreign affairs of the USSR V. M. Molotov with the member of the House of Commons of Great Britain Sir Stafford Cripps’, 16 Feb. 1940 (this record of conversation was circulated to Stalin and other members of the Soviet Politburo), DVP, XXIII, bk. 1, 91-4; and Sir A. Clark Kerr, British ambassador in Chungking, from Cripps, no. 87 Tour Series (this cable was circulated to the War Cabinet), 4 March 1940, N2779/40/38, PRO FO 371 24846.
83. Conversation of the plenipotentiary representative of the USSR in Great Britain with the Parliamentary under-secretary. Butler’, 24 Feb. 1940, DVP, XXIII, 107-8; David Dilks (ed.), The Diaries of Sir Alexander Cadogan, 1938-1945 (London: Cassell, 1971), entries of 23-24 Feb. 1940, 255-6; Maclean's minute, 8 March 1940, N2779/40/38, PRO FO 371 24846; and Collier's minute, 25 March 1939, N3484/40/38, Conversation of the Narkom for foreign affairs of the USSR V. M. Molotov with the member of the House of Commons of Great Britain Sir Stafford Cripps’.
84. S.O. Sergent’, Cadogan, 18 March 1939, N3623/283/38, PRO FO 371 24852; Sargent's minute, 18 March 1939, Conversation of the plenipotentiary representative of the USSR in Great Britain with the Parliamentary under-secretary. Butler’.; Campbell (Paris) to Cadogan, 24 March 1940, N3608/341/38, PRO FO 371 24853; and French embassy to Foreign Office, 5 April 1940, N4007G/40/38, PRO FO 371 24846.
85. R. A. C. Parker, Chamberlain and Appeasement: British Policy and the Coming of the Second World War (London: Macmillan, 1993), 226, 230; John Costello, Ten Days to Destiny: The Secret Story of the Hess Peace Initiative and British Efforts to Strike a Deal with Hitler (New York: William Morris & Co., 1991), 54; Clive Ponting, 1940: Myth and Reality (Chicago: Elephant Paperbacks, 1993), passim; and Gilbert, Finest Hour, 190.
86. Butler's minutes, 18 March 1940, N3485/40/38, PRO FO 371 24846; 29 March 1940, Chamberlain and Appeasement: British Policy and the Coming of the Second World War., Attitude to Russia’, Butler, 5 April 1940, N3867/40/38, Chamberlain and Appeasement: British Policy and the Coming of the Second World War., and Conversation of the plenipotentiary representative of the USSR in Great Britain I. M. Maiskii with the Parliamentary under-secretary. Butler’, 18 March 1940, DVP, XXIII, bk. 1, 156-9.
87. Minutes by Maclean, Collier, and Sargent, 21-6 March 1940, N3485/40/38, PRO FO 371 24846.
88. Halifax's minute, 22 March 1940, N3623/283/38, PRO FO 371 24852; and Chatfield to Halifax, 27 March 1940, N3715G/40/38, PRO FO 371 24846.
89. Conversation of the plenipotentiary representative of the USSR in Great Britain I. M. Maiskii with the minister for foreign affairs. Halifax’, 27 March 1940, DVP, XXIII, bk. 1, 188-91; Halifax to Le Rougetel, no. 146, confidential, 28 March 1940, N3706/5/38, PRO FO 371 24839.
90. Untitled note by Maclean, 1 April 1940, and Sargent's minute, 18 May 1940, N4091G/40/38, PRO FO 371 24846.
91. Alexander, Gamelin, pp. 291-8.
92. Gorodetsky, Cripps, 177ff; and Dilks, Cadogan Diary, entry of 4 Dec. 1940, 338.
93. Conversation in the Kremlin of the general secretary TsK VKP(b) I. V. Stalin with the ambassador of Great Britain in the USSR Sir S. Cripps,’ very secret, 1 July 1940, DVP, XXIII, bk. 1, 394-400; Cripps to Collier, 16 July 1940, N6526/30/38, PRO FO 371 24845; and Comments on the Recent Conversation between His Majesty's Ambassador at Moscow and M. Stalin’, W.P. (40) 254, 9 July 1940, R6763G/316/44, PRO FO 371 25016.
94. Maiskii to Narkomindel, highest priority, 3-4 July 1940, DVP, XXIII, bk. 1, 408-9 (cf. Churchill's brief minute on the meeting, 9 July 1940, N5973/5496/38, PRO FO 371 24856); and Gilbert, Finest Hour, 478, 503.
95. Conversation of the Narkom for foreign affairs of the USSR V. M. Molotov with the ambassador of Great Britain in the USSR Sir S. Cripps’, 7 Aug. 1940 DVP, XXIII, bk. 1, 485-7, 207-8.
96. Cripps, nos. 591-2, 8 Aug. 1940, N6105/40/38, PRO FO 371 24847.
97. Secretary of State’, Vansittart, 9 Aug. 1940, N6105/40/38, PRO FO 371 24847.
98. Secretary of State, Sir Orme Sargent’, Butler, 3 Oct. 1940, N6783/30/38, PRO FO 371 24845; and Conversation of the plenipotentiary representative of the USSR in Great Britain I. M. Maiskii with the Parliamentary under-secretary of state for foreign affairs R. Butler’, Maiskii, 3 Oct. 1940, DVP, XXIII, bk. 1, 647-51.
99. Cripps, no. 865, immediate, 15 Oct. 1940, N6875/30/38, PRO FO 371 24845; and Secretary of State’, Vansittart, 16 Oct. 1940, Secretary of State.
100. Notes from the commissariat of defence of the USSR (for Stalin and Molotov), no. 103-202/06, 18 Sept. 1940, Organy gosudarstvennoi bezopasnosti SSSR v Velikoi Otechestvennoi voine (Moscow: Kniga i biznes’, 1995, I, bk. 1, 253-8; and Shirer, Diary, 550, 558.
101. Jonathan Haslam, Soviet-German Relations and the Origins of the Second World War: The Jury is Still Out’, Journal of Modern History, vol. 69, no. 4 (December 1997), 788; and Molotov Remembers, 69.
102. From Eden's speech after the signature of the Anglo-Soviet treaty of mutual assistance, in Oleg A. Rzheshevsky (ed.), War and Diplomacy: The Making of the Grand Alliance (Amsterdam: Harwood Academic Publishers, 1996), 159; and Maiskii, Memoirs, 33.