Head of WAVES to wed minister
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Youngstown Vindicator (July 18, 1945)
Eliot: Japs’ best units not in home isles
Believes big blow came before foe completed troop shift
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot
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Allies in need of anti-Nazis
Group in Germany to play big role in political reeducation of Reich
By Max Werner
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Lawrence: Russians seen in peace role
Molotov’s talk with Jap envoy may foreshadow surrender move
By David Lawrence
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*Mussolini says he erred in 1922, let king remain
Duce believed Fascists were welcome in Rome but after that began complex diarchy
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U.S. State Department (July 18, 1945)
761.94/7-2145: Telegram
The Japanese Ambassador in the Soviet Union to the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs
Moscow, July 18, 1945 — 11:28 p.m.
[Translation]
very secret
very urgent
1416
Re your telegram No. 913-2
The so-called unconditional surrender or peace obtained by some-thing close to unconditional surrender referred to in my telegram No. 1392 and others which I sent from time to time, omits the problem of protecting the fundamental character of our nation. It goes without saying that even in conducting negotiations with the Soviets on the subject of your telegram, the absolute desire on the part of 70 million citizens as regards our form of government should be forcefully stressed. Therefore I have already added a statement in the latter portion of my telegram No. 1143, believing that there should be no fear of a misunderstanding arising therefrom on this matter; I mention this only in order to make sure.
If the matter of the preservation of our form of government were already taken care of, whether you call it unconditional surrender or whether you call it something close to this condition, in the final analysis it is a matter of degree. As for us I think it should not be made an absolute condition. Concerning the early portion of the telegram, I would like to express my humble opinion at another time after giving the matter full consideration.
Log of the President’s Trip to the Berlin Conference
Wednesday, July 18:
Sergeant Truman had breakfast with the President this morning.
The President conferred with the Secretary of State and a number of his advisers during the forenoon.
At 1315 the President, accompanied by Mr. Ross, General Vaughan, and Captain Vardaman, left the Little White House by foot for the Prime Minister’s quarters. There the President lunched privately with the Prime Minister while Mr. Ross, General Vaughan, and Captain Vardaman had lunch with Junior Commander Mary Churchill and some, other members of the Prime Minister’s personal staff.
At 1450 the President, together with the Prime Minister and Miss Churchill, left the Prime Minister’s residence and walked down the street to Mr. Eden’s quarters where they met Mr. Eden and Secretary Byrnes. The party then returned to the Prime Minister’s house. The President’s party assembled at the Prime Minister’s and left with him for Generalissimo Stalin’s quarters so that the President could return Marshal Stalin’s earlier call.
At 1500 a pouch with mail for the White House was dispatched to Washington.
1504: The President and his party arrived at the Generalissimo’s quarters. The President was met as he alighted from his car by Mr. Molotov who escorted him and his party inside where Mr. Stalin awaited. Although most of our party had just left the luncheon table, we were ushered to a large dining table where a buffet lunch was served us. After lunch with attending toasts, the President talked briefly with the Generalissimo. Then they posed for still and motion pictures. The President and party left the Generalissimo’s house at 1600 for Cecilienhof. We arrived at the Palace at 1608.
At 1615 the second meeting of the Berlin Conference was convened. The meeting adjourned at 1800, and the President and his party left immediately to return to the Little White House.
1930: Assistant Secretary Clayton, Assistant Secretary Dunn, and Mr. Donald Russell were dinner guests of the President. The U.S. Headquarters, Berlin District, Army Band, under the direction of Warrant Officer Frank J. Rosato, played during the dinner hour…
The Syonan Shimbun (July 19, 1945)
Enemy admits 291 B-29s lost in recent raids on Nippon homeland
Foe air strength being steadily destroyed
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Salzburger Nachrichten (July 19, 1945)
Truman führt den Vorsitz
BERLIN, 18. Juli (PW) – Am Dienstagnachmittag begann in Potsdam die Dreimächte-Konferenz. Folgendes amtliche Kommuniqué wurde ausgegeben:
Die Potsdamer Konferenz der Regierungschefs von Großbritannien, den Vereinigten Staaten und der Sowjetunion nahm heute um 17 Uhr ihren Anfang. Der Präsident der Vereinigten Staaten wurde von den beiden anderen Regierungschefs aufgefordert, den Vorsitz bei den Zusammenkünften der Konferenz zu übernehmen. Es fand ein vorläufiger Meinungsaustausch darüber statt, welche Fragen von den drei Regierungschefs entschieden werden sollen. Ferner wurde beschlossen, dass die drei Außenminister regelmäßig zusammentreffen sollen, um die vorbereitende Tätigkeit der Konferenz durchzuführen.
Churchill lud Präsident Truman zu einem Frühstück in die Villa am See den Wohnsitz des Ministerpräsidenten, ein. In einer der benachbarten Villen empfing der britische Außenminister Anthony Eden den amerikanischen Außenminister James Byrnes als Gast.