761.94/7-2145: Telegram
Moscow, July 24, 1945 — 5:56 p.m.
[Translation]
Urgent
1441
Re your telegram No. 932
We received this telegram on the 22nd, but your telegram No. 931 did not arrive until today, the 24th. After considering the manner of presenting our proposal, we intend to suggest a meeting with Lozovsky.
Cecilienhof Palace, Potsdam
| Present | ||
|---|---|---|
| United States | Soviet Union | |
| President Truman | Generalissimo Stalin | |
| Mr. Pavlov |
Truman: “On July 24 I casually mentioned to Stalin that we had a new weapon of unusual destructive force. The Russian Premier showed no special interest. All he said was that he was glad to hear it and hoped we would make ‘good use of it against the Japanese.’”
Byrnes: “At the close of the meeting of the Big Three on the afternoon of July 24, the President walked around the large circular table to talk to Stalin. After a brief conversation the President rejoined me and we rode back to the ‘Little White House’ together. He said he had told Stalin that, after long experimentation, we had developed a new bomb far more destructive than any other known bomb, and that we planned to use it very soon unless Japan surrendered. Stalin’s only reply was to say that he was glad to hear of the bomb and he hoped we would use it.”
Leahy: “At the plenary session on July 24, Truman walked around to Stalin and told him quietly that we had developed a powerful weapon, more potent than anything yet seen in war. The President said later that Stalin’s reply indicated no especial interest and that the Generalissimo did not seem to have any conception of what Truman was talking about. It was simply another weapon and he hoped we would use it effectively.”
Churchill: “Next day, July 24, after our plenary meeting had ended and we all got up from the round table and stood about in twos and threes before dispersing, I saw the President go up to Stalin, and the two conversed alone with only their interpreters. I was perhaps five yards away, and I watched with the closest attention the momentous talk. I knew what the President was going to do. What was vital to measure was its effect on Stalin. I can see it all as if it were yesterday. He seemed to be delighted.… As we were waiting for our cars I found myself near Truman. ‘How did it go?’ I asked. ‘He never asked a question,’ he replied.”
| Present | ||
|---|---|---|
| United States | Poland | |
| Secretary Byrnes |
| Present | ||
|---|---|---|
| United States | United Kingdom | |
| Mr. Morse | Mr. Weston |
The principal subject of discussion was the distribution of captured German vessels. In the course of the conversation Morse communicated to Weston a draft memorandum from Land to Clayton on this subject.
| Present | ||
|---|---|---|
| United States | United Kingdom | Soviet Union |
| Mr. Brown | Mr. Gromyko |
Brown: “There was a conference tonight on freedom of press and movement in liberated areas in Balkans. Gromyko came up with a weasel-worded statement on assuring correspondents the right to report out of these countries. He still insisted on military censorship and admitted this could cover political censorship of certain stories. Would not agree to affirmative declaration against political censorship and freedom of press in these areas. Meeting adjourned with no agreement.”
The Pittsburgh Press (July 24, 1945)
2,000 planes hit foe, including 1,000 Navy craft, 600 Superforts
…
Churchill to leave Potsdam tomorrow
By Merriman Smith, United Press staff writer
…
LONDON, England (UP) – Prime Minister Churchill should know by 5 p.m. (noon ET) Thursday whether he has been returned to office by the British electorate.
Ballots in the 640 constituencies of the United Kingdom have been sealed in the boxes where they were cast since July 5 or, in the case of a few districts where local holidays coincided with the general election date, since July 12 and 19.
The ballots of servicemen overseas have been accumulating and have been impounded.
The official count will begin between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Thursday in each constituency under supervision of the local town clerk. The results are announced by the local clerks. The count requires from two to seven hours, depending on the size of the constituency.
By 5 p.m., it is expected, virtually all the returns will have been counted. The results are flashed to the headquarters of the Conservative, Labor and Liberal Parties, and are tabulated there.
Ex-premier brands marshal arch-apostle of defeatism who wanted to be dictator
…
Price chief hopes it will be last
…
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Montana senator wants Congress to retain power over sending of troops abroad
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WASHINGTON (UP) – Usually-reliable sources said today that the Argentine government has arranged to turn over to the United States the German submarine U-530 which surrendered recently to Argentine authorities.
Argentina technically relinquished the U-boat to Great Britain and the United States but the actual transfer is expected to be to the U.S. Navy.