740.0011 European War 1939/498: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State

2123. The information published by the DNB77 of Berlin to the effect that the Russian frontier in Poland would follow the rivers Pisa, Narew, Vistula and San—which will leave on the Russian side of the boundary both the oil fields of Galicia and the rich wheat fields and [of?] Volhynia—has reinforced the impression of the French Foreign Office that the Soviet Government is not acting so much as an ally of Germany as preparing the way for an eventual Bolshevization of Germany as well as the Balkans and all the rest of Europe. It is believed that the Soviet policy will be to keep the war in Europe going until general collapse.

It is considered increasingly unlikely that the Soviet Union will permit a German seizure of Rumania. Furthermore, information reaching Paris indicates that Germany will have at her disposal all the resources of Rumania without occupying the country. For example, in the 3 weeks since the outbreak of the war 10 times the amount of oil was shipped from Rumania to Germany as is shipped ordinarily in a month.

Until the latest moment last night the French and British were in hopes that the Turkish Government would sign the agreement which has been under negotiation. However, the Turks finally stated that they could not sign the agreement until after the return of the Foreign Minister from Moscow.78 The Turks asserted, however, that they intended to sign the agreement.

The French Foreign Office has no new information as to the attitude of Italy; but the Polish Ambassador has just informed me that when the Polish Ambassador in Rome saw Ciano 3 days ago Ciano spoke with the most cynical contempt about France and England saying that in the end they would both be wiped out by the dictatorships. Since Ciano as recently as a week ago had spoken with great respect about France and England to the Polish Ambassador the conversation cited above seemed to indicate an alteration in policy.

Bullitt
  1. Deutsches Nachrichten Büro, German semi-official news agency.
  2. See telegram No. 765, October 17, 7 p.m., from the Ambassador in the Soviet Union, p. 484.