Russia at war 1941-1945

Molotov had a conversation with the Reichskanzler, Herr Adolf Hitler and Foreign

Minister Herr von Ribbentrop. The exchange of views took place in an atmosphere

of mutual trust and established mutual comprehension on all the important

questions concerning the USSR and Germany. V. M. Molotov also had a

conversation with Reichsmarschall Goering and another with Herr Hitler's deputy

at the head of the National-Socialist Party, Herr Rudolf Hess.

On November 13, V. M. Molotov had a final conversation with Herr von

Ribbentrop.

[ Pravda, November 15.]

Then there was another story on the "festive atmosphere" in which Molotov was seen off from the Anhalter Bahnhof. After 10 a.m. Ribbentrop had collected Molotov at the

Bellevue Palace to accompany him to the station. Again the station was decorated with flags, flowers and evergreens, and Molotov and Ribbentrop reviewed a guard of honour.

Apart from Ribbentrop, Molotov and his party were seen off by Reichsminister Dr

Lemmers, Himmler, Ley, Dietrich, Weizsäcker; Himmler's deputy, Daluege;

General Thomas representing Keitel [etc.]. Comrade Molotov was also seen off by

members of the Soviet Embassy and Trade Delegation in Berlin, to whom he

warmly said good-bye. Having thanked Herr von Ribbentrop for the reception he

had been given, Comrade Molotov then took leave of the representatives of the

German government who had come to see him off.

[ Pravda, November 15.]

Nothing was revealed at the time about the real nature of the Molotov-Hitler-Ribbentrop talks and although, in the final communiqué, there was that phrase about the "mutual trust", Russian readers had an uneasy feeling that something was not quite right. There was a little too much about the flowers and evergreens at the Anhalter Bahnhof, but no mention of any "friendly atmosphere" in the first report on the Hitler-Molotov meeting, even though it had lasted "more than two hours".

Could something be read into the fact that Keitel had merely sent his deputy to see

Molotov off? And into the fact that Molotov had said good-bye "warmly" to the members of the Russian Embassy, but not to the Germans?

[Perhaps the "warmth" was deliberately omitted in the account of Molotov's leave-taking, since the Germans present included such particularly unsavoury characters as Himmler and Daluege. Curious, too, was the omission of any mention of Molotov's second

meeting with Hitler.]

Needless to say, there was nothing in the Soviet papers about the British air-raid on Berlin, which had forced Ribbentrop and his guest into a shelter, where Molotov had

made one or two caustic remarks. But these were to be quoted in Moscow sub rosa

before long.

On November 18 the Soviet press printed photographs of Molotov and Hitler in the new Chancellery; Molotov had a completely noncommittal expression, and Hitler one of those strained and oily semi-smiles, into which anything could be read. Molotov looked much the same in the photograph with Ribbentrop; but the latter at least tried to look a little more cheerful. It was exactly a month after the publication of these photographs that Hitler finally decided on Plan Barbarossa, i.e. the invasion of the Soviet Union.

Molotov's most unusual manner of talking to Hitler had certainly something to do with it.

Although Hitler had considered an attack on Russia as early as the summer of 1940, his final decision was not taken until after his infuriating meetings with Molotov.

Chapter VIII "1941— IT WILL BE A HAPPY YEAR"

On the face of it, nothing seemed to have changed in Russia as a result of Molotov's November visit to Berlin. And yet, all kinds of strange news items began to appear in the press: for instance, a TASS denial, on November 16, of an American report that Japan had offered the Soviet Union the whole or part of India in exchange for Eastern Siberia—

a curious coincidence, to say the least, so soon after Hitler's mention of India to Molotov.