The Nome nugget., 1942-10-23
Second Front Issue Is Cause Of
 Friction Between Allied Nations

SHINGTON-Unfortunate and inside fact about the statements and ounter-statements for Second Front is that they have increased suspicion, blame, and even bitterness between governments which have to pull together The British blaming the United States the Russians are blaming both.
 This has little to do with Wendell WillFies visit and the camor he touched off. The resentment was smoulderng long before and had been stated just as pungently and foreefulIy in diplomatic cables The trouble goes back to Foreign Minister Molotofs visit early in the summer which terminated with no clear understanding on a Second Front in Europe.
 At that visit the President agreed in principle re- earding the urgency of Second Front but called in Chief of Staff Gen Marshall and Commander of the Fleet Admiral King who after detailed studies, point ed out to the Russians the great risks involved In Second Front before the United States ready; also the effect upon Occupied France should Second Front fail The people of France, Belgium, Holland, Norway, Poland CzechoSlovakia and the Balkans would all give up their struggle and figure that future resistance was hopeless, Mootoff told, if the mighty Unitc Stats, which turned the tide in 1918, should fail.
 Stirring A Hornets Nest
 So nothing was agreed to in deail-except the gen eral principle that Second Front in Europe would be started just the United States ready But no time was set.
 It was about then that Gen Marshall delivered his graduation speech at West Point definitely promising a Second Front, though fixing no time. Aferward the President received phone call from Churchill which upset him considerably. Churchill warned that Mar shas speech was too definite, would false hopes Gen Marshall had made the speech obviously with the advance okay of the President, and for the purpose of worrying the Germans into dverting troops from Russia to France
 By stroke of circumstances the President had scheduled conference with Senate leaders, plus Gen Marshall Admiral King, Donald Nelson and other war chiefs just before the Churchill phone call in AfterWard, he obvious upset, warned Nelson that he must have more steel and don't tell me you cant get it. Then turning sharply to Gen Marshall he warned that there to be Second Front speeches.
 Churchill, of course present at the Molotof conversations high U S. officials flew to London to get his views. This midsummer. Meanwhile the Nazi mechaniZed legions were punging across the plains of South Russia toward Stangrad at the rate of 20 to 50 miles day. Meanwhile also, Army-Navy needs had sidetracked certain supplies which might have gone to Russia conveys via Murmansk had sui cred heavily and Stan getting more and more irate over lack of Allied support.
 Brtain-U S. 5O-5O
 But Churchill remained more convinced than ever that Second Front IN EUROPE was out of the ques- don THIS YEAR Among other things he wanted an approximate 50-50 participation of U. s. and British troops enough American troops at least replace the British in England and defend it if the Second Front failed. So Churchill, the chief NO man, flew to Mos to present his views to Stan face face and if possible smooth down the rumped feathers of the Russian leader
 On the first day of the conference all went well. Staln, the Communist, and Churchill, the arch-con- servatve got along beautifully. On the second day the experts sat down, but did not get along we'll On the third day, Churchill and Stalin, reviewing the conclusions of the experts, to grips They parted good terms but only after being very frank and at times billigerent with each other. However, though no Second Front was agreed upon, Churchill did accomplish the main purpose for which he went to Moscow That was to aay fears that Russia might withdraw from the war and make separate peace with Germany. How serious these reports actually were perhaps never will be known.
 But at any rate, Stalin gave him assurance that he