Evening star., 1960-08-21
PoTsDAM

Continued From First Page
the notes for State Department
historians.
He said the opening remarks
Involved a comment by Presi-
dent Truman on the view from
Stalin's villa overlooking the
lake. Mr.. Bohlen then took up
the surrender story:
Stain said that the Soviet
Union had received a COM
munication from the Japanese,
and he handed to the Presi-
dent a copy Of a note from
Sato CNaotake Sato. Japanese
ambassador to Moscow =.
with message from the En-
peror. Secretary Byrnes then
referred to something which
Harry Hopkins had told him
following Mr.. Hopkins return
from Moscow in June. 1945.
Stain inquired Of the Presi-
dent whether it was worth
while to answer this COM
munication. The Presid e n t
replied that he had no respect
for the good faith of the
japanese. Stain pointed out
that the Soviet Union was not
at war with Japan and that
lit might be desirable to lull
the Japanese'to sleep, and pos
sibly a general and unspecific
answer might be returned,
pointing out that the exact
character of the proposed
prince Fuminaro) Konoye
mission was not clear. Alterna-
tives would be that they might
ignore it completely and not
answer. or send back a definite
refusal.
THE President said that he
thought the first course Of ac-
/, ton would be satisfactory
Molotov pointed out that it
would be completely factual
since it was not entirely clear
what the Kopoye mission would
have to offer.
Secretary Byrnes observed
it was possible that this jap
anese move had been inspired
i. by fear of what the Soviets
, intended to do. Molotov said
that he was sure the Japanese
could guess and Stain re-
marked that they had observed
Soviet forces and tanks, etc.
moving in the Far East. There
: seems to have been a discus.
, sion here Of previous japanese
, peace feelers not only to the
U US.S.R. but also to the Alliec
, powers, and the President men.
toned that the United State,
had had some indication via
Sweden"
Truman Account Compared
I Mr.. Bohlen's account in tht
: PotSdam papers differs sharply
| from the impression left by Mr.
: Truman in his memoirs pub
lished in 1855. In Year of De,
, cisions." Mr.. Truman has onl,
: this to say Of his second meet
, ing with Stain on July 18:
, Later I went to Marsha
Stalin's quarters to return hi
= call and by four o'clock in tn
afternoon l arrived at Cecilien
hof Palace for the second meet
= ing Of the conference"
2 Later in his chronicle o
r Potsdam. Mr.. Truman allude
= to the discussion Of the 18th
j but without indicating. as tn
A Bohlen notes do. that Stalil
p sought Mr.. Truman's view
: and that Mr.. Truman share
$. in the decision to stall tn
: Japanese overture. Mr.. Tru
= mans comment in his boo
n follows:
: Stain had told me. shortl
after our arrival in Potsdan
that the Japanese had aske
the Kremlin if it would /
possible for Prince Konoye t
come to Moscow. The Russian
so Stain had informed m
had replied that they could ne
answer such a request unit
they knew what he wanted I
talk about"
The night Of July 18th. StaI
ms first suggestion. as ar
proved by Mr.. Truman, appal
entity was phoned or wired
Moscow. for Solomon A. LozoN
sky, acting Commisar for Fol
"a eign Affairs. called in Japanes
!, Ambassador Sato and hande
Il him a note which did lit
- more than stall off the ide
. of a peace mission to MoscoN
a 1t read in part:
y by order of the Governmel
II OF the U. S. S. R., l have tt
70 honor to call your attention
N the fact that the Imperial viev
stated in the message of tt
,t Emperor of Japan are gener
in form and contain no concre
+ proposal. The mission of Prin,
Konoye. special envoy. is al
y not clear to the Government
st the U. S. S. r."
N The Soviet-American agre
70 ment of July 18 to brush asst
,e the official peace feeler fro
ID Emperor Hirohito Of Japan ht
nj this background, as reVealeQ
l. the Potsdam papers:
h First, United States officia
already were aware of Japane
efforts to end the war by m
diation. On July s, as Mr.. Tr1
man was leaving for Potsdal
the United States minister
Sweden cabled the State D
partment that Prince Ca
Bernadotte. nephew Of Xii