CRITICAL WAR QUARRELL

Chronicle (Levin), 7 August 1948, Page 5

CRITICAL WAR QUARRELL

, (N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter3

When. Stalin And Churchill Ciashed

Covyright)

Ileceived Friday, 7 p.m. WASH LYCiTON, August 5. Tlie Westorn Allie.s ' rclations witli Eussia were so bad in ALay1943 tliat tliey were almost disrupted, aecurding to ari article in Collier's rilagazine by Eobert SJierwood based on tlie papers oi' Ihe late Ilarry Hopkins, President Eoosevelt 's adviser. "When Alr. ( 'hurcliill eame to Washiiigton in .Uav 1943 tlie date oi the Europoan iiivasion was definitely set ior Alay 1, 1944. Mr, Stalin, on learning- that the seeond iront was ]M)s1i)oiied ior a year- -it had been set ior 1943— eabled Mr. Clmreliill reviewing- all the axsuranees that had been given regarding the -eeniid iront and eoneluded with iM'i-ds that eould be interpreted ».nly as eharges oi deliberate bad iailli by the Western Allies. Mt. churchill despatehed ari aiigt-y renly to 1his without ouiisulting Ibcsident Roosevelr. and Ihe teniii increased. There was now an atmosphere •ihirniiijgly reminiscent oi that v. \ieh liad preeeded tlie Molotov"it'bbentrop paet in 1939 and Mars oi a separate Russo-Oerman •• were revived. It was lortunate that the enemy dal no1 know how bad the rela-i'->ns were between the Allie.s at "i;at nioinent and how elo'se they cre to disruption. Sherwood also diselosed that Mv. Churchill pressed for an early i.-'i-t to the Sieillan invasion. Ivirly in 194)1 CJeneral Eisenhower -Md it would be diflienlt .to launch ?b«' Sieily opera+ion as planned. When Mr.' ( 'liurchill heard rhis he linniediately eabled Ilarry Hopkinsr "Our people t'eel thev can ecl Iheir'.side oi things ready for U;e Sicilian operation by Jnne. I think it is an nwful thing that in April, May and •Tnne riot a single Ainerieari 6r Tlritish soldier will i»e killin# a single dennan or I'falian soldier while the Rnssians ;.•!•(' ehasin# 18b diyisions around." Sherwood also reyealed that in Man-h 1943 Mr. Anfhonv Edt-ri, ilien Foreig-n Minister. told "President Pooseyelt at the White I lorne that be thouo-ht Rnssra oiibj be the Fnitcd Statess and IPh.-iin's most diffieult postwar pr. • 1 • 1 - 1 ! l .