Memorandum of Conversation by Charles Bohlen

This memorandum by Charles Bohlen, Assistant to the Secretary of State, is a written record of a meeting between President Harry S. Truman; Secretary of State Edward R. Stettinius, Jr.; W. Averell Harriman, U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union; Joseph C. Grew, Under Secretary of State; and Bohlen. Discussion at the meeting focused on U.S. – Soviet relations and the perceived threat of the Soviet State. According to the memorandum, Harriman warned Truman that the Soviets were interested in expanding their control of Eastern Europe. Harriman wanted to know what the attitude of the United States government would be in face of such a “barbarian invasion of Europe”. Truman believed the Soviets needed the United States more than it needed them and stated the government should be firm but fair. In regard to Harriman’s query over whether to proceed or not with the world organization plans should the Soviets possibly drop out, Truman said that there would not be much of a world organization without them.