Memorandum from Acting Secretary of State Joseph Grew to President Harry S. Truman

TOP SECRET DECLASSIFIED 11652, Sec. 3(E) and E.O. Aug. 10, 1972 State letter, Dept. of NLAA NARS Date By DEPARTMENT OF STATE WASHINGTON April 28, 1945 MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT Subject: Current Foreign Developments WARSAW POLES BELIEVE SOVIET PACT WILL PROTECT BOUNDARIES. The Polish Provisional Government leader Bierut during his visit to Moscow stated to a French Embassy official that Article 5 of the pact with the Soviet Union was drafted in order to prevent the Western Allies from challenging the new frontiers established by agreement between Poles and Russians. This article binds the contract parties not to con- clude without mutual agreement any armistice or peace treaty with any German authority "which is encroaching or might encroach on the independence, territorial integrity or security" of either party. The Poles understand that this binds the Russians not to con- clude any treaty which did not respect the Polish frontiers as understood by the Soviet and Provisional Governments. SOVIET REMOVAL OF GERMAN MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENT. An American observer recently returned to Moscow from a trip through the Ukraine, Eastern Poland and White Russia reports extensive movements eastward of German machinery and equipment of all kinds. All reports reaching the Embassy at Moscow indicate that the Russians are seizing without compunction any German materials which they feel might be of use. ARCHIVES