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J. 333305-MONO-State Galley 353 UNCORRECTED GALLEY PROOF including Port Arthur and Dairen saying that the Russians wished again to lease these ports and the surrounding area. I said that I recalled that you and he had discussed this question at Teheran and that, if my memory was correct, you had in fact initiated yourself the question of the need for Russia to have access to a warm water port in the Pacific but that on the other hand I thought you had in mind an international free port rather than the lease of this area by the Russians; that this method, you felt, would give the Soviets the needed protection and was more in the line with present day concepts of how international questions of this kind could best be dealt with. He said "This can be discussed". Stalin said further that he wished to lease the Chinese-Eastern Railway. I asked him to define the exact lines in Manchuria in which he was interested and he pointed out the line from Dairen to Harbin thence northwest to Manchuli and east to Vladivostok. He answered affirmatively when I asked if these were the only railroad lines in Manchuria in which he was interested. In answer to my question he specifically reaffirmed that he did not intend to interfere with the sovereignty of China in Man- churia. There is of course no doubt that with control of the railroad operations and with the probability of Russian troops to protect the railroad Soviet influence will be great. He said the only considera- tion he had not mentioned at Teheran was the recognition of the status quo in Outer Mongolia-the maintenance of the Republic of Outer Mongolia as an independent identity. This latter did not surprise me as I have been convinced for many months that this would be the Soviet attitude because of their desire for protection for their long southern Siberian boundary. Except for my remarks regarding the ports I made no comment. I will not bring the subject up again unless you instruct me to do so. I feel that if you wish more detailed information it might be useful for me to obtain it prior to your meeting. F. E. C. Files Memorandum of the Division of Territorial Studies 1 1 Prepared by George H. Blakeslee. This memorandum was not included in the Yalta Briefing Book and no evidence has been found to indicate that it was brought to the attention of Roosevelt or Stettinius. SECRET CAC-302 DECEMBER 28, 1944. JAPAN: TERRITORIAL PROBLEMS: THE KURILE ISLANDS I. The Problem The problem is the future disposition of the Kurile Islands. II. Basic Factors The Kurile Islands have strategic importance for Japan, the Soviet Union and the United States. They also have appreciable economic value for Japan. A. Description The Kuriles form a chain of 47 sparsely inhabited volcanic islands extending for about 690 miles in a northeasterly direction from Hok-

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    "ocrText": "J. 333305-MONO-State\nGalley 353\nUNCORRECTED GALLEY PROOF\nincluding Port Arthur and Dairen saying that the Russians wished\nagain to lease these ports and the surrounding area.\nI said that I recalled that you and he had discussed this question at\nTeheran and that, if my memory was correct, you had in fact initiated\nyourself the question of the need for Russia to have access to a warm\nwater port in the Pacific but that on the other hand I thought you had\nin mind an international free port rather than the lease of this area\nby the Russians; that this method, you felt, would give the Soviets the\nneeded protection and was more in the line with present day concepts\nof how international questions of this kind could best be dealt with.\nHe said \"This can be discussed\". Stalin said further that he wished\nto lease the Chinese-Eastern Railway. I asked him to define the\nexact lines in Manchuria in which he was interested and he pointed\nout the line from Dairen to Harbin thence northwest to Manchuli and\neast to Vladivostok. He answered affirmatively when I asked if\nthese were the only railroad lines in Manchuria in which he was\ninterested. In answer to my question he specifically reaffirmed that\nhe did not intend to interfere with the sovereignty of China in Man-\nchuria. There is of course no doubt that with control of the railroad\noperations and with the probability of Russian troops to protect the\nrailroad Soviet influence will be great. He said the only considera-\ntion he had not mentioned at Teheran was the recognition of the\nstatus quo in Outer Mongolia-the maintenance of the Republic of\nOuter Mongolia as an independent identity.\nThis latter did not surprise me as I have been convinced for many\nmonths that this would be the Soviet attitude because of their desire\nfor protection for their long southern Siberian boundary.\nExcept for my remarks regarding the ports I made no comment.\nI will not bring the subject up again unless you instruct me to do so.\nI feel that if you wish more detailed information it might be useful\nfor me to obtain it prior to your meeting.\nF. E. C. Files\nMemorandum of the Division of Territorial Studies 1\n1 Prepared by George H. Blakeslee. This memorandum was not included in\nthe Yalta Briefing Book and no evidence has been found to indicate that it was\nbrought to the attention of Roosevelt or Stettinius.\nSECRET\nCAC-302\nDECEMBER 28, 1944.\nJAPAN:\nTERRITORIAL PROBLEMS:\nTHE KURILE ISLANDS\nI. The Problem\nThe problem is the future disposition of the Kurile Islands.\nII. Basic Factors\nThe Kurile Islands have strategic importance for Japan, the Soviet\nUnion and the United States. They also have appreciable economic\nvalue for Japan.\nA. Description\nThe Kuriles form a chain of 47 sparsely inhabited volcanic islands\nextending for about 690 miles in a northeasterly direction from Hok-"
}