Ribbentrop e Molotov

Sobre a reunião entre Ribbentrop e Molotov sobre a divisão das zonas de influência das grandes forças (Alemanha, União Soviética e Japão), Churchill relembra uma conversa com Stalin, após a traição germânica e o alinhamento da União Soviética com os aliados.

When in August 1942 I first visited Moscow I receveid from Stalin's lips a shorter account of this conversation which in no essential differs from the German record, but may be thought more pithy.

"A little time ago," said Stalin, "the great complaint against Molotov was that he was too pro-German. Now everyone says he is too pro-British. But neither of us ever trusted the Germans. For us it was always life and death." I interjected that we had been through this ourselves, and so knew hos they felt. "When Molotov," said the Marshal, "went to see Ribentrop in Berlin in November of 1940 you got wind of it and sent an air raid." I nodded. "When the alarm sounded Ribbentrop led the way down many flights of stairs to a deep shelter sumptuously furnished. When he got inside the raid begun. He shut the door and said to Molotov: 'Now here we are alone together. Why should we not divide?' Molotov said: 'What will England say?', said Ribbentrop, 'is finished. She is no more use as a Power.' 'If that is so,' said Molotov, 'why are we in this shelter, and whose are these bombs which fail?'"