Tuesday, 22 February

Heavy snow, quite cold

Today, Churchill made a speech to Parliament. He said as follows: 1) With regard to British-American-Soviet Union relations, it is based on the friendly cooperation policy of the Moscow and Tehran Conferences. It is just as it was and there has been no damage. 2) With regard to the Polish question, though he was sympathetic to the Polish Government, he was also very sympathetic to the Soviet Union because the Soviet Red Army had sacrificed several million people and then they could liberate Poland. In this sense the Soviet Union have demanded that the stabilisation of its western border is a just and reasonable request. The British Government did not guarantee the integrity of the Polish territories. It only wanted all boundary issues pending to be solved at the peace conference. Regarding the Polish question, he would address it in another detailed report. 3) Because Mihailović entered into an understanding with Germany and Italy, so the Yugoslavian army did not want to fight Germany, and because Mihailović was the Minister of Military, the Yugoslavian’s King Peter was not liked by the guerrillas. General Tito’s guerrillas have reached 250,000 people. In the 20 divisions of the German armies in the Balkans, 14 were hindered by Tito’s guerrillas. So in the future Yugoslavia should select its own government by itself, Britain has no intention in forcing Yugoslavia to accept any government. 4) This time Britain absolutely did not fight for polity. Although Britain is a constitutional monarchy, in the future Italy, Yugoslavia and Greece are not necessarily going to support the polity of constitutional monarchy. When these countries are liberated, they should let their own people choose their polities and governments. 5) The internal situation of Greece is bad. The armaments supplied by the Allies were only used for internal strife and not on enemies. 6) Badoglio’s government is criticised on all sides, but at the moment it is not easy to find a better government. After the recapturing of Rome, the situation will change a lot. 7) He clearly stated that the second war zone would be started in the spring and summer. 8) The Commander- in-Chief of the British and American United forces was given to an American because although the size of the American army is the same as the British army, after the fighting, the infantries dispatched by the American side will be increased greatly, and will be more than Britain. 9) The records of the British navy, army and air force. 10) The comparison of the air forces of Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union with those of Germany and Japan. The whole speech was quite reasonable, and what he advocated with regard to the Soviet Union and the Balkans was particularly good. If the Soviet Union learns about it they will be satisfied. According to what he said, the basis of cooperation decided in the Moscow and Tehran Conference has never faltered. These are not empty words. It is the best news in the recent two months.

The American navy and air force sunk another 19 Japanese ships in the vicinity of the Solomon Islands yesterday, and probably they have retreated from Rabaul. The German broadcast also said Tōjō announced a reshuffling of his government yesterday and the staff headquarters of the navy and army were all put under Tojo as a result of the recent offensive by the Allies in the South Pacific. The Japanese had to increase its political government otherwise it would not be able to cope with the situation. From this we can deduce the enemy’s consternation. It is also a piece of good news.