They talked briefly of the defeat of Germany, Stalin saying he was sure Hitler was alive and in hiding somewhere in Spain or Argentina. Then, abruptly, and entirely on his own initiative, Stalin said that as they had agreed at Yalta, the Soviets would be ready to declare war on Japan and attack Manchuria by mid-August. He had already assured the Chinese that Russia recognized Manchuria as part of China and that there would be no Soviet interference with internal political matters there. Truman said he was extremely pleased. But Stalin, as if to be sure Truman understood, repeated that by the
...more
