Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎359r] (717/807)

3
to the submission of the tribal leaders and the surrender of loot and some 400
rifles. Demonstrations against the Kalkhanis have brought about a humble
attitude in this tribe, "these events may be taken as indicating that
General Shahbakhti is succeeding in instilling some respect, if not for the
Persian Government at least for himself, and also that the morale of Persian
troops is not quite so bad as it was.
Russian Interests.
14. I he improved conditions at Urumieh due, according to His Majesty’s
Consul at Tabriz, to action by Russian authorities, the permission given to
Persian troops to pass through the Russian garrisons on the Tehran-Meshed Road
on their way to operate against Soulat-es-Sultaneh (see paragraph 7) and to move
into hastern Azerbaijan to operate against the Khalkhal insurgents, and the
encouragement given by the Soviet Ambassador to proposals made by the Persian
authorities for the suppression of this disturbance, may indicate that representa
tions recently made to the Soviet Government by His Majesty’s Government have
been effective in securing a modification of unofficial Soviet policy in Persia.
15. A note on information given by Miss Eve Curie on her return from a
visit to Russia is attached as an appendix.
16. The Soviet authorities show such anxiety to send staffs and detachments
to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. for the purpose of taking over American lorries and aircraft
there rather than in places further north, such as Tehran and Kazvin, that it is
difficult to avoid the suspicion that they regard it as the first step towards the
realisation of a long-dreamt dream.
Russian Troops.
17. His Majesty’s Consul at Tabriz estimated that the number of Russian
troops in Urumieh was about 2,000, mostly cavalry. There were also garrisons
of unknown strength at Khoi, Maku and Oilman’and posts along the Turkish
frontier as far south as Ushnu.
Tehran, February 3, 1942.
Appendix.
Miss EVE CURIE returned from Russia on the 30th January after a visit
of about three weeks. She is a shrewd and competent observer. She was specially
favoured in Russia, visited Moscow and four different parts of the front,
including Mojaisk, which she reached three days after the Russians entered it!
She was greatly impressed by the Russian army, its healthiness, physique, morale
and equipment. It was incomparably better fed and clothed than the civilian
population. The latter, however, seemed happy to be sacrificed so that the army
should be well found. The high state of organisation and discipline of the army
was in noticeable contrast to the apparent sloppiness and casualness in the
civilian population. Russian officers (she mentioned especially Voissoff and
Govaroff who recaptured Mojaisk), although certain of a German counter
offensive in the spring, were not merely confident, but arrogant; they would
defeat the Germans in a year. British and American aid they refused to" discuss,
except to say that the only effective aid was the establishment of a second front
on the continent. Libya they belittled. As regards aid in munitions, there was a
conventional reply, apparently inspired : ‘ c We have promises and we hope they
will be fulfilled.’' When Miss Curie mentioned to one senior officer that she had
come to Russia largely to write up British and American supplies, he replied :
“ Say nothing about it; if you speak the truth it will encourage the Germans.”
She got the impression that many Russian officers did not appreciate at all
the part Great Britain was playing; they seemed to think that they were fighting
the Germans alone, and would beat them alone and would then “ settle Europe.”