World War-II, one of the most horrific wars, shaped the face of the world. When the war was in progress, the big-three(Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin) met in 1943 at Tehran. The following incident that happened during this conference, is taken from Winston Churchill's "World War-II Vol-5".
The big three, the most powerful men at the time were having diner togather. The matter of discussion was what should be done to Germany after the war.
The German General staff, he(Stalin) said, must be liquidated. The whole force of Hitler's mighty armies depended upon about fifty thousand officers and technicians. If these were rounded up and shot at the end of war German military strength will be exterpated. On this I (Churchill) thought it right to say, "The British Parliament will never tolerate mass executions. Even if in war passion they allowed them to begin they would turn violently against those responsible after the first butchery had taken place. The Soviets must be under no delusion on this point."
Stalin however, perhaps only in mischief, persued the subject. "Fifty thousand," he said ,"must be shot". I was deeply angered. "I would rather", I said ,"be taken out into the garden here and now and be shot myself than sully my own and my country's honour by such infamy".
At this point the President(Roosevelt) intervened. He had a compromise to propose. Not fifty thousand should be shot, but only fourty-nine thousand. By this he hoped, no doubt, to reduce the whole matter to ridicule. Eden(one of the staff) also made signs and gestures intended to ressure me that it was all a joke. But now Elliot(Roosevelt's son) rose in his place at the end of the table and made a speech, saying how cordially he agreed with Marshall Stallin's plan and how sure he was that United States army would support it. At this intrusion I got up and left the table, walking off into the next room, which was in semi-darkness.
I had not been there a minute before hands were clapped on my back from behind, and there was Stalin, with Molotov on his side, both grinning broadly, and eagerly declaring that they were only playing, and that nothing of a serious character had entered their heads. Stalin has a very captivating manner when he chooses to use it, and I never saw him do so to such an extent as at this moment. Although I was not then, and am not now, fully convinced that all was chaff and there was no serious intent lurking behind, I consented to return, and rest of the evening passed pleasantly.
Hmmm...anyway..:) the tiny plant that you see in the pic is mirchee :)
The big three, the most powerful men at the time were having diner togather. The matter of discussion was what should be done to Germany after the war.
The German General staff, he(Stalin) said, must be liquidated. The whole force of Hitler's mighty armies depended upon about fifty thousand officers and technicians. If these were rounded up and shot at the end of war German military strength will be exterpated. On this I (Churchill) thought it right to say, "The British Parliament will never tolerate mass executions. Even if in war passion they allowed them to begin they would turn violently against those responsible after the first butchery had taken place. The Soviets must be under no delusion on this point."
Stalin however, perhaps only in mischief, persued the subject. "Fifty thousand," he said ,"must be shot". I was deeply angered. "I would rather", I said ,"be taken out into the garden here and now and be shot myself than sully my own and my country's honour by such infamy".
At this point the President(Roosevelt) intervened. He had a compromise to propose. Not fifty thousand should be shot, but only fourty-nine thousand. By this he hoped, no doubt, to reduce the whole matter to ridicule. Eden(one of the staff) also made signs and gestures intended to ressure me that it was all a joke. But now Elliot(Roosevelt's son) rose in his place at the end of the table and made a speech, saying how cordially he agreed with Marshall Stallin's plan and how sure he was that United States army would support it. At this intrusion I got up and left the table, walking off into the next room, which was in semi-darkness.
I had not been there a minute before hands were clapped on my back from behind, and there was Stalin, with Molotov on his side, both grinning broadly, and eagerly declaring that they were only playing, and that nothing of a serious character had entered their heads. Stalin has a very captivating manner when he chooses to use it, and I never saw him do so to such an extent as at this moment. Although I was not then, and am not now, fully convinced that all was chaff and there was no serious intent lurking behind, I consented to return, and rest of the evening passed pleasantly.
Hmmm...anyway..:) the tiny plant that you see in the pic is mirchee :)
2 comments:
Brilliant capture of the seedling! Pretty apt a picture to go along Stalin's joke!
#Rakesh Vanamali
hehe you should read the book, its a good read :)
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