June 17, 1942. Dear Gil:- I have not had a chance in the past week to thank you for yours of June third. Molotov's visit here was a real success and he actually got chummy toward the end. You certainly managed to work out that British-Russian Treaty in thoroughly acceptable form, and I think Molotov understood, after being here a few days, that if he had pressed the original it would have caused almost irreparable damage to the ideals of the war. The Second Front is still a thorny problem to crack, but I am pushing for some more definite action, I have had two or three good talks with Lyttelton-- and I like him much. I think he agrees with me that the situation in Lybia is by no means rosy. I would be satisfied with a drawn battle at this time. In case of a certain visit, I am telegraphing to Winston expressing the hope that Portal will come with him. I think you are right in not joining the Pacific Council in London. I have an idea that that Council is at this time a fifth wheel. My own Pacific Council serves prinarlly to disseminate information as to the progress of |