From a Telegram to I. Broz-Tito, October 31, 1944

Source: Tom 18

...In connection with your reports about incidents involving Red Army soldiers on Yugoslav territory, I must tell you the following.

The Soviet government is aware that individual incidents may take place. We have given strict orders to punish any soldiers guilty of offenses against the civilian population. I request that you promptly communicate to the Soviet command any specific cases so that the guilty parties can be immediately brought to justice.

At the same time, I must note that an army that has traversed thousands of kilometers of combat, that has suffered millions of casualties, and that has liberated dozens of countries, inevitably includes among its millions of soldiers a certain number of immoral individuals. These individuals do not represent the army as a whole, and it would be incorrect to judge the entire Soviet Army by the actions of individual offenders.

I trust that our two governments will be able to resolve such issues without difficulties, in the spirit of the friendship between our peoples.

Stalin

Note

Following the Red Army's entry into Yugoslavia in the fall of 1944, there were incidents of violence and looting by individual Soviet soldiers. Tito raised this issue with Stalin. In response, an agreement was reached whereby offending soldiers would be subject to trial by Soviet military tribunals. Stalin took these complaints seriously and issued several orders demanding strict discipline.

In his postwar conversation with Yugoslav diplomat M. Djilas, Stalin addressed this topic: "Does Djilas, who is himself a writer, not know what human suffering and what a human heart are? Can he not understand a soldier who has crossed thousands of kilometers through blood and fire and death, and who has a bit of fun with a woman or takes some trifle?"