Office of the Historian

Truman Papers

No. 1314
Prime Minister Attlee to President Truman
Berlin, August 1, 1945.

Dear Mr President[:] Thank you so much for your letter of to-day1 about the new weapon to be used on Japan. If it is quite convenient to you, I will come to see you for a few minutes after the Plenary Session this afternoon.2

I am deeply touched by the very kind words you use about me and I, too, have been greatly encouraged by the unity which exists between our two countries on policies for world peace. I shall work with all my strength to maintain this unity unimpaired during the difficult years which lie before us.

May I also thank you warmly for the great personal consideration and kindness which you have shown to me and which has been such a help, especially during these last few days.

Yours sincerely

C R Attlee
  1. The index to the folder in which Attlee’s letter was found contains the following entry: “6. 1 August 1945. Letter from the President to Attlee regarding the Atomic Bomb. The President wrote in longhand and no copy is available.” It appears that Attlee received his first news of the successful test of the atomic bomb from Truman during the Berlin Conference. See Lord Attlee, “The Hiroshima Choice”, in The Observer, September 6, 1959, p. 16.↩
  2. The Log records no private meeting between Truman and Attlee on August 1.↩