Office of the Historian

Moscow Embassy Files, Lot F–96

President Roosevelt to the Chairman of the Soviet Council of People’s Commissars (Stalin)15

[Extract]16
[Washington, September 4, 1943.]16a

Both the Prime Minister and myself are pleased with the idea of a political and military meeting on the State Department level.

It should be held, I think, as soon as possible. Perhaps September 25 would be a good date. What do you think of this?

The Prime Minister has suggested London or some other place in England, and I should agree to have my representative go to either of these if you also think it best. I am inclined, however, to the thought of a more remote spot where the meeting would be less surrounded by reporters. Perhaps Casablanca or Tunis, and I do not object to Sicily, except that the communications from and to there are more troublesome.

[Page 519]

The political representatives would, of course, report to their respective governments as I do not think we could give plenary powers to them. They could be advised on military developments by attaching one or two military advisers to them, although I do not want to have the meeting develop at this stage into a full scale combined chiefs’ conference.

If Mr. Molotov and Mr. Eden attend I should wish to send Mr. Hull but I do not want Mr. Hull to undertake such a long journey, so I would, therefore, send Mr. Welles, the Under Secretary of State. Mr. Harriman17 would also attend as he has an excellent knowledge of shipping and commercial matters. I shall endeavor to send someone from my staff as American military adviser. He would be in complete touch with the work of the combined staffs.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Roosevelt
  1. Transmitted in a letter from Ambassador Standley to Foreign Commissar Molotov, September 6, 1943, not printed. Mr. Molotov acknowledged receipt of the letter in a note dated September 7, and stated that “the message in question has been transmitted by me to its destination”.↩
  2. Other portions of this message are printed on p. 784 and in Foreign Relations, The Conferences at Cairo and Tehran, 1943, p. 23.↩
  3. Place and date taken from the copy at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, N.Y.↩
  4. W. Aver ell Harriman, special representative of President Roosevelt; appointed Ambassador to the Soviet Union on October 7, 1943.↩