Office of the Historian

Hull Papers

The Presidents Secretary (Tully) to the Secretary of State 1

The White House Washington, December 30, 1941.

Dear Mr. Secretary: The President asked me to get these copies of the re-draft of the Joint Declaration to you at once.

He asks that you make a copy available to the British Ambassador.

Very sincerely yours,

Grace G. Tully
[Attachment]2

A Joint Declaration by the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, China, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Poland, South Africa, Yugoslavia

The Governments signatory hereto,

Having subscribed to a common program of purposes and principles embodied in the Joint Declaration of the President of the United States of America and the Prime Minister of Great Britain dated August 14, 1941, known as the Atlantic Charter,

Being convinced that complete victory over their enemies is essential to defend life, liberty, independence and religious freedom, and to preserve human rights and justice in their own lands as well as in other lands, and that they are now engaged in a common struggle against savage and brutal forces seeking to subjugate the world,

Declare:

(1)
Each Government pledges itself to employ its full resources, military or economic, against those members of the Tripartite Pact and its adherents with which such government is at war.
(2)
Each Government pledges itself to cooperate with the Governments signatory hereto and not to make a separate armistice or peace with the enemies.

The foregoing declaration may be adhered to by other nations which are, or which may be, rendering material assistance and contributions in the struggle for victory over Hitlerism.

  1. The source text is a copy made in the Department of State. A copy in the Hopkins Papers bears the initials of Hopkins as the drafter of the memorandum.↩
  2. A handwritten marginal note on the attachment reads: “CH OK. It is approved now by Russia and WSC but not yet by China. FDR. Let’s get it out on Jan. 1. That means speed. FDR”. For a facsimile of Roosevelt’s redraft of the declaration incorporating the Russian amendments, see Sherwood, pp. 450–452.↩