740.0011 European War 1939/17329½: Telegram

Prime Minister Churchill to President Roosevelt 1

triple priority

Personal and secret from the Former Naval Person for the President.

We do not think there is any serious danger about return journey.2 There is, however, great danger in our not having a full discussion on the highest level about the extreme gravity of the naval position as well as upon all the production and allocation issues involved. I am quite ready to meet you at Bermuda or to fly from Bermuda to Washington. I feel it would be disastrous to wait for another month before we settled common action in face of new adverse situation particularly in Pacific. I had hoped to start tomorrow night, but will postpone my sailing till I have received rendezvous from you. I never felt so sure about the final victory, but only concerted action will achieve it. Kindest regards.

  1. Sent as telegram 5976 over Winant’s signature to the Secretary of State.
  2. There was apparently a telegram (no copy of which has been found) from Roosevelt to Churchill on December 9 in which Roosevelt expressed fears about Churchill’s safety on the return journey to the British Isles. See Churchill, The Grand Alliance, p. 609.