Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The British Commonwealth; The Near East and Africa, Volume III

740.0011 European War 1939/15623¼: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State

London, October 5, 1941—8 a.m.
[Received 8:43 a.m.]

4730. Personal for the President from the Former Naval Person.

• “1. I have heard from Halifax³⁴ of his talks with you and Harry³⁵ about the Middle East. I take a favourable view of the near future there. I am sending Mr. Attlee,^35a the Lord Privy Seal, to represent us at the International Labour Office Convention to be held on 27th instant, at which I understand you will be present. He will bring you a long letter from me³⁶ dealing with matters of the utmost secrecy and importance, which I cannot trust to the cables. He will also be able to give you full information about our organization in Cairo. Meanwhile you should know that I arranged some time ago that General Auchinleck should have complete authority over the air as well as over the Army whenever major operations are impending or in progress. The Lord Privy Seal will start by air around 23rd, and I trust you will be able to see him on arrival. I can only spare him for a fortnight on account of Parliamentary business.
• 2. Max and Averell³⁷ seem to have had great success at Moscow,³⁸ and now the vital thing is to act up to our bargain in early deliveries. Hitler evidently feels the draught. We made almost exactly 2,000 aircraft in September, and I think our first line strength tonight is slightly ahead of the Germans. Besides this the Russian Air Force is still very formidable.
• 3. All my best wishes and kindest regards. How I wish we could have another talk.”

Winant

34. Viscount Halifax, British Ambassador in the United States.
35. Harry L. Hopkins, Special Assistant to President Roosevelt.
36. Clement R. Attlee.
36. Dated October 20, 1941; for text, see Winston S. Churchill, The Second World War: The Grand Alliance, p. 544.
37. Lord Beaverbrook, British Minister of Supply, and W. Averell Harriman, Special Representative of President Roosevelt in the United Kingdom.
38. See vol. i, pp. 825–851, passim.