740.0011 Pacific War/1519²⁄₄
President Roosevelt to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union (Stalin)61
From the President to Mr. Stalin: In my judgment it is of the utmost importance that immediate steps be taken to prepare the way for common action not merely for the next few weeks but also for the permanent defeat of hitlerism. I very much wish that you and I could meet to talk this over personally. But because that is impossible at the moment I am seeking to initiate three preliminary moves which I hope will be preparatory to a more permanent joint planning.
- First, I am suggesting to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek62 that he call a conference immediately in Chungking consisting of Chinese, Soviet, British, Dutch and American representatives. This group would meet not later than December seventeenth and report to their respective Governments in the greatest confidence by Saturday, December twentieth. This would give us the preliminary picture of the joint problem from the angle of Chungking.
- Second, I am asking the British to assemble a military-naval conference in Singapore, reporting by Saturday the twentieth principally from the operational angle in the Southern zone.
- Third, I would be very happy if you personally would talk with American, British and Chinese representatives in Moscow and let me have your suggestions as to the whole picture by Saturday the twentieth.
- Fourth, I am during this coming week covering the same ground with British Missions here and will send you the general picture from this end.
I have had a good talk with Litvinov and I fully appreciate all of your immediate problems.
Again I want to tell you of the real enthusiasm throughout the United States for the progress your armies are making in the defense of your great nation.
I venture to hope that the preliminary conferences I have outlined for this coming week may lead to the establishment of a more permanent organization to plan our efforts.
Hopkins and I send our warm personal regards.