President Roosevelt to the President of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Soviet Union (Stalin)80
It is unfortunate that geographical distance makes it practically impossible for you and me to meet at this time. Such a meeting of minds in personal conversation would be greatly useful to the eondud of the war against Hitlerism. Perhaps if things go as well as we [Page 543] hope, you and I could spend a few days together next Summer near our common border off Alaska. But, in the meantime, I regard it as of the utmost military importance that we have the nearest possible approach to an exchange of views.
I have in mind very important military proposal involving the utilization of our armed forces in a manner to relieve your critical western front. This objective carries great weight with me.
Therefore, I wish you would consider sending Mr. Molotov and a General upon whom you rely to Washington in the immediate future.81 Time is of the essence if we are to help in an important way. We will furnish them with a good transport plane so that they should be able to make the round trip in two weeks.
I do not want by such a trip to go over the head of my friend, Mr. Litvinov, in any way, as he will understand, but we can gain time by the visit I propose.
I suggest this procedure not only because of the secrecy, which is so essential, but because I need your advice before we determine with finality the strategic course of our common military action.
I have sent Hopkins82 to London relative to this proposal.
The American people are thrilled by the magnificent fighting of your armed forces and we want to help you in the destruction of Hitler’s armies and materiel more than we are doing now.
I send you my sincere regards.
- Copy obtained from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, N. Y. The message was given to the Counselor of the Soviet Embassy, Andrey Andreyevich Gromyko, on April 11, 1942, noon. In telegram No. 97, April 14, 1942 the Department sent a summary of this message to Ambassador Standley, ii accordance with an understanding made with him before his departure for the Soviet Union; the telegram concluded: “The summary of this message is sent to you, of course, solely for your secret information and not for discussion unless the subject is raised with you.” (740.0011 European War 1939/21011a)↩
- In a telegram of April 22, 1942, President Roosevelt advised Prime Minister Churchill: “I have a cordial message from Stalin telling me that he is sending Molotov and a General to visit me. I am suggesting that they come here first before going to England. Will you let me know if you have any other views about this? I am quite pleased about the Stalin message.” (Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, N. Y.)↩
- Harry L. Hopkins, Special Assistant to the President.↩