Roosevelt Papers: Telegram
President Roosevelt to Prime Minister Churchill 1
operational priority
President to Former Naval Person. Personal and secret. Number 338.
Referring to your 393 of 31 July,2 I have authorized Eisenhower to prescribe the conditions of armistice exactly as stated by you in 393 and in the event of a request from the Italian Government.
Referring to your proposed “Instrument of Surrender”3 which is now being studied by the Combined Chiefs of Staff and the Department of State in Washington, I am in general agreement therewith but must have further advice from the above mentioned agencies of this Government before acting thereon. I am directing the Joint Staff and the State Department to report to me on this document at the earliest possible date.4
- Sent to the White House Map Room, Washington, and forwarded to the United States Naval Attaché, London, via Navy channels.↩
- Ante, p. 522.↩
- i.e., the British draft of the “long” or “comprehensive” terms of surrender which Churchill had referred to in his telegram No. 393 to Roosevelt.↩
- The following message from Leahy was forwarded to Hull by the White House Map Room on August 1, 1943: “Please inform the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the State Department that the President desires their advice by telegram at the earliest practicable date on the draft instrument of surrender of Italy, proposed by the British Chiefs of Staff.” (740.00119 EW/8–143)↩