Office of the Historian

Lot 57 D 688

Prime Minister Churchill to the Secretary of War (Stimson)

most secret
London, July, 1943.1

My Dear Stimson, Since our talk about Tube Alloys , I have had a message from the President which is very encouraging, and which suggests that it would be valuable if someone from here could go over to Washington to discuss arrangements for the resumption of collaboration.

I have accordingly asked the Lord President to leave as soon as possible, and attach a copy of a telegram which I have today sent to the President.2

The Lord President hopes to arrive in Washington on Monday or Tuesday and will then at once get in touch with you.

He will be taking with him the draft heads of agreement which I promised at our meeting that I would prepare. I am, however, also sending you a copy of the draft heads with this letter.

I feel sure that you and the Lord President will now be able to [Page 638] work out the detailed arrangements for the resumption of collaboration which we all so much desire; and I am very grateful for the help which you have given in achieving this end.

Yours very sincerely,3

Winston S. Churchill

P.S. I hope you had a good time in Torch & Husky lands.

[Enclosure 1]

Draft Heads of Agreement

Draft Heads of an Agreement Between the President of the United States of America and the Prime Minister of Great Britain

1. Whereas it is vital to our common safety in the present War to bring the Tube Alloys project to fruition at the earliest moment; and whereas this may be more speedily achieved if all available British and American brains and resources are pooled; and whereas owing to war conditions it would be an improvident use of war resources to duplicate the plants on a large scale on both sides of the Atlantic and therefore a far greater expense will fall upon the United States;

It is agreed between us

  • First, that we will never use this agency against each other.
  • Secondly, that we will not use it against third parties without each other’s consent.
  • Thirdly, that we will not either of us communicate any information about Tube Alloys to third parties except by mutual consent.
  • And Fourthly, that in view of the heavy burden of production falling upon the United States as the result of a wise division of war effort, the British Government recognize that any post-war advantages of an industrial or commercial character shall be dealt with as between the United States and Great Britain on terms to be specified by the President of the United States to the Prime Minister of Great Britain. The Prime Minister expressly disclaims any interest in these industrial and commercial aspects beyond what may be considered by the President of the United States to be fair and just and in harmony with the economic welfare of the world.

W[inston] S. C[hurchill]

28. vii.
  1. Internal evidence indicates that this letter was written on July 29, 1943, although the day of the month was not typed on it.↩
  2. The enclosed copy (not printed) is a paraphrase of Churchill’s telegram No. 388 to Roosevelt, supra.↩
  3. The complimentary close is in Churchill’s handwriting and is not entirely clear; if this is a correct reading, it is much contracted.↩