Foreign Relations of the United States, Conferences at Washington and Quebec, 1943

Roosevelt Papers: Telegram

President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill to Marshal Stalin ¹

secret
operational priority

[Quebec,] 18 August 1943.

Secret and personal to Marshal Stalin from Prime Minister Churchill and President Roosevelt.²

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Generals Eisenhower and Alexander have now completed the conquest of Sicily in thirty-eight days. It was defended by 315,000 Italians and 90,000 Germans, total 405,000 soldiers. These were attacked by thirteen British and United States Divisions and with a loss to us of about 18,000 killed and wounded, 23,000 German and 7,000 Italian dead and wounded were collected and 130,000 prisoners. Apart from those Italians who have dispersed in the countryside in plain clothes, it can be assumed that all Italian forces in the island have been destroyed. Masses of guns and munitions are lying scattered about all over the island. Over 1,000 enemy aircraft have been taken on the airfields. We are, as you know, about soon to attack the Italian mainland in heavy strength.

Churchill–Roosevelt

1. Sent as telegram No. Black 5 to the White House Map Room at Washington and then sent to the United States Naval Attaché, Moscow, via Navy channels. Concerning the delivery of this message to Stalin, see post, p. 1095, fn. 1.
2. For the paragraphs of this message omitted here, see post, p. 1095.