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

Roosevelt Papers

Prime Minister Churchill’s Assistant Private Secretary (Rowan) to the President’s Naval Aide (Brown)

Washington, [September 7, 1943.]

Admiral Wilson Brown: Tonight, September 7, the President and the Prime Minister together signed the draft declaration about the use of poison gas against the Italians and the President asked that I should send you the original of this for your records. This is attached.

T L Rowan

7. 9. 43.

[Attachment]

Declaration on Gas Warfare¹

Draft Declaration

In the name of the U.S. and British Governments, I wish to make it plain that the use of poison gas against the Italians will call forth immediate retaliation upon Germany with gas, using the Allied air superiority to the full.²

Roosevelt
Churchill

1. For Churchill’s message of September 8, 1943, notifying Stalin of the warning to the Germans as to retaliatory measures if Germany resorted to gas warfare against Italy, and for Stalin’s response of the same date, see Stalin’s Correspondence, vol. i, p. 158.
2. On September 8, 1943, the Combined Chiefs of Staff transmitted this text (without the signatures) to Eisenhower in telegram No. Fan 221, with the following introductory sentence: “The Combined Chiefs of Staff authorize you to make the following statement at the moment considered most appropriate by you.” (J.C.S. Files) The statement, however, was never issued.