Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, The Conferences at Cairo and Tehran, 1943

Roosevelt Papers: Telegram

President Roosevelt to Prime Minister Churchill¹

secret
priority

Washington, 11 November 1943.

Personal and most secret from the President to the Former Naval Person. Number 418. Your 501.

I have just heard that U. J. will come to Teheran.² I received a telegram from him five days ago³ which made me think he would not come even to that place—this because his advisors did not wish him to leave Russian soil.

I wired him at once⁴ that I had arranged the Constitutional matter here, and therefore that I could go to Teheran for a short meeting with him and told him I was very happy.

Even then I was in doubt as to whether he would go through with his former offer to go to Teheran.

His latest message has clinched the matter, and I think that now there is no question that you and I can meet him there between the twenty-seventh and the thirtieth.

Thus endeth a very difficult situation, and I think we can be happy.

In regard to Cairo, I have held all along—as I know you have, that it would be a terrible mistake if U. J. thought we had ganged up on him on military action. During the preliminary meetings in Cairo the Combined Staffs will, as you know, be in the planning stage. That is all. It will not hurt you or me if Molotov and a Russian military representative are in Cairo too. They will not feel that they are being given the “run around.” They will have no staff and no planners. Let us take them in on the high spots.

It is only five hours ago that I received U. J.’s telegram confirming Teheran. Undoubtedly, Molotov and the military representative will return there with us between the twenty-seventh and the thirtieth and, when and after we have completed our talk with U. J., they will return with us to Cairo, possibly adding other military staff to the one representative accompanying Molotov on the first trip.

I think it essential that this schedule be carried out. I can assure you there will be no difficulties.

I am sending you this at the first opportunity of letting you know about U. J.

I am just off. Happy landing to us both.

Roosevelt

1. Sent to the United States Naval Attaché, London, via Navy channels. A notation attached to the source text states that Roosevelt “delayed departure of his party for Sextant for sufficient time to dictate 418.”
2. See Stalin’s message of November 10, 1943, ante, p. 78.
3. Stalin’s message of November 5, 1943, ante, p. 67.
4. See Roosevelt’s message of November 8, 1943, ante, p. 71.