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

Roosevelt Papers

Draft Message From the President to the Secretary of State¹

Washington, [October 30 (?), 1943.]

To Hull

Please tell Molotov that my understanding of my [blank] of October 24 [26?]² relative to disposition of Italian naval ships and merchant ships is as follows quote

One third of naval ships and one third of merchant ships captured from Italy will be turned over to Russia for their use at the earliest possible moment[.] The balance available for British and/or American use.

The final disposition of these ships however will be made by our three countries at the peace conference and meanwhile Russia, Great Britain and ourselves will have the unrestricted right to use this [these] ships as we think best to bring about the defeat of Hitler[.]

I assumed we met the Russian request[.]

1. Written in longhand by Hopkins. For Roosevelt’s message of October 30, 1943, to Hull (prepared by Hopkins), which may have been a revision of this draft, see infra.
2. See ante, p. 120.