Bohlen Collection
President Roosevelt to Marshal Stalin1
Advance Planning for Naval Operations in Northwestern Pacific
I would like to arrange with you at this time for the exchange of information and for such preliminary planning as may be appropriate under the present conditions for eventual operations against Japan when Germany has been eliminated from the war. The more of this preliminary planning that can be done, without undue jeopardy to the situation, the sooner the war as a whole can be brought to a conclusion.
Specifically, I have in mind the following items:
- a.
- We would be glad to receive combat intelligence information concerning Japan.
- b.
- Considering that the ports for your Far Eastern submarine and destroyer force might be threatened seriously by land or air attack, do you feel it desirable that the United States should expand base facilities sufficiently to provide for these forces in U. S. bases?
- c.
- What direct or indirect assistance would you be able to give in the event of a U. S. attack against the northern Kuriles?
- d.
- Could you indicate what ports, if any, our forces could use, and could you furnish data on these ports in regard to their naval use as well as port capacities for dispatch of cargo?
These questions can be discussed as you may find appropriate with our Military Mission in Moscow, similar to the procedure suggested for plans regarding air operations.