Roosevelt Papers
Communiqué: Third Draft
[Editorial Note.—As in the case of the first two drafts, this was apparently an American paper. Presumably this was the draft that was discussed and put in final form at the dinner meeting on December 1, 1943. See ante, p. 605, and post, p. 842.
The draft contains handwritten changes, additions, and notations which appear to have been made by Roosevelt and Hopkins. They are indicated here as follows: words which were crossed out are printed in canceled type, and words which were substituted for the crossed-out words, or added, or written as procedural notations, are printed in italics.
Three of the handwritten changes or additions—the insertion of the word “Communiqué” (in capital letters) above the typewritten words “Third Draft”; the change from “Soviet Russia” to “the Soviet Union” in the second line of the typewritten text; and the insertion at the end of “Teheran, Iran” and “December 1, 1943”—were apparently made by Hopkins. The other changes, additions, and notations were made by Roosevelt.]
Communiqué
Third Draft
We—The President of the United States, The Prime Minister of Great Britain, and the Premier of the Soviet Russia Union, Marshal of the Red Army, have met these four days past, in this city of Teheran, the capital of our ally, Iran, and have shaped and confirmed our mutual common policy.
We express our determination that our nations shall work together in war and in the peace that will follow.
As to war—our military staffs have joined in our round table discussions, and we have concerted our plans for the final destruction of the German forces. We have reached complete agreement as to the scope and timing of the operations which will to be undertaken from [Page 639] the East, West and South, and arrangements were made to ensure intimate and continuous cooperation.
The road is still bloody and hard and long. But tThe common understanding which we have reached guarantees that victory will be ours.
And as to peace—we are confident sure that our concord will make it win an enduring peace. We recognize fully the supreme responsibility resting upon us and all the United Nations to make a peace which will command the good will of the overwhelming mass of the peoples of the world, and banish the scourge and terror of war for many generations.
With our diplomatic advisors we have surveyed the problems of the future. We shall seek the cooperation and the active participation of all nations, large and small, whose peoples in heart and mind are dedicated, as are our own peoples, to the elimination of tyranny and slavery, oppression and intolerance. We will welcome them, as they may choose to come, into a world family of democratic nations.
No power on earth can prevent our destroying the German armies by land, their U-boats by sea, and their war plants and armies from the air.
Our attack will be relentless and increasing.
Emerging from these cordial friendly (in Russian) cordial (in English) conferences we look with confidence to toward the day when all peoples of the world may live free lives, untouched by tyranny, and according to their varying desires and their own consciences.
We came here with hope and determination. We leave here, friends in fact, in spirit and in purpose.
And we shall meet again as the war—and the peace—progresses!
S
C
December 1, 1943.
As corrected this becomes the final draft.