740.0011 EW/4–1343
The British Prime Minister (Churchill) to President Roosevelt
April 13, 1943
Text of Message dated April 13th from the Prime Minister to the President
[282.]15 As you know the Joint Anglo-American Planning is starting at Algiers in connection with military administration of Italian occupied territory (operation of Husky16). I feel it is important that both sides should at the outset be clear in their minds about the character of the administration to be set up.
- 2.
- I hope that you may feel in view of the fact that the Force Commander under the supreme direction of General Eisenhower will be British we should be senior partner in the military administration of enemy occupied territory in that area. Our proposal will be that under the supreme authority of General Eisenhower a British General Officer should be appointed as Military Governor of Huskyland and that he should be assisted by a Joint Anglo-American staff. Thus there would be no dualism in actual executive decisions on the spot.
- 3.
- Such a local arrangement would of course in no way affect decisions on major policy being taken as usual by agreement between our two Governments if convenient by personal correspondence between you and me.
- Number supplied from copy of telegram obtained from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, N.Y.↩
- Code word for invasion of Sicily. For additional information regarding Husky and Allied military administration in Italy, see C. R. S. Harris, Allied Military Administration of Italy, 1943–1945 in the History of the Second World War (United Kingdom Military Series) edited by J. R. M. Butler. See also Harry L. Coles and Albert K. Weinberg, Civil Affairs: Soldiers Become Governors, in the series United States Army in World War II: Special Studies (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1964).↩