Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, The British Commonwealth, Eastern Europe, the Far East, Volume III

811.34541D/11½

The Secretary of State to President Roosevelt

Washington, September 13, 1943.

My Dear Mr. President: After discussion with representatives of the War and Navy Departments designated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff we have prepared a draft message to be sent by you to Prime Minister de Valera on the question of naval and air bases in Ireland. These representatives say that it is impossible to foresee at this time just what military value bases in Ireland may have or whether, as the war develops, we would actually wish to use such bases. They believe however that it would be of real assistance now in planning our war strategy to be able to count on the use of these bases if they should at any time be needed. It is in line with this thought that the Joint Chiefs of Staff in their memorandum prepared for you on August 7¹³ recommended that an approach should be made to the Irish Government for permission to use Irish bases in the event such bases should be needed but that we should not make any commitments to establish such bases.

The attached draft message¹⁴ has been prepared in accordance with the suggestions of the representatives of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and has been approved by them. They believe that this approach is preferable to that contained in the draft message prepared by Mr. David Gray while he was in Washington.¹⁵

As I stated in my letter to you on June 29, I believe that, in view of Great Britain’s immediate interest, we should take no step in this matter which does not have the full approval of the British Government. I accordingly enclose a draft telegram to Ambassador Winant, quoting the text of the proposed message and asking him to obtain the views of the British Government as soon as possible.

Please let me know whether this draft meets with your approval in order that we may telegraph it at once to Ambassador Winant.¹⁶

Faithfully yours,

Cordell Hull

13. Memorandum dated August 11, supra.
14. For text of the proposed message, see telegram No. 5736, September 18, to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom, p. 147.
15. Not found in Department files.
16. Mr. Hull’s letter was returned to him by President Roosevelt with the notation “CH OK FDR”, and telegram was sent to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom as No. 5736, September 18, p. 147.