Foreign Relations of the United States, Conference at Quebec, 1944

Editorial Note

The only information found on the discussion at this dinner meeting is that contained in an undated memorandum by White (who was not present) recording what Morgenthau had told him on September 15, 1944, about “bits of conversation” which had taken place on September 14. At least part of the material in the following three paragraphs of this memorandum relates to the Roosevelt-Churchill dinner on September 14, but since Leahy is not known to have been present, part of it may also relate to other conversations or meetings.

“Churchill and Eden were afraid that Russia would go into Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Greece and never get out so the British are planning to land troops in Greece. Secretary Morgenthau had commented: ‘You have got a million troops in the Middle East.’ And Eden said: ‘Oh, no, we have got only a couple of brigades there.’

“Admiral Leahy reported to the President that they couldn’t move American troops across the part of the English troops in Germany² and the President replied, ‘Nonsense. It could be done.’

“England and Canada were eager to get into the war with Japan. The President said to the Secretary that he knew now why the British wanted to join in the war in the Pacific. All they want is Singapore back.” (Treasury Files)

2. For an explanation of the necessity of a “cross-over” of troops if the United States occupied the northwestern zone in Germany, and for expressions of divergent British and American views on the feasibility of a “cross-over”, see ante, pp. 145 ff.