Office of the Historian

Roosevelt Papers: Telegram

President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill to Generalissimo Chiang1
top secret
priority
[Quebec, September 16, 1944.]

Number 68, from Admiral Leahy, Chief of Staff to the President. Top secret and personal to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek from President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill.

We have just concluded our conference in Quebec during which we discussed ways and means to bring about the earliest possible defeat of Germany so that we can reorient the entire weight of our forces and resources against Japan. We hasten to inform you of plans for our mutual effort, particularly in Southeast Asia.

  • First: We are determined fully to employ all available resources toward the earliest practicable invasion of the Japanese homeland. To this end we have devised courses of action and are taking vigorous steps to expedite the redeployment of forces to the war against Japan following the defeat of Germany.
  • Second: To continue and extend present operations under Admiral Mountbatten in north Burma to provide additional security for intermediate air ferry bases in the Myitkyina area, and at the beginning of favorable weather to launch a determined campaign to open overland communications between India and China. These operations will require continued effective cooperation of the Chinese troops who have already so distinguished themselves in Burma, as well as of your armies that are now engaged west of the Salween. All these operations will be fully supported by our preponderant air strength, and by adequate air supply. Small-scale amphibious operations on the Arakan coast, and activities by long range penetration groups will contribute to our success. We feel that the vigorous prosecution of these operations should result in securing an area by next spring which will permit the extension of the Ledo Road with accompanying pipelines in order to support the heroic effort of your forces.
  • Third: Admiral Mountbatten has been further directed to prepare a large scale amphibious operation in the Bay of Bengal to be undertaken as soon as developments in the European Theater will allow the necessary resources to be made available.
  • Fourth: We have agreed on further operations to intensify the offensive against the Japanese in the Pacific Theater, including the opening of a seaway into China.
Roosevelt
Churchill

  1. Sent to the White House Map Room at Washington, which transmitted it on September 18, 1944, to Stilwell at Chungking, via Army channels. It was preceded by a message of instructions as to its delivery which was identical to the draft message of instructions printed ante, p. 460, in enclosure A to C.C.S. 681/1.

    For two alternative drafts of this message circulated on September 15, 1944, as enclosures to C.C.S. 681/1, see ante, pp. 460, 462. For the discussion of these drafts by the Combined Chiefs of Staff at their 175th Meeting, September 15, 1944, see ante, p. 355. The message agreed upon at that meeting was incorporated into enclosure B to C.C.S. 681/2, “Communication of the Results of ‘Octagon’ Conference to Marshal Stalin and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek”, September 15, 1944 (not printed), and was approved by Roosevelt and Churchill during their meeting with the Combined Chiefs of Staff on September 16 (see ante, p. 382).

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