Roosevelt Papers: Telegram

Prime Minister Churchill to President Roosevelt1

top secret

Prime Minister to President Roosevelt top secret and personal no. 680.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

All this brings me to my great hope, which is that you will yourself be able to come over. It could not now I suppose be till after D Day as your movement would be taken as heralding it. But if you could start as soon as the signal has been given, the very greatest advantages might be derived from our close talks about all matters including any address to the Germans by you. This meeting is also becoming a practical necessity in respect of the Chiefs of Staff. We have the whole Far Eastern Campaign to discuss and our execution of our promise to help in it to the very utmost of our strength. We need you here so much as the great battle will be of a profound and heart-shaking character, not by any means only in its opening phase. The King will of course send you a formal invitation at any moment that you let me know. There is a very good place in London which would give you perfect safety and comfort. I greatly desire to see you again. It is six months since we met.2

  1. Sent by the United States Military Attaché, London, via Army channels.
  2. The text of this paragraph, as printed, incorporates two corrections contained in Churchill’s telegram No. 683 of May 27, 1944, to Roosevelt (Roosevelt Papers).