Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, General: Economic and Social Matters, Volume II

840.50/1–445

Memorandum by the British Minister of State (Law) to President Roosevelt ⁵³

[Washington, December 26, 1944.]

His Majesty’s Government has been giving urgent consideration to the problem of providing the necessary supplies for the ninety million people in Europe who have been liberated by the advance of the allied armies, and whose territories have now become the springboard from which the final attack on Germany has to be launched.

It is no longer sufficient merely to bring in relief supplies on a subsistence basis as a temporary measure of alleviation while we finish off the job. In the west of Europe, France and Belgium have already been wholly freed and it is abundantly clear that urgent measures must immediately be taken to start to reconstitute the economies of these countries even though the war with Germany is still proceeding. Unless these countries are sustained in taking up their share of the burden, the progress of the war and the peaceful development of Europe in the future are both likely to be gravely prejudiced.

It was, therefore, with great concern that Ministers learnt of the views of the President of the United States as expressed in his telegram to the Prime Minister of November 22,⁵⁴ the relevant passage of which reads as follows: “The provision of relief to distressed people in liberated areas presents very difficult problems of shipping. My own view is that until after the German collapse imports of such supplies must be limited to those supplies for which the Combined Chiefs of Staff can obtain shipping in the light of shipping required to carry out current and projected operations. In view of these possible operational shipping demands, I think, until the German collapse they can provide shipping in operational areas only for those basic essentials necessary to avoid ‘disease and unrest’ which will interfere with operations, or lines of communication and supply. I agree with your suggestion that we should not discriminate in favour of Italy over other liberated areas although in view of shipping limitations it will only be possible to furnish a minimum relief programme necessary to prevent prejudice to military operations.”

Previously to this, General Eisenhower and his staff in the light of their experience of conditions in the Western European liberated countries had encouraged the national Governments in their preparation of separate import programmes of those materials most urgently needed to put their industrial and agricultural capacity to work within the limits of the port capacity which can be made available to them.

The U.S. and U.K. Governments have in their discussions with their Western Allies also gone far to commit themselves in the same direction. These negotiations have aroused expectations on the part of the National Governments of the countries concerned that they will have their own import programmes. If this is not permitted, it is likely to have the most serious effects both on the co-operation to be expected from those Governments (not least the maintenance of their shipping in the Allied Pool) and on their internal stability.

It is understood that on the initiative of the British Chiefs of Staff, the Combined Chiefs of Staff have authorised the preparation of a combined overall review of dry cargo shipping so that programmes may be brought into relationship with the amount of shipping available. It is intended that this study should cover the period from the 1st January to 30th June, 1945, and should be based on the assumption that major operations in Europe will continue for the greater part of this period.

Concurrently with this, H.M.G. have suggested to the U.S. Government that there should be an urgent re-examination of world shipping allocations with the object of meeting the pressing requirements of North West Europe and also of the Mediterranean area and of enabling the liberated countries to have a separate programme of civil requirements.

His Majesty’s Government accordingly believe it to be essential that the following points of principle should immediately be recognised and agreed by the U.S. and U.K. Governments:

1. Civil Affairs supplies requested by the Theatre Commanders and accepted by CCAC shall be given the same priority as other military supplies with respect both to procurement and shipping allocations.

2. The National Governments shall be recognised as entitled to prepare and themselves submit their own import programmes to the appropriate civilian supply and shipping authorities.

3. These programmes shall be entitled to favourable consideration for the following reasons:

(i) supplies additional to the civil affairs programme are essential for the maintenance of civilian economies and for the gradual restarting of industry without which unemployment and disorder are unavoidable;

(ii) unless such supplies are forthcoming no National Government will be able to maintain its authority.

(iii) unrest and instability in the countries concerned would have far-reaching and incalculable effects on the social fabric and political security of Europe, and might well gravely hamper military operations.

(iv) the National Governments putting forward these programmes are fighting allies, who have placed at our disposal troops, ships, supplies and now industrial facilities and they are entitled to expect a proper share of the Allied pool of resources.

4. That the established requirements put forward by the National Governments are fully eligible for inclusion in any study of the world supply and shipping picture, and that they shall not be regarded as merely the marginal element in the total world position.

If the U.S. Government agree with these principles, it would appear to be immediately desirable that,—

(i) These principles should be communicated to all the U.S. and U.K. Departments concerned;

(ii) that steps should immediately be taken to ensure that they shall govern the survey about to be undertaken by direction of the Combined Chiefs of Staff;

(iii) instructions should be given that this survey be completed by January 1st;

(iv) the United States and United Kingdom Governments should together notify the Allied Governments of the acceptance of these principles; and

(v) arrangements be made, in advance of the completion of the survey referred to above, and of the allocations of tonnage thereunder for the next six months, to put at the disposal of the French and Belgian Governments some amount of tonnage for each of the months of January and February so that they may lift some portion of the supplies most urgently needed by them over and above the Civil Affairs programme.

53. Copy transmitted to the Assistant Secretary of State (Clayton) by Harry L. Hopkins, Special Assistant to President Roosevelt, in his letter of January 4, 1945 (not printed); the letter noted that Mr. Clayton was to be a representative of the Department in conferences of Mr. Hopkins and Mr. Law concerning allocation of shipping to be available for civilian supplies to liberated countries of Northwest Europe during the first six months of 1945 (840.50/1–445).
54. Not found in Department files.