Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1944, Europe, Volume IV

740.00119 EW 1939/4–1044

The Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of State

Washington, 10 April 1944.

My Dear Mr. Secretary: Reference is made to the memorandum of Mr. James C. Dunn of April 8, 1944,⁵⁵ transmitting the terms proposed by the Soviet Government for a Rumanian armistice.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff are of the opinion that our Government should give its full assent to the military provisions of the proposed terms, the acceptance of which by Rumania would result in the assumption by that nation of a co-belligerent status with the Allies. Such action by Rumania would be an event of such cardinal importance in the further prosecution of the war that it is hoped that our Government may find a basis for agreement with the Soviet and British Governments on any nonmilitary provisions of the proposed terms.⁵⁶

Sincerely yours,

For the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

G. C. Marshall

Chief of Staff, U.S. Army

55. Not printed.
56. In telegram 3469, April 29, 10 p.m., to London, the Department stated that the revised views of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as set forth in Eacom 16, Department’s 2815 of April 10, 6 p.m. (vol. i, p. 210), should be taken into account as applying also to surrender terms for the satellite states (740.00119 EAC/184a).