Office of the Historian

867N.01/12–1344

Memorandum by the Acting Secretary of State to the Director of the Office of Near Eastern and African Affairs (Murray)

[Washington,] November 11, 1944.

I had an opportunity to talk with the President yesterday about the American position in the Near East and I suggested that he discuss the question of the Soviet policy with Ambassador Harriman. The President asked for a memorandum covering this whole matter and I agreed to send him one promptly. I would appreciate it if you would have something prepared which I might send to him.54

[Here follows statement of administrative detail.]

E[dward] S[tettinius]
  1. The rapidly changing situation in the weeks immediately ahead resulted in the discarding of two draft memoranda prepared in the Office of Near Eastern and African Affairs before a final draft of December 4 was sent to President Roosevelt on December 13; see p. 648.↩