Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference), 1945, Volume I

740.00119 (Potsdam)/8–645: Telegram

No. 130
The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of State ¹

top secret

[Washington,] July 7, 1945.

6. Top secret for the Secretary.

Lord Halifax requests me to send the following message to the President:

“Mr. Churchill asks me to send you his warm personal regards and to say how much he is looking forward to meeting you.

2. Mr. Churchill asks me to tell you that he is led to believe that the present government will obtain a majority, but that, as you know, electioneering is full of surprises. He adds that it is most unlikely in any event that he would resign on an adverse declaration of the poll unless it amounted to a very extreme expression of national displeasure. He would await the result of a confidence vote in the House of Commons on The King’s speech, and would take his dismissal from the House of Commons. This would enable the various authorities and individuals to define their position by a vote. The political members of the British delegation to Terminal will quit the conference on July 25th in order to await the results of the poll in England. This will avoid any possible embarrassment when the results are made known. But the British delegation could return to Berlin on July 27th, and Mr. Churchill personally would be able to stay there if necessary until about August 5th or August 6th. Parliament meets on August 1st to elect a Speaker and to swear in members. But it will not be until Wednesday, August 8th, that The King will open Parliament and a parliamentary division would not take place before August 10th.

3. It is Mr. Churchill’s thought that all these details, some of which are extremely private, will be of interest to you.

4. Mr. Churchill also wishes me to say that he is delighted to hear that you contemplate full discussions at Terminal, as he thinks it is of the utmost importance that whatever happens in England the conference should not be hurried. He recalls that the Crimea Conference was somewhat abruptly curtailed. He is impressed with the fact that we have at Terminal to try to reach settlements on a great number of questions of the greatest consequence, and to prepare the way for a peace conference which will presumably be held later in the year or in the early spring.”

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Grew

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1. Byrnes was aboard the U. S. S. Augusta en route to the Berlin Conference.