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

Leahy Papers: Telegram

No. 3
Prime Minister Churchill to President Truman ¹

top secret

London, 11 May 1945.

Prime Minister to President Truman. Personal and top secret.

Number 40.

1. Your 31.² I think we should offer an invitation jointly or severally at the same moment to Stalin to meet us at some agreed unshattered town in Germany for a tripartite meeting in July. We should not rendezvous at any place within the present Russian military zone. Twice running we have come to meet him. They are concerned about us on account of our civilization and various instrumentalities. But this will be greatly diminished when our armies are dispersed.

2. I do not know at the moment when our general election will be, but I do not see any reason why it should influence your movements or mine where public duty calls. If you will entertain the idea of coming over here in the early days of July, His Majesty will send you the most cordial invitation and you will have a great reception from the British Nation.

I would have suggested the middle of June but for your reference to your fiscal year (30 June) because I feel that every minute counts. Thereafter we might move to the rendezvous fixed in Germany and have the grave discussions on which the immediate future of the world depends.

I should of course bring with me representatives of both parties in our state and both would use exactly the same language about foreign affairs as we are closely agreed. Therefore I urge your coming here in the earliest days of July and that we leave together to meet U. J. at wherever is the best point outside Russian-occupied territory to which he can be induced to come. Meanwhile I earnestly hope that the American front will not recede from the now agreed tactical lines.

3. I doubt very much whether any enticements will get a proposal for a tripartite meeting out of Stalin. But I think he would respond to an invitation. If not what are we to do?

4. I rejoice that your present intention is to adhere to our rightful interpretation of the Yalta agreements and to stand firmly on our present announced attitude towards all the questions at issue.

Mr. President, in these next two months the gravest matters in the world will be decided. May I add that I have derived a great feeling of confidence from the correspondence we have interchanged.

5. We are drawing up as you desire a list of subjects for discussion amongst us three which will take a few days but will be forwarded to you immediately.³

6. I also send you in my immediately following⁴ a copy of a telegram I sent on the 4th to Eden.⁵

1. Sent by the United States Military Attaché, London, via Army channels.
2. Document No. 2.
3. See document No. 144 and the enclosure to document No. 145.
4. Document No. 4.
5. Eden was at San Francisco acting as chairman of the British Delegation to the United Nations Conference on International Organization.