Office of the Historian

Truman Papers

No. 549
The Joint Chiefs of Staff to the President
top secret
Washington, 7 July 1945.

Memorandum for the President

General MacArthur’s needs for troops have greatly increased our requirements for troop shipping in the Pacific.

In spite of every possible adjustment in U. S. resources, there will remain serious deficits during the critical last half of this year.

A survey of passenger vessels captured in European ports reveals seven ships, including the Europa, which are suitable for conversion to troop carriers with a total potential capacity of 37,500 troops. All of the vessels, with the exception of the Europa, would be usable in the Pacific.

Admiral Land currently is negotiating with Lord Leathers of the British Ministry of War Transport regarding the immediate allocation of these ships. Partial agreement has been reached placing some under U. S. control and some under British control.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff consider that in view of our urgent and strictly military need for troopships, a U. S. claim for the allocation of all these ships for the movement of U. S. personnel is justified.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff therefore recommend that you approach the Prime Minister with a view to securing agreement on the employment of all seven vessels for the carriage of U. S. troops. The question of ultimate disposition and title should not be made a matter of issue at this time but deferred to a later date.

A proposed letter to the Prime Minister is attached.

For the Joint Chiefs of Staff:
G C Marshall

Chief of Staff, U. S. Army
[Page 824]
[Enclosure]
top secret

Draft

Letter From the President to the Prime Minister

I have been advised that a survey of the ex-enemy passenger vessels that have fallen into our hands in European ports reveals seven ships suitable for conversion to troop carriers. They are:

Potential Troop Capacity
Europa 10,000
Pretoria 4,000
Patria 5,000
Caribia 3,500
Potsdam 5,000
Milwaukee 5,000
Vulcania  5,000
Total 37,500

Negotiations currently are in progress in the Combined Shipping Adjustment Board regarding the distribution of these vessels as between the Ministry of War Transport and the War Shipping Administration. My shipping advisers tell me that most of these ships can be put into service more promptly if steamed immediately to the east coast of the United States and placed in the fast working repair yards there and converted as a matter of number 1 priority.

As you know, the first stage of our major effort against the Japanese homeland is rapidly approaching. My Chiefs of Staff advise me that in spite of drastic efforts to increase our trooplift in the Pacific, including cutting down on the rate of withdrawals from Europe, there still will remain serious deficits in meeting the requirements for moving necessary troops into the Western Pacific.

The major untapped resource that can alleviate this situation is the troop capacity represented by the seven vessels. Under the circumstances I consider that all of these vessels should be employed for the carriage of U. S. troops until our Pacific deficits have reached manageable proportions.

I earnestly hope that you can agree with my views in this matter, and that you will appreciate that I would not press for the full amount were I not convinced that the need is urgent.

It is to be understood, of course, that the agreement I propose in no way prejudices ultimate disposition of these vessels, which matter can be handled by appropriate agencies at a later date.1

  1. There is the following manuscript notation, dated August 5, at the end of this draft letter: “Note:—This question was settled by JCS–BCOS discussions, with U. S. getting the use of the ships, amp; the President never raised the issue with the Prime Minister. G. M. Elsey”. Cf. vol. ii, p. 293.↩