Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, General: The United Nations, Volume I

The Secretary of State to President Roosevelt ⁵²

[Washington, April 9, 1945.]

International Trusteeships

At Yalta, it was agreed that trusteeships should be discussed by representatives of the five governments proposed to become permanent members of the Security Council of the new International Organization preparatory to working out at San Francisco a provision of the charter of the world organization for setting up machinery to handle the problem. It was agreed that both the preliminary discussions and the negotiations at the Conference would be limited to principles and machinery and not embrace consideration of the disposition of specific territories. We have formally invited representatives of the other four governments to Washington for the preliminary consultation. They have all accepted and several representatives are already here.

We have been working diligently with the War, Navy and Interior Departments to develop an agreed U.S. Government position to submit for your approval for use in these conversations. A Draft Proposal has been prepared which is summarized in Supplement I, attached, and given in full in Supplement II,⁵³ which is being sent separately by pouch. This draft has not been approved by the Secretaries of War and Navy but we understand that with minor changes we all could agree on this plan. The main difference between us is not on the plan but on the question of considering trusteeship now.

The Secretaries of War and Navy are stating their position separately.⁵⁴, As we understand their view, it is that this Government should retain complete control over certain strategic areas in the Pacific and that we should make this known unequivocally to other nations and to the world before participating in any discussions. The Secretaries of War and Navy stress that they are opposed to any imperialistic annexation of territory on the part of the United States. On the contrary, they believe that the United States policy should be to hold any reserve strategic rights in a very real sense as trustee in the interests of the same cause for which we are now fighting—the cause of international peace and freedom in the Pacific, a cause in which all law-abiding nations in that area have a vital interest.

The Department of State agrees, of course, that any plan must provide for our retaining such strategic positions, as of right, in the Pacific, as you and your military advisers deem necessary. It believes that this is provided for in the draft plan attached within the system of international trusteeship. The Department of the Interior, as Secretary Ickes has written you, agrees with the Department of State.⁵⁵ The Department of State believes further, that if we do not include these areas, with adequate safeguards, within the trusteeship system we shall prejudice all possibility of international trusteeship, and that it would appear to large sections of the public to violate our expressed statements against annexation of territory as a result of the war.

Recommendations

1. As matters stand, the Department of State believes that no position can or should be taken by this Government until the Secretaries of State, War and Navy have thrashed this matter out with you in your presence, and your decision has been taken after full hearing so that a united front may be presented to this and other countries.

2. The Secretaries of War and Navy, I understand, do not believe it will be possible to discuss effectively the form of trusteeships as a general proposition without bringing into the discussion the particular areas as to which the probability of sharp disagreement is evident. They very much fear that the discussion of the territorial problems and adjustments involved would bring about disputes between the United Nations which might greatly prejudice the united military operations necessary for the prompt finishing of the war with Japan as well as that with Germany. They, therefore, favor postponing any discussion of this question now.

3. The Department of State recommends that the matter be settled now, and in favor of the attached draft, with possible minor revisions on which, I think, the three Departments can agree. The Department of State believes that having repeatedly taken the lead in raising this matter with other countries, we admit a serious internal weakness by not having a policy when the moment for action arrives. We also, by so doing, expose the whole Dumbarton Oaks plan to attack in this country and in other countries by its failure to face up to this question. The lack of trusteeship proposals in the plan to date has already been criticised. Recent polls indicate the public is in favor of such a system.

I hate to suggest interrupting your period of relaxation but, owing to the great importance of this problem, would you be willing to have a representative of the Department and a representative of the Army and Navy come down for a half hour’s discussion of this subject, within the next few days, in order that a prompt decision can be reached.

supplement i

Summary of Draft Paper on Trusteeship System

The draft on trusteeship system provides that each particular territory in the three categories mentioned in the Yalta agreement⁵⁶ would be placed under trusteeship by means of a special arrangement to which the title-holders, the present or prospective administering power, and the world organization would be the parties. The arrangement would specify in each case the rights and responsibilities of the administering power, and these would vary, in important respects, as between the strategic and the non-strategic areas.

In the case of the Japanese mandated islands, they would be placed under trusteeship on the basis of a previous agreement reached between ourselves and the other Principal Allied and Associated Powers of the last war, in whom title to these islands (as well as to all other mandated territories) was vested by the treaty of peace. The Principal Allied and Associated Powers were the United States, Great Britain, France, Italy and Japan. The last two would be compelled to give up their rights as a result of this war. This would mean, therefore, that having occupied these islands, we could proceed to reach an agreement with Great Britain and France as to our rights as a future administrator, and the three of us would then offer to place the islands under the trusteeship system on the basis of the agreement reached among us. Being in physical possession of the islands, we would surely be in a position to negotiate satisfactory agreements both with the other title-holders and with the organization.

The draft also provides that a trusteeship arrangement once concluded can be modified only with the concurrence of the Security Council, which requires our consent. Finally the draft provides that in the case of strategic areas exceptions can be made to the power of the Assembly to institute investigations (See Section Fd). The same reservation is made for strategic areas with respect to the powers of the trusteeship council to call for reports, to interrogate representatives of the administering authorities, to review finances, and to conduct inspections. (See Section G2).

52. Copy of telegram obtained from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, N.Y. Transmitted by the White House Map Room to President Roosevelt at his home in Warm Springs, Ga. On April 10 the following message from the President to the Secretary of State was received by the White House Map Room:

    “Your message on International Trusteeship is approved in principle. I will see your representative and that of the Army and Navy on the 19th. That will be time enough. And if you have already left I will, of course, see you on the 25th.” (800.014/4–1045)

53. Regarding Supplement II, see annex to memorandum of April 9 by the Secretary of State to President Roosevelt, infra.
54. Letter (or letters) of this date regarding views of the Secretaries of War and Navy not found in Department files.
55. See memorandum of April 5 from Secretary Ickes to President Roosevelt, p. 198.
56. See Protocol of Proceedings, February 11, 1945, Conferences at Malta and Yalta, pp. 975, 977.