Office of the Historian

871.00/4–1445: Telegram

The British Prime Minister (Churchill) to President Roosevelt 56

[London,] 11 April 1945.

942. Roumania: You will have seen our various telegrams to the British officers on the Control Commission in Roumania. In .Roumanian affairs we have been following your lead because of what I told you in my No. 905,57 and we shall continue to do so.

We should be grateful if you would take some of the burden of giving refuge to Roumanian personalities whom you and we have supported, should their lives be in danger.

Radescu is already on our hands. Now there is this question of the King and Queen Mother. We have unhesitatingly said that if they have no other sanctuary they may come to us. But I hope you will take some of this weight off us, as you are taking the lead in Roumania.

  1. The following memorandum, dated April 11, was sent from Charles E. Bohlen, Assistant to the Secretary of State, to Cavendish W. Cannon, Chief of the Division of Southern European Affairs: “The Secretary has seen the attached message from the Prime Minister and feels that it is impossible for us to accede to his request. He would appreciate your preparing a reply for the President.” (871.001/4–1445) The resultant memorandum prepared by the Department of State for the President, dated April 12, reads as follows: “Attached hereto is a draft reply to Mr. Churchill’s telegram no. 942, in which he proposed in effect that our representatives in Rumania not only support but take the initiative if the question of sanctuary for the King and Queen Mother arises. We feel that we ought not to accede to this request, and believe that the action we have already undertaken in Rumanian affairs may make it unnecessary to raise a special point as regards the Royal family.” Attached to the Department’s memorandum was a draft reply to Prime Minister Churchill. The Department’s memorandum bears the following handwritten marginal note by Mr. Cannon: “This did not come to the attention of President Roosevelt before his death. The matter was redrafted as a telegram to Ambassador Winant for communication to Mr. Churchill. April 14.” (871.001/4–1445) For text of the telegram to Ambassador Winant, see p. 533.↩
  2. Of March 8, p. 505.↩