740.0011 EW/4–1543
The British Prime Minister ( Churchill ) to President Roosevelt
April 15, 1943
Text of Message dated April 15th from the Prime Minister to President Roosevelt
[283.]17 I hope paragraph 3 of my telegram of April 13th made it somehow clear that I contemplated Husky as our joint enterprise on terms of perfect equality, with our usual intimacy and confidence and with no question of a “senior partner”.
- 2.
- This expression only applied to actual executive work to be done by Military Governor who would receive his directive from you and me in complete agreement. In executive and administrative sphere there ought not to be two voices but only one voice which will say what you and I have agreed. General Alexander would be directing military operations under Supreme Commander and he would delegate powers of Military Governor to a British officer mutually agreeable to us both.
- 3.
- I entirely agree with you that utmost advantage should be taken of American ties with Italy and that at least half of the officers of Allied Military Government should be American and further if in any case or district it is found that American pre-eminence is more useful to the common cause this should at once be arranged. The two flags should always be displayed together and we should present a united and unbreakable front in all directions. All the above is of course without prejudice to United States being supreme throughout the whole of French North Africa and my continuing to be your lieutenant there. I hope I have given satisfaction.
- 4.
- I am ready to study with you outlines of a directive foreseeing and forecasting as far as possible our policy towards (a) conquered districts and (b) peace overtures. These latter may come upon us swiftly and suddenly and we must be ready for them. I have on this subject at present only two thoughts. Firstly we cannot treat with Mussolini and secondly we should be immense gainers by getting Italy out of the war as soon as possible.
- 5.
- Your No. 27220 has just arrived. There must be a pause while the armies are regrouping in the North and while Montgomery21 is dragging up his customary battery but I hope for great events before April is out. I continue to have very agreeable correspondence with Joe22 who has taken convoy blow extremely well. He is very pleased that we should attempt to send British-American aircraft quotas to him through Africa or Mediterranean. I am trying to arrange this through Averell23 and will communicate with Harry.24 I trust your inspection tour will be as pleasant as it will be memorable.
- 6.
- Let me take this opportunity of thanking you for all your kindness and hospitality to Anthony.25 He has greatly enjoyed his visit and everyone here has acclaimed it.
- Number supplied from copy of telegram obtained from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, N.Y.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Gen. Sir Bernard Montgomery, Commander of British Eighth Army.↩
- Marshal I. V. Stalin, Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Soviet Union.↩
- W. Averell Harriman, United States Defense Expediter in England.↩
- Harry Hopkins, Chairman of British-American Munitions Assignments Board.↩
- For correspondence regarding visit of Anthony Eden to Washington, see vol. iii, pp. 1 ff.↩