90 U-BOATS SUNK BY ALLIES IN 3 MONTHS
Ship losses to subs cut by one-half
Joint Roosevelt-Churchill statement indicates they have met
By H. O. Thompson, United Press staff writer
Washington – (Aug. 14)
President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill, in a joint statement suggesting that they may have met already, revealed tonight that the Allies sank more than 90 Axis submarines in May, June and July.
The statement – signed simply “Roosevelt, Churchill” – was issued by the White House as the two leaders were preparing for momentous conferences in Québec. It was released shortly after the President, observing the second anniversary of the signing of the Atlantic Charter, declared that the United Nations, “stand upon the threshold of major developments in this war.”
One a day sunk
The joint statement showed that:
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The Axis lost an average of one U-boat a day during the last three months.
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Recent sinkings by U-boats have had “but an insignificant effect on the conflict of the war by the Allies.”
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Although more than 2,500 vessels were used in the Sicilian campaign, Allied losses were only about 80,000 tons.
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During the first six months of 1943, the number of ships sunk per U-boat operating was only half that in the last six months of 1942 and only one-quarter that in the first half of 1942.
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United Nations shipping continues to show a considerable net increase with new ships completed in 1943 exceeding all sinkings from all causes by upwards of 3 million tons.
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Continued success against the U-boats will come only with unrelaxed efforts.
May have met
The White House announcement said Mr. Roosevelt and the Prime Minister issued the statement after consultation with the British Admiralty, the U.S. Navy Department, and the Canadian Department of National Defense for Naval Services.
The joint nature of the statement started immediate speculation that the two leaders had been in consultation preliminary to the formal conferences on war strategy to be held in Québec. Mr. Churchill visited Niagara Falls, New York, earlier this week, and it was believed that any meeting must have been held in this country.
July results hailed
The statement said:
Our offensive operations against Axis submarines continue to progress most favorably in all areas, and during May, June and July we have sunk at sea a total of over 90 U-boats, which represents an average loss of nearly one U-boat a day over the period.
Describing July as “probably our most successful month because the imports have been high, shipping losses moderate and U-boat sinkings heavy,” the statement said a steady flow of transatlantic supplies has continued unmolested on the greatest scale ever attempted.
Has large reserves
The few sinkings which have occurred were in distant areas and had little effect on Allied conduct of the war, the two men said. Their statement added that a tremendous armada of warships, trop transports, supply ships, and landing craft proceeded through Atlantic and Mediterranean waters in preparation for the Sicilian campaign “with scarcely any interference from U-boats.” Submarines attempting to interfere with the Sicilian operations “suffered severe losses,” it said.
The statement said:
In spite of this very favorable progress in the battle against the U-boat, it must be remembered that the enemy still has large U-boat reserves, completed and under construction.
See bigger battle
It is necessary, therefore, to prepare for intensification of the battle both at sea and in the shipyards and to use our shipping with utmost economy to strengthen and speed the general offensive of the United Nations.
But we can expect continued success only if we do not relax our efforts in any way.
In his statement commemorating the birth of the Atlantic Charter at a meeting between himself and Mr. Churchill on a British warship off the Newfoundland coast. President Roosevelt asserted that the “forces of liberation” are already making “a living reality” of the Charter’s principle of self-determination of peoples.
All subscribe
The President emphasized that all the United Nations have subscribed to the charter. He stressed two of its eight objectives:
First – respect for the right of all peoples to choose the form of government under which they will live.
When the Atlantic Charter was first signed, there were those who said that this was impossible of achievement.
And yet, today, as the forces of liberation march on, the right of self-determination is becoming once more a living reality.
Collaboration needed
Second – worldwide collaboration with the object of security, for all; of improved labor standards, economic adjustment, and social security.
Mr. Roosevelt said the United Nations were determined to win total victory not only over Germany, Japan and Italy, but also over:
…all the forces of oppression, intolerance, insecurity, and injustice which have impeded the forward march of civilization.