Cairo, 26 November 1943
Secret
Op priority
Thank you much for your message of November 23 informing me of your intention to reach Teheran on the 28th or 29th. I expect to reach there on the 27th. It will be good to see you.
ROOSEVELT
Cairo, 26 November 1943
In reply to your message transmitted as White 38, I am convinced that this is not the time to make any final decisions or plans relating to Civil Affairs for France. The whole situation in North Africa is complicated but the general attitude of the Committee and especially de Gaulle is shown in the Lebanon affair. De Gaulle is now claiming the right to speak for all of France and is talking openly about how he intends to set up his government in France as soon as the Allies get in there.
I am increasingly inclined to the thought that the occupation when it takes place should be a wholly military occupation.
I see no need for any further discussion at this time, though I may discuss it informally when I see the Russians.
I saw Vishinsky four days ago and I don’t believe the Russians will press for any immediate action. I am showing this to Churchill and I hope we can hold up the whole matter until we can see the picture more clearly.
Tehran, November 26, 1943
This morning I informed Russian Chargé d’Affaires that you would reside at your own Legation. I told him that this decision in my opinion was final and was made before any invitation had been received by you from Russia. All this was satisfactory at that time. At three o’clock this afternoon, the Russian Chargé d’Affaires called on me to say that the Russian Government cordially invites you to be its guest at its Embassy while here. I told him I would convey to you this generous invitation but inasmuch as you had already decided to reside at your own Legation and all preparations had been made accordingly, I thought that perhaps it would be too late to make another change, although I knew that you and Stalin would spend a great deal of time together while here. In the meantime, DARKY is inspecting suggested quarters, Russian Embassy, so that if you should decide to accept the invitation, all details regarding quarters will be in hand.
Tehran, November 26, 1943
Since wiring you I accompanied General Connolly and Rowley together with the Russian Charge d’Affaires and other Russian security officers for an inspection of quarters which the Russians propose to give to you as their guest. For Reilly’s information the quarters are in the same building inside the Russian Embassy compound which he inspected and consist of six rooms to the left of the entrance to the building. The suite contains one large reception or assembly room, four smaller rooms that could be used as bedrooms and one large bedroom with adjoining bath. For the other four rooms there is but one bath, making two baths and toilet facilities for the entire suite which is the same number as in the American Legation. In the suite there is also a large dining room and below the main bedroom a kitchen which can be used by your staff for you. The building is steam heated. The suite they are offering you is on the same floor with and adjoins the large conference room. No one else is living in this building but two other rooms are being used as a Russian communications office. There is also a private entrance to the suite. The only work needed to be done on the suite is to reinstall bathtubs and toilets which have been removed but can be replaced quickly. List of necessary furnishings being given Russians by DARKY. From the standpoint of your convenience and comfort, from the standpoint of conference communications and security, these quarters are far more desirable than your own Legation. As I told you in my earlier wire, I have advised the Russians that you have definitely decided to use your own Legation. The Russians still most cordially solicit your acceptance of their invitation.
HURLEY
Cairo, November 26, 1943
Memorandum for: Ambassador Kirk
Please have Wadsworth, Consul General at Beirut, come down here when I get back here – I think about Thursday or Friday.
FDR
Cairo, November 26, 1943
My Dear Dr. Kung. It was good of you to think of me and I am delighted to have that delicious Chinese tea – especially because I am more and more substituting tea for coffee.
Our visit here in Cairo with the Generalissimo and Madame Chiang has been not only very delightful but it has been a true success. It is the beginning of many such conferences, I hope. They have spoken to me in regard to the inflation problem and when they get back to Chungking, they will speak with you in regard to a suggestion which I have made. I have not, of course, had a chance to talk with the Secretary of the Treasury about it but I will do so just as soon as I get home.
I do hope that I shall have the pleasure of seeing you one of these days very soon.
My warm regards, Sincerely yours,
FDR
| Present | ||
|---|---|---|
| United States | China | |
| Mr. Hopkins | Generalissimo Chiang | |
| Madame Chiang |
The Chiangs raised the question of the return of Outer Mongolia.
Cairo, 26 November 1943
My Dear Mr. President: You will, I hope, forgive me for this uncertain handwriting, for I am still Cyclops, and the letters all run together very unneatly. But the Generalissimo wishes me to tell you again how much he appreciates what you have done and are doing for China. When we said goodbye to you this afternoon, he could not find words adequately expressive to convey his emotions and feelings, nor to thank you sufficiently for your friendship. He felt too the wistfulness of saying farewell, although he feels that only a short while will elapse before his next meeting with you. Meanwhile he hopes that you will consider him as a friend whom you can trust. He on his part finds joy and comfort in the thought that as time goes on, the bonds of affection and similarity of motives between you and him will be strengthened.
Will you please overlook this very inadequate interpretation of his views, for I have had a full day, and my brain simply cannot encompass what he conveyed to me to pass on to you.
On my own behalf, Mr. President, please remember that as I write this, my heart overflows with affection and gratitude for what you have done, and for what you are.
MAYLING SOONG CHIANG
U.S. Navy Department (November 26, 1943)
Pacific and Far East.
U.S. submarines have reported the sinking of nine enemy vessels in operations against the enemy in waters of these areas, as follows:
SUNK:
These actions have not been announced in any previous Navy Department Communiqué.
The Pittsburgh Press (November 26, 1943)
One of biggest formations of U.S. bombers blasts Germany
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8th Army consolidates bridgehead on Sangro
By Harrison Salisbury, United Press staff writer
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Carrier and land-based planes rip enemy bases after conquest of Gilberts
By William F. Tyree, United Press staff writer
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Japs report attack 1,500 miles from homeland
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Jap airplane transport among victims
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Henrietta Leaver charges husband with indignities
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Officials knew the facts, but isolationists ‘put on the hush-hush’
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Latin American tension makes war inevitable, Senator Butler charges
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Compromise is reached on repatriation of Axis victims
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Income levies lowered in some cases, raised in others, but luxuries to be more deeply taxed
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New tax bill provides filing of dues data for Treasury
…