President Roosevelt to Prime Minister Churchill
Cairo, December 5, 1943
Memorandum for the Prime Minister
I propose to send over my signature the following message to the Generalissimo tonight. Do you concur in this action?
I agree. WSC 5 XII
Conference with Stalin involves us in combined grand operations on European continent in late spring giving fair prospect of terminating war with Germany by end of summer of 1944. These operations impose so large a requirement of heavy landing craft as to make it impracticable to devote a sufficient number to the amphibious operation in Bay of Bengal simultaneously with launching of TARZAN to insure success of operation.
This being the case: Would you be prepared go ahead with TARZAN as now planned, including commitment to maintain naval control of Bay of Bengal coupled with naval carrier and commando amphibious raiding operations simultaneous with launching of TARZAN? Also there is the prospect of B-29 bombing of railroad and port Bangkok.
If not, would you prefer to have TARZAN delayed until November to include heavy amphibious operation. Meanwhile concentrating all air transport on carrying supplies over the hump to air and ground forces in China.
I am influenced in this matter by the tremendous advantage to be received by China and the Pacific through the early termination of the war with Germany.
FDR