Québec Conference 1943 (QUADRANT)

The Pittsburgh Press (August 24, 1943)

‘Forward action’ pledged at Québec; fleets, armies, planes to hit Japs

War in Pacific principal topic, Roosevelt and Churchill announce
By Merriman Smith, United Press staff writer

Québec, Canada –
President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced today that their eight-day war conferences had been largely devoted to the war against Japan and promised that powerful “forward action” would be executed soon by the fleets, armies and air forces of the two nations.

In what probably will be regarded as their “Declaration of Québec,” the two leaders announced the possibility of a tripartite conference with Russia, but in an explanatory press conference accompanying their statement explained tactfully that Russia was not asked to this largely-Pacific meeting because she is not at war against Japan.

Refraining from any positive statement on details of the decisions reached here, Mr. Roosevelt and the Prime Minister told in their joint statement how the war talks were devoted “largely” to “the war against Japan and the bringing of effective aid to China.”

Plans unanimously approved

Then they announced their unanimous approval of the plans reached by their Combined Chiefs of Staff and agreement on “political issues underlying or arising out of the military operations.”

The statement also disclosed that the question of recognition of the French National Committee of Liberation had been on the agenda and that announcements from a good “many” governments on this point could be expected some time late this week.

British and American leaders will hold another similar conference before the end of this year, the announcement said, “in addition to any tripartite meeting which it may be possible to arrange with Soviet Russia.”

Russia’s position clear

Then, clearly saying that Russia has no part in Allied plans for the Pacific, the statement continued:

Full reports of the decisions so far as they affect the war against Germany and Italy will be furnished to the Soviet government.

The two leaders reminded the approximately 150 reporters gathered in the open on the upper terrace of the King’s bastion at the Citadel that “the whole field of world operations” was surveyed in “the light of many gratifying events.”

Other plans to develop

Mr. Roosevelt pointed out that plans reached at their Casablanca Conference last January had just become apparent – in Tunis and Sicily. Mindful that he and Mr. Churchill had met last May in Washington, the President said he thought it could be assumed that other plans were about to be developed – a statement that was generally accepted as meaning activities, because at several other points in the talk, they spoke of action soon.

Mr. Churchill said that the armed forces of Great Britain and the United States were more closely united than any armies of different countries in history.

Because the emphasis of the Québec Conference was on the defeat of Japan, Mr. Churchill said that there was no call for representation by others than belligerents against the Japanese.

Tribute paid Russians

Later, Mr. Churchill paid high tribute to the Russian drive against the German Army, with the activation of plans reached here and in past meetings and in the future, Great Britain and the United States will be able, he said, to bring the whole of their weight to bear. This, combined with the powerful operations of Russia, “should give us,” he added, “the very best means for releasing the suffering, Axis-oppressed peoples of the world.”

Because the Allies are engaged in a life-and-death struggle, Mr. Churchill, said, speaking informally, it is impossible to talk in detailed terms, but he added that very good conclusions had been reached here. Any differences before the conference here involved priority and emphasis, he said, but there was nothing but complete unanimity of principle.

Slouched in chair

With Sicily prostrate after an operation planned last winter at Casablanca, the British Prime Minister, slouched in a chair and with his hat down over his eyes, said the world could rightly expect another Allied achievement to be forthcoming.

Great steps, he added, were being taken to bat down our antagonists one after another.

Canadian Prime Minister W. L. Mackenzie King also participated in the press conference. The three men sat in a terrace outside the Citadel, atop the ramparts 400 feet above the St. Lawrence River.

They had their backs to the top of the rampart which formed a ledge.

Eden, Hopkins present

As the conference started, Anthony Eden, British Foreign Secretary, took a seat on the ledge behind Mr. Churchill, Beside him were Brandon Bracken, British Minister of Information; Harry Hopkins, Mr. Roosevelt’s personal advisor, and Stephen T. Early, his Press Secretary.

Mr. Churchill was chewing on half an unlit cigar which he discarded over the parapet just before talking. It missed Mr. Eden, but only because he ducked.

Without qualification, Churchill said, that our forces – meaning apparently those of Great Britain and the United States – were better armed, better equipped and superior in weapons to the enemy; that the German submarine warfare against Allied shipping had rolled over from the debit to the credit side of the war ledger; that Allied shipping was mounting every day in volume.

Spread confident feeling

Spread wide the feeling of confidence, he added, waving his arms for emphasis and looking around the large group. That is how, he said, “you can play your part along with the others in winning the war.”

Mr. Roosevelt followed Mr. Churchill in addressing the reporters who were not permitted to ask questions, and played on the life-and-death struggle theme started by the Prime Minister. He said that while things were progressing much better, there was still much long, hard fighting ahead.

That fact, said the President, makes it necessary for full-shouldered support of the war effort by all peoples of the United Nations particularly those who make the things the armies and navies and air forces use in seeking victory.

Mr. Churchill muttered, “Hear, hear.”

Charts vast improvement

The President spoke of a series of recent successes and charted the vast improvement in the Allied position since he and Mr. Churchill conferred in Washington in June 1942, in which he described as “the dark days” of Tobruk. The plans made were then activated in November 1942, with the invasion of North Africa. Then he told how their meeting at Casablanca produced the Tunisian and Sicilian campaigns.

The President cited that series of events to support the assumption which he, himself, had offered: That another big Allied move is about to be disclosed. Both he and Mr. Churchill stressed, however, that the disclosure would come only with action and destruction for the enemy. Now would they give any hint as to its general locale.

Both the President and the Prime Minister stressed the importance and the achievements of their conferences and said the meetings of the High Command of the two nations would be held more often in the future.

Victory conference aim

The overall aim at each conference naturally is the winning of the war in the shortest possible time, Mr. Roosevelt said.

Mr. Roosevelt stressed the global aspects of the war, saying that the talks here in Québec covered far more than Japan, but took in the East and the West; over and under the equator, proving that this is all one operation.

Aside from the predictions of doom for the Japs, it is a safe bet Messrs. Roosevelt and Churchill and their imposing array of military and political experts also considered these questions:

  • A final knockout punch at the heart of German armed strength;
  • The cleanup of Italy and the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean;
  • Commanders for forthcoming operations in all theaters;
  • The general Soviet situation;
  • An assortment of political problems, including luring Spain away from her Axis ties;
  • Recognition of the French National Committee of Liberation.

Hopkins present

The final decision on the Pacific was in the hands of what British Minister of Information Bracken described as the “great trinity” of the Pacific – Britain, the United States and China as represented by Mr. Roosevelt, Mr. Churchill and Chinese Foreign Minister T. V. Soong. The British Information expert characterized Mr. Hopkins as an “honorary member” of the trinity in the conference yesterday.

Mr. Bracken’s term “trinity” touched off new speculation about the relation of these conferences to the Soviet Union.

Officials still declined to offer an explanation of why Russia withdrew Ambassador Maxim Litvinov from Washington weeks ago but announced it only after the Québec Conference were well underway. One source described the action as “making faces” and professed ignorance as the reason.

Opinion about the Litvinov transfer was divided, one school favoring the idea that it was a rebuke to the Anglo-American strategists for failing to provide a second front; the other school regarding it as a rebuke to Litvinov for not having influenced the Allies into a second front.

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U.S. State Department (August 24, 1943)

President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill to Marshal Stalin

Québec, August 24, 1943.

Secret
Operational priority

Secret and personal to Marshal Stalin from the United States Government and His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom.

In our conference at Québec, just concluded, we have arrived at the following decision as to military operations to be carried out during 1943 and 1944.

The bomber offensive against Germany will be continued on a rapidly-increased scale from bases in the United Kingdom and Italy. The objectives of this air attack will be to destroy the German air combat strength, to dislocate the German military, industrial, and economic system, and to prepare the way for a cross channel invasion.

A large-scale buildup of American forces in the United Kingdom is now under way. It will provide an initial assault force of British and American divisions for cross channel operations. A bridgehead in the continent once secured will be reenforced steadily by additional American troops at the rate of from three to five divisions per month. This operation will be the primary British and American ground and air effort against the Axis.

The war in the Mediterranean is to be pressed vigorously. Our objectives in that area will be the elimination of Italy from the Axis alliance, and the occupation of that country as well as Sardinia and Corsica as bases for operations against Germany.

Our operations in the Balkans will be limited to the supply of Balkan Guerrillas by air and sea transport, to minor raids by Commandos, and to the bombing of strategic objectives.

We shall accelerate our operations against Japan in the Pacific and in Southeast Asia. Our purposes are to exhaust Japanese air, naval, and shipping resources, to cut the Japanese communications and to secure bases from which to bomb Japan proper.

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President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill to Generalissimo Chiang

Québec, August 24, 1943.

Secret
Operational priority

Secret and personal to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek from President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill.

In order to vitalize operations in Burma, a command, separate from India, has been set up under Vice Admiral the Lord Louis Mountbatten to operate directly under the Combined Chiefs of Staff. This, we think, will be an improvement in organization and further the concept of aggressive operations. Thus, we hope to obtain unity in our combined effort in the forthcoming Burma operations. Unity must be achieved if success is to be attained.

At the conclusion of the conference in Quebec, I hasten to bring to you certain proposals that have been advanced as to operations in your theaters and areas contiguous thereto.

  • First, to accelerate the buildup of the air freight route into China to provide greatly increased support for your air and ground forces.

  • Second, the heavy burden now imposed on the lines of communications from Calcutta to Assam requires immediate increase in their capacity. Instructions have been issued to provide additional river craft and rail transportation facilities which should result in an eventual lift of two hundred thousand tons a month into Assam.

  • Third, to carry out offensive operations in the coming dry season for the capture of upper Burma with a view to increasing the capacity of the air route, and to making possible the reopening of an overland route to China. The security of these land and air routes is considered of vital importance to the buildup of an air offensive based in China. The operations as now proposed take the form of an attack from Assam into Burma via Imphal and Ledo, coordinated with an advance at the same time from Yunnan. These converging attacks are to be facilitated by the employment of long-range penetration groups in front of each column similar to those employed by Brigadier Wingate last spring. These columns are to be organized by Wingate. They will include British, American, and Indian contingents, all to be supported and supplied by air.

  • Fourth, preparations are underway for amphibious operations designed to contribute to the success of the North Burma campaign. At the same time steps are being taken to provide adequate naval forces to assure our naval supremacy in the Indian Ocean Area and to interdict the enemy’s sea communications into Rangoon. The precise objective for the amphibian attacks is still under investigation. The decision will not be made until Lord Mountbatten has had an opportunity to consider the various factors on the ground.

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Roosevelt-Churchill dinner meeting, evening, The Citadel

Present
United States United Kingdom
President Roosevelt Prime Minister Churchill
Mr. Hopkins Lieutenant General Ismay
Mr. Harriman Subaltern Mary Churchill
Admiral Leahy
Rear Admiral Brown
Miss Tully

From an informal memorandum by Harriman:

The President came into the room first after some of us already had arrived, saying “We are both mad.” He referred to the Prime Minister’s and his annoyance over the most recent cable from “Uncle Jo.” His anger took the form of making him gayer than usual both before and after dinner. The “PM,” however, arrived with a scowl and never really got out of his ill humor all evening – up to 3 a.m. when I left.

I asked the President if he recalled the sentence in a cable that went to Jo from the “PM” in which he said “I am entirely unmoved by your statement.” I said the Prime Minister had shown me this cable and asked for comments. My only comment had been asking him whether this sentence was entirely accurate. The President roared with laughter and much to my embarrassment proceeded to tell the story to the “PM” when he came in. Needless to say, it not only fell flat but bounced in my direction. With a scowl he said “impudence.”

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Roosevelt-Churchill meeting, evening

Present
United States United Kingdom
President Roosevelt Prime Minister Churchill
Mr. Harriman Foreign Secretary Eden
Sir Alexander Cadogan

From an informal memorandum by Harriman:

Eden and Cadogan came in after dinner and got a chance to read the cable. As it was a bit garbled and badly translated and paraphrased I could not find that it was one about which to be irritated. In recent days one has been worried about the Russians playing a lone hand. This cable rather rudely suggested that he should have greater participation in certain directions. The Prime Minister and President were particularly annoyed because they had attempted to keep him fully informed. But one can’t be annoyed with Stalin for being aloof and then be annoyed with him because he rudely joins the party. Pug Ismay and Anthony shared this view. I didn’t have a chance to talk to Harry.

But the Prime Minister would not have any of it. After dinner when we were alone, he said he foresaw “bloody consequences in the future” (using “bloody” in the literal sense).

Stalin is an unnatural man. There will be grave troubles.

He ticked off Anthony when Anthony suggested it was not so bad, saying:

There is no need for you to attempt to smooth it over in the Foreign Office manner (addressing Cadogan as well).

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