Québec Conference 1944 (OCTAGON)

145

U.S. State Department (September 18, 1944)

PR 10 Foreign Relations of U.S./8-20-71: Telegram

Prime Minister Churchill to the British Foreign Secretary

Hyde Park, September 18, 1944
Personal and top secret

Following for Foreign Secretary from Prime Minister.
My immediately preceding telegram.

Following is text of message for Marshal Stalin.

We are sending a full account of the conclusions which we have reached in our Conference here. We both much regretted that circumstances which we well understood made it impossible for you to be present with us and thus to repeat the historic precedent of Tehran.

In sending you our account of this essentially military conference we feel that we should be less than frank if we did not also express to you certain anxieties which are much in our minds about political developments in Europe. With the defeat of the enemy’s armies, political problems will arise in all parts of Europe. It is essential that we should work together to solve these. We mention in particular the situation in Yugoslavia and Greece, in both of which countries there has been, and in the former of which there still is, the danger of civil war. There is also the position in Poland, which causes us much anxiety. We were all much encouraged by the success of the visit of Monsieur Mikołajczyk, the Polish Prime Minister, to Moscow, and we hope that the conversations which were there opened can be carried to a successful conclusion with your help. It would be gravely embarrassing to the smooth working of our affairs if events should so fall out that we were left recognizing Monsieur Mikołajczyk and his Government while you supported some other authority in Poland.

These and all other matters which affect our relations towards other powers we are at all times ready to discuss with you, in order to seek agreement through the diplomatic channel or by any other means. As you know we think it extremely important that we should meet on this and other important topics as soon as the war situation allows.

W S C

146

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom to the President

London, 18 September 1944
Secret

To the President from Winant.

Immediately following your directive that a mission to drop supplies on Warsaw was authorized clearance was obtained from Moscow and the project organized. Bad weather has delayed the mission. I thought you would like to know that I just received a message which was flashed back stating that one hundred and seven ships today in clear weather had dropped supplies over Warsaw.

The Pittsburgh Press (September 18, 1944)

Editorial: Fair words from Québec

No starting news came out of the Québec Conference. The President and the Prime Minister said Britain would help America lick Japan – a promise made 13 months ago at the First Québec Conference.

The fact that the official statements were on the thin side does not mean nothing was accomplished. Probably some secret agreements were made regarding German armistice terms after unconditional surrender, and the Polish-Russian dispute; and doubtless preparations were made for a fall meeting with Stalin. All this is surmise, however, because the Big Two operate more and more in the dark – not only in military matters, where secrecy is essential, but also in international policy which should not be kept from the public in a democracy.

The combined publicity efforts of the President and the Prime Minister to put the Pacific War into the spotlight is good politics in this country, and is in line with the recent Roosevelt visit to Pearl Harbor. There is the obvious implication that only the Roosevelt-Churchill team can beat the Japs.

Actually, Britain will not get into the Pacific War fully much before “the kill,” to use the Churchill phrase. Apart from China, the United States will have to do most of the job. The Québec propaganda will be harmful if it lulls Americans into believing otherwise.

Of course, Britain intends to get in at the end, and Russia probably does also. Both have large interests in the Far East. Neither can afford to be out of the settlement following Jap defeat.

But, regardless of intent, there are two effective barriers to large British participation in the Pacific War during the decisive period ahead. At least six months will be required after European peace for Britain to shift strength from west to east; and, assuming this is done by next spring, the monsoon season from May to October will prevent major campaigns in the Southeast Asia area where Britain operates.

Help is needed now in the Far East. China is desperate – her base, which American bombers have been using to such good advantage, are being lost to the enemy. Adm. Nimitz and Gen. MacArthur are sweeping across the Pacific faster than anyone could have expected. But the failure of London and New Delhi to support Lord Louis Mountbatten’s command in Southeast Asia is prolonging the war, despite Mr. Churchill’s high promises at the First Québec Conference. One big blow struck by Lord Mountbatten this fall would be worth 10 blows a year later.

147

Komsomolskaya Pravda (September 19, 1944)

К конференции в Квебеке

Совместное заявление Рузвельта и Черчилля

Квебек, 16 сентября (ТАСС) –
Рузвельт и Черчилль сделали следующее совместное заявление о результатах квебекской конференции:

Президент н премьер-министр, а также начальники объединённых штабов провели ряд совещаний, на которых обсуждались все виды войны против Германии н Японии. В очень короткое время они достигли решений по всем вопросам, касающимся как завершения войны в Европе, приближающейся теперь к своей Финальной стадии, так и разгрома варваров на Тихом океане Наиболее серьезная трудность, с которой встретились участники квебекской конференции, заключалась в том, чтобы найти способ и возможность использования против Японии огромных сил, которые каждая из заинтересованных стран в отдельности и все они вместе стремятся использовать против врага.

На состоявшейся сегодня пресс-конференции Рузвельт заявил, что союзные руководители не делают никаких предсказаний относительно точной даты полного поражения Германии, но они надеются достигнуть быстрого окончания войны в Европе, а затем перебросить все силы западных держав против Японии, чтобы вынудить ее к безусловной капитуляции. Рузвельт заявил, что руководители заполных держав разработали на квебекской конференции планы совместных усилий Соединенных Штатов, Великобритании и доминионов для проведения решающей кампании на Дальневосточном театре военных действий.

Рузвельт заявил далее, что союзники не будут создавать единого командования на Тихом океане, а сохранят три раздельных командования, а именно: генерала Маунтбэттена – в Юго-Восточной Азии, генерала Макартура – в юго-западной части Тихого океана и адмирала Нимица – на море.

Выступая на той же пресс-конференции, Черчилль заявил, что быстрое развитие военных событий сделало крайне необходимым для руководителей союзных стран созывать частые совещания для обсуждения «их великих дел». Величайшие победы союзников, особенно в Европе, были предначертаны в союзных планах, разработанных на предыдущих конференциях в Каире н Тегеране.

Черчилль сделал оптимистический обзор военного положения в настоящее время, указав, что квебекская конференция собралась в тот момент, «когда большая часть нашей задачи близится к выполнению». Черчилль заявил, что Великобритания не намерена отступать от своих обязательств после поражения Германии. Великобритания, так же как н доминионы, настаивает на необходимости взять на себя огромную долю участия в операциях на Тихом океане и не возлагать на Соединенные Штаты «слишком большую тяжесть».

Немедленно после достижения победы в Европе – сказал Черчилль – вся огромная сила западных держав, сконцентрированная в настоящее время в Европе, будет обращена против Японии. Указывая, что союзные операции в. Европе Проводились «с точностью часового механизма», он выразил уверенность, что действия против Японии будут проводиться с той же точностью.

Касаясь присутствия Идена на квебекской конференции, Черчилль заявил, что обсуждение различных вопросов на конференции не могло строго ограничиться вопросами военного характера и, естественно, были затронуты различные проблемы, касающиеся Экономических, финансовых и дипломатических сторон.

В заключение Черчилль указал, что за последний год «фортуна так благоприятствовала» Объединённым нациям и они достигли таких решающих успехов в победе над врагом, «что за их будущее можно Ее беспокоиться».

Отъезд Черчилля из Квебека Возвращение Идена в Лондон

Лондон, 18 сентября (ТАСС) –
Как передает корреспондент агентства Рейтер, чернядь выехал поездом из Квебека.

148

Völkischer Beobachter (September 19, 1944)

Québec-Konferenz beendet

Stockholm, 18. September –
Die Besprechungen in Québec zwischen Roosevelt und Churchill haben ihren Abschluß gefunden. In einer bemerkenswert kurzen amtlichen Verlautbarung heißt es: Der Präsident und der Premierminister und die vereinigten Staatchefs hielten eine Reihe von Konferenzen, in deren Verlauf alle Probleme des Krieges gegen Deutschland und Japan erörtert wurden. Die ernsteste Schwierigkeit, so wird weiter ausgeführt, der sich die Konferenz in Québec gegenübersah, war die Aufgabe, Platz und Möglichkeit der besten Ordnung für jene Streitkräfte zu finden, die alle davon betroffenen Nationen gegen den japanischen Feind einzusetzen begierig sind.

Beim Zusammentritt der Québec-Konferenz haben wir bereits festgestellt, worauf es Roosevelt bei diesem Treffen mit Churchill vor allem ankam: Die Briten auf eine vollgültige Teilnahme am Kampf gegen Japan festzulegen, den bis jetzt die Yankees fast ausschließlich zu bestreiten hatten, und damit angesichts des heranrückenden Wahltermins der populären Meinung entgegenzukommen, daß der Krieg im Pazifik für die USA die Hauptaufgabe sei. Daß sich die Briten in Québec auf diese Linie festlegen ließen, ergibt sich aus der Erklärung Churchills: „Wir werden uns an diesem Krieg im Pazifik mit Streitkräften beteiligen, die im guten Verhältnis zu unserer nationalen Stärke stehen.“ Er stellt also dem englischen Volke vor Augen, daß es außer den hohen Blutopfern, die ihm das Ringen auf dem Kontinent abfordert, auf einen weiteren langfristigen Einsatz in Ostasien gefasst sein muß, wenn es überhaupt in diesem Raum noch eine Mitbestimmung ausüben will.

Was den Gang der Dinge in Europa angeht, so enthält die Verlautbarung von Québec darüber nichts Genaues. Die Haltung der beiden Mächte gegenüber den Völkern des Kontinents beschränkt sich nach wie vor darauf, sie den Bolschewisten ins Netz zu treiben. Diesen Tatbestand konnten die Roosevelt und Churchill nicht in Abrede stellen oder auch nur ansprechen da er für sie alles andere als rühmlich ist und nur ihre Mitschuld an der Ausbreitung des bolschewistischen Machtbereichs beweist Hingegen wird man erwarten dürfen, daß sie dem deutschen Volk mit ähnlichen Einflüsterungen zu nahen versuchen, wie sie bei leichtgläubigen und weniger standfesten Nationen Gehör finden und diese veranlassten, mitten im Strom die Pferde zu wechseln. Das Ergebnis liegt bei Italien und auf dem Balkan offen zutage. Es wiegt schwerer als alle Drohungen und Verheißungen, deren man sich drüben bedienen könnte um die militärische durch eine politisch-propagandistische Offensive zu unterstützen deren Misserfolg von vornherein feststeht, weil starke und stolze Völker nur der Stimme ihres eigenen Gewissens folgen.

vb.

‚Typisches Agitationsbeispiel‘

Tokio, 18. September –
Die Erklärung Roosevelts und Churchills zum Abschluß der Québec-Konferenz über Japan wurde von dem Sprecher der japanischen Regierung als ein typisches Agitationsbeispiel bezeichnet.

Der Sprecher verwies auf die Erklärungen des japanischen Premierministers und des Marineministers vor dem Reichstag, in welcher festgehalten wurde, daß die See- und Landstreitkräfte völlig intakt seien und nur auf eine Großoffensive des Gegners warteten, um ihm dann den entscheidenden Schlag zu versetzen.

149

U.S. State Department (September 19, 1944)

Note by the Secretaries of CCS

Washington, 19 September 1944
Top secret
CCS 678/1

Planning date for the end of the war against Japan

The President and Prime Minister approved the recommendation of the Combined Chiefs of Staff that the date for the end of the war against Japan, for planning production and for allocation of manpower, should be set at 18 months after the defeat of Germany; this date to be adjusted periodically to conform to the course of the war.

A. J. McFARLAND
A. T. CORNWALL-JONES
Combined Secretariat

150

The President to the Secretary of State

Hyde Park, September 19, 1944

Memorandum for the Secretary of State

I have had lengthy talks with the Prime Minister in regard to recognition of the Provisional Government in France. He and I are both very much opposed to it at this time. The Provisional Government has no direct authority from the people. It is best to let things go along as they are for the moment.

F D R

151

Draft of a statement by President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill

This was not sent. It was one of many drafts. F D R
[Undated]

The Italian people, freed of their Fascist and Nazi overlordship, have in these last twelve months demonstrated their will to be free, to fight on the side of the democracies, and to take a place among the United Nations devoted to principles of peace and justice.

We believe we should give encouragement to those Italians who are standing for a political rebirth in Italy, and are completing the destruction of the evil Fascist system. We wish to afford the Italians a greater opportunity to aid in the defeat of our enemies.

Italy has made real progress these last twelve months. [and other essential supplies.] We believe the United States and Great Britain should give her [Italy] greater political recognition, and we propose to invite the Italian government to send its own direct representatives to Washington and London, and on our part we will give our representatives at Rome the status of ambassadors.

First and immediate considerations in Italy are the relief of hunger and sickness and fear. To this end we have instructed our representatives at the pending conference of UNRRA to declare for the sending of food and clothing and medical aids to Italy.

Along with this is the need for first steps to be taken [At the same time, first steps should be taken] toward the reconstruction of an Italian economy – an economy wrecked [laid low] under the years of the misrule of Mussolini, and ravished by the German policy of vengeful destruction.

These steps should be taken primarily as military aims to put the full resources of Italy and the Italian people into the struggle to defeat Germany and Japan. We should assist the Italians in the restoration of their power systems, their railways, motor transport, roads and other communications, and send our engineers, technicians and industrial experts into Italy to speed the work of rehabilitation.

The Italian prisoners of war should be given opportunity to volunteer their full efforts in the fight against the enemy, to carry the flag of Italy into battle against Germany and Japan.

We should all look toward that day [We all wish to speed the day] when the last vestiges of Fascism in Italy will have been wiped out, when the last German will have left Italian soil, and when there will be no need of any Allied troops to remain – the day when free elections can be held throughout Italy. [and when Italy can begin to take her own high place in the great family of democratic nations.]

152

Draft of a statement by President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill

Hyde Park, September 19, 1944

The President and the Prime Minister held further discussions Monday and Tuesday at Hyde Park, on subjects dealing with post-war policies in Europe. The result of these discussions cannot be disclosed at this time for strategic military reasons, and pending their consideration by our other Allies.

The present problems in Italy also came under discussion, and on this subject the President and the Prime Minister issued the following statement:

The Italian people, freed of their Fascist and Nazi overlordship, have in these last twelve months demonstrated their will to be free, to fight on the side of the democracies, and to take a place among the United Nations devoted to principles of peace and justice.

We believe we should give encouragement to those Italians who are standing for a political rebirth in Italy, and are completing the destruction of the evil Fascist system. We wish to afford the Italians a greater opportunity to aid in the defeat of our common enemies.

The American and British people are of course horrified by the recent mob action in Rome [the lynching on September 18, 1944, of Dona to Carretta, former vice director of the Regina Coeli Prison], but feel that a greater responsibility placed on the Italian people and on their own government will most readily prevent a recurrence of such acts.

An increasing measure of control will be gradually handed over to the Italian Administration, subject of course to that Administration proving that it can maintain law and order and the regular administration of justice. To mark this change the Allied Control Commission will be renamed “The Allied Commission.”

The British High Commissioner in Italy will assume the additional title of Ambassador. The United States representative in Borne already holds that rank. The Italian Government will be invited to appoint direct representatives to Washington and London.

Our governments are also willing to consider a revision of the present long terms of the Italian armistice, to bring them more in line with the present realistic situation.

First and immediate considerations in Italy are the relief of hunger and sickness and fear. To this end we have instructed our representatives at the pending conference of UNRRA to declare for the sending of food and clothing, medical aids and other essential supplies to Italy.

At the same time, first steps should be taken toward the reconstruction of an Italian economy – an economy laid low under the years of the misrule of Mussolini, and ravished by the German policy of vengeful destruction.

These steps should be taken primarily as military aims to put the full resources of Italy and the Italian people into the struggle to defeat Germany and Japan. For military reasons we should assist the Italians in the restoration of such power systems, their railways, motor transport, roads and other communications as enter into the war situation, and for a short time send engineers, technicians and industrial experts into Italy to help them in their own rehabilitation.

The application to Italy of the Trading with the Enemy Acts should be modified so as to enable business contacts between Italy and the outside world to be resumed on the basis of exchange of goods.

We all wish to speed the day when the last vestiges of Fascism in Italy will have been wiped out, when the last German will have left Italian soil, and when there will be no need of any Allied troops to remain – the day when free elections can be held throughout Italy, and when Italy can earn her proper place in the great family of free nations.