U.S. State Department (December 1, 1943)
President Roosevelt’s log of the trip
Wednesday, December 1 (at Tehran)
11:30 a.m. | The President signed official mail. There were no Congressional matters included in this mail. |
11:40 a.m. | The President visited the branch post exchange in the Russian Embassy and made several purchases of souvenirs and articles to be used as gifts. |
11:50 a.m. | A Dr. Millspaugh, an American and the fiscal manager for the Iranian Government, called on the President. Colonel Elliott Roosevelt left Tehran, in his own plane, for Cairo en route to his post of duty in Northwest Africa. |
12:00 (noon) | The President met with the Prime Minister, Marshal Stalin, Foreign Minister Eden, Ambassador Harriman, Mr. Harry L. Hopkins, Commissar Molotov, Ambassador Sir Archibald Clark Kerr, Major Birse, Mr. Berezhkov and Mr. Bohlen. The meeting was at the Russian Embassy. |
1:00 p.m. | The President and all those conferring with him since noon had lunch at the Russian Embassy. The party resumed conference discussions immediately after lunch and remained in session until 4:00 p.m., when they adjourned to meet again at 6:00 p.m. |
6:00 p.m. | The President, the Prime Minister and Marshal Stalin and those conferring with them earlier during the afternoon met again for further discussions. These discussions continued right up until dinner time. |
8:30 p.m. | The President was host at dinner at the Russian Embassy to all those present at the 6:00 p.m. conference. Conference discussions were resumed after dinner and continued until 10:30 p.m., during which the President, the Prime Minister and Marshal Stalin agreed on a communiqué to be issued to the press after the President’s subsequent departure from Cairo. A copy of this communiqué is appended, marked Appendix “D.” |
10:30 p.m. | At 10:30 p.m., the President bade the Marshal and other members of the Soviet Delegation goodbye and was whisked away from the Russian Embassy by auto and driven to the nearby U.S. Army Camp Amirabad where he and his party spent the night. We arrived at the camp (Colonels’ quarters D 13-15) at 10:45 p.m. and the President retired shortly thereafter. Camp Amirabad is at the foot of the Elburz Mountains and it was rather cold there. Some of our party required three or more blankets to keep warm that night. |
The flight to Tehran from Cairo, and return, had been pronounced practical by Major Bryan provided weather conditions were favorable. During unfavorable conditions clouds over the mountain passes would require flying at elevations higher than Admiral McIntire was willing to have the President and some other members of the party go. Weather reports from the westward had, therefore, been watched carefully throughout our stay at Tehran and fortunately conditions had remained ideal. However this (Wednesday) morning information was received of a cold front passing Cairo, which the local aerologists predicted might blankoff the mountain passes on Friday. It was, therefore, decided to make every effort to complete business on Wednesday in order that the President might leave Tehran Thursday morning. Both the Russian and British groups had to readjust their schedule to carry this out and their willingness to do so was another demonstration of the spirit that animated all conferees to work harmoniously together. | |
During the forenoon the President autographed a photograph of himself for presentation to the Shah of Iran. The photograph, mounted in a silver frame, was handed to Minister Dreyfus who was requested to make the presentation. | |
Gifts of American cigarettes and chocolate candy bars were presented to all members of the household staff of the Russian Embassy. | |
The American and British Chiefs of Staff left Tehran today for return to Cairo, where they were scheduled to resume their conferences. Their party stopped overnight at Jerusalem on the way south. A “Three Power Agreement” (between the United States, Great Britain and Russia) to guarantee Iran’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence was signed at Tehran today by President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill and Marshal Stalin. |