johndoe@gmail.com
PRIME MINISTER’S
PERSONAL TELEGRAM
SERIAL No T.967A
FROM; President Roosevelt.
TO: Churchill.
Dated: 11.12.41.
Personal for Former Naval Person.
I’m delighted to have you here at the White House. It’s impossible for me to leave the country while we get our armed forces ready for war and naval action in Pacific.
I know you’ll understand that we’ll solve the current problems in producing and transporting weapons to you. We’ll have to use planes for about three weeks but hope to restart the shipments to you and Russia by January first. Nearly all other equipment is still being sent to you. Details of producing and transporting equipment can be discussed by telegram.
The navy and other matters of how to fight the war need discussion.
My one concern is the great personal risk to you. I think you should consider this carefully because the Empire needs you to lead it and we need you there too (in London).
The news is bad but it’ll get better.
Warm regards, Roosevelt.
PRIME MINISTER’S
PERSONAL TELEGRAM
SERIAL No T.967A
FROM; President Roosevelt.
TO: Former Naval Person.
Dated: 11.12.41.
Personal for Former Naval Person.
Delighted to have you here at the White House. Impossible for me to leave country during intensive mobilization and clarification naval action in Pacific.
I know you will bear in mind that the production and allocation problems can and will be worked out with complete understanding and accord. We shall have to use allotted planes for about three weeks but hope to resume schedule of shipments to you and Russia by January first. Practically all other Lease Lend articles are continuing to be shipped. Details of production and allocation can be handled at long range.
Naval situation and other matters of strategy require discussion.
My one reservation is great personal risk to you. Believe this should be given most careful consideration for the Empire needs you at the helm and we need you there too.
The news is bad but it will be better.
Warm regards, Roosevelt.
This is a copy of a telegram from President Roosevelt to Winston Churchill, (‘Former Naval Person’), sent on 11 December 1941. The White House is the official residence of the US President in Washington DC, US.
On 7 December 1941 the American naval base of Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii, was attacked by aircraft of the Japanese navy. The US Congress formally declared war on Japan on 8 December and on 11 December both Germany and Italy declared war on America. The US were now no longer neutral and would start to play a very active military role in the war.
Churchill wanted to meet as soon as possible to discuss what the strategy for the war should be and he was particularly concerned to get Roosevelt’s agreement that Germany, rather than Japan, should be the primary target for America’s armed forces.
Here Roosevelt is calling Churchill ‘Former Naval Person’. Churchill called himself this when corresponding with Roosevelt because he’d been in charge of the Admiralty (the government department which ran the Royal Navy) in the First World War. This was a link he had with Roosevelt who, at the same time, had served in the US Navy as Assistant Secretary.
Remember, we’re hoping that this source can be useful to us in investigating what was special about the relationship between Britain and the US in the early years of the Second World War. Sources usually help historians in two ways:
Which of the inferences below can be made from this source?
On a scale of 1-5 how far do you agree that this source supports this inference? | Which extract(s) from the source support your argument? | |
Roosevelt doesn’t really want Churchill to visit Washington. | ||
Roosevelt appears distracted by the events in the Pacific. | ||
Churchill appears pleased that the US has joined the war. | ||
This source is evidence that the US was simply looking after its own interests in its dealings with Britain. |
➜ Download table (PDF)
➜ Download table (Word document)
Explore the guide to interpreting telegrams
