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COPY
MOST SECRET
12th August 1941
THE PRIME MINISTER TO THE LORD PRIVY SEAL, further to telegrams Nos. (12), (16) and (18)
TUDOR No. 22
President and I this morning agreed that following statement should be broadcast on Thursday August 14 at three p.m. (It should not repeat not be released before then to press):-
…
The President of the U.S.A. and Prime Minister, Mr. Churchill, representing H.M. Government in United Kingdom, being met together, deem it right to make known certain common principles in national policies of their respective countries on which they base their hopes for a better future for the world.
First, their countries seek no aggrandisement, territorial or other. Second, theydesire to see no territorial changes that do not accord with the free express wish of the peoples concerned; third, they respect right of all peoples to choose the form of Government under which they will live; and they wish to see Sovereign rights and self-Government restored to those who have been forcibly de[p]rived of them.
Fourth ...
COPY
MOST SECRET
12th August 1941
THE PRIME MINISTER TO THE LORD PRIVY SEAL, further to telegrams Nos. (12), (16) and (18)
TUDOR No. 22
President and I this morning agreed that following statement should be broadcast on Thursday August 14 at three p.m. (It should not repeat not be released before then to press):-
…
The President of the U.S.A. and Prime Minister, Mr. Churchill, representing H.M. Government in United Kingdom, being met together, deem it right to make known certain common principles in national policies of their respective countries on which they base their hopes for a better future for the world.
First, their countries seek no aggrandisement, territorial or other. Second, theydesire to see no territorial changes that do not accord with the free express wish of the peoples concerned; third, they respect right of all peoples to choose the form of Government under which they will live; and they wish to see Sovereign rights and self-Government restored to those who have been forcibly de[p]rived of them.
Fourth ...
This is a copy of a telegram from Churchill to his deputy, Clement Attlee, giving the text for a press release about an agreement made with the American President.
Churchill and Roosevelt met at sea on 9 and 10 August 1941 aboard the warship, ‘USS Augusta’, in Newfoundland, Canada, to discuss their aims for the Second World War and how to bring about peace after the war. The agreement had eight ‘common principles’ that the United States and Great Britain would support after the war and became known as ‘The Atlantic Charter’.
The meeting had been called in response to the situation in Europe where Germany had overrun much of the continent and was now advancing rapidly into Russia having declared war on the Soviet Union on 22 June. Both Britain and the US were concerned that the USSR would be defeated quickly and leave Britain to fight alone again. Britain was also concerned about the growing threat from Japan in the Far East and hoped that the US would soon end its policy of remaining neutral in the war.
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 and Churchill agreed that they were fighting for freedom and democracy. | ||
The US was increasing its support for Britain. | ||
The US would soon change its policy of neutrality in the war to fight with Britain. | ||
The relationship between Britain and the US was more like allies in war than friendship between two countries. |
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