Page:Franklin D. Roosevelt to Winston Churchill - NARA - 194862.jpg



(SENT AS OPNAV'S 110030 CR 0665)

PERSONAL AND

FOR FORMER NAVAL PERSON FROM THE PRESIDENT

DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU HERE AT 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 LEND LEASE 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 PERSON RISK TO YOU---BELIVEBELIEVE [sic] 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