Franklin D. Roosevelt to Winston Churchill (July, 1941)

by Franklin Delano Roosevelt

⁠TELEGRAM

TO: AMEMBASSY
⁠LONDON

⁠SECRET FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE FORMER NAVAL PERSON.
⁠WE ARE TRANSFERRING TO YOU AT ONCE FOR SHIPMENT TO
THE MIDDLE EAST 490,000 ROUNDS 155 mm HOWITZER AMMUNITION
200 LIGHT TANKS FROM OUR JUNE AND JULY PRODUCTION
COMPLETE WITH ARMAMENT SPARKS AND ACCESSORIES 24 THREE
INCH ANTIAIRCRAFT GUNS WITH FIRE CONTROL 12,000 ROUNDS
THREE INCH AA SHRAPNEL 4 155 mm GUNS WITH ONCARRIAGE
FIRE CONTROL 2,000 ROUNDS 155 mm GUN AMMUNITION AS
SPECIFIED BY YOU 20 AIR COMPRESSOR TRUCKS 30 SETS SMALL
BOX GIRDER BRIDGES WITH TRANSPORTERS 5 SETS HEAVY
PONTONS WITH TRANSPORTERS 50 MOBILE LIGHTING SETS
100 SETS WATER SUPPLY EQUIPMENT 700 TEN TON TRUCKS
25 PORTABLE WELDING SETS VERY SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF
MACHINERY AND TOOLS ROAD AND EXCAVATING EQUIPMENT
MACHINE TOOLS ENGINEER STORES SURVEY EQUIPMENT
QUARTERMASTER STORES AND SIGNAL EQUIPMENT. THESE WILL
BE RUSHED AT EARLIEST POSSIBLE MOMENT. WE NOW HAVE 44
AMERICAN FLAG SHIPS ASSIGNED TO MIDDLE EAST AND WE ARE
PLANNING TO MOVE SOME 75,000 TONS OF FREIGHT TO THAT
REGION. ALL OF THE ABOVE IS IN ADDITION TO ANY
PREVIOUS COMMITMENTS WE HAVE MADE FOR THE MIDDLE EAST.

HLH/lmb