Memorandum from Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy to President Harry S. Truman

FORVICTORY SAVE BUY UNITED THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF STATES ONSERVATIONER WAR BONDS WASHINGTON 25, D. C. AND STAMPS 21 July 1945 FOP SEGRET MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT: It is requested that the appended memorandum, which is self-explanatory, be presented to Generalissimo Stalin. At the Yalta conference a proposal was made to pro- vide additional weather stations in the Siberian area with special U.S. equipment for upper air soundings and both the equipment and U.S. personnel to operate it were offered. The Russians approved the establishment of the stations and the use of the U.S. equipment but stated that they did not want the U.S. personnel. Most of this equipment has been shipped. The Soviets have in the past been most reluctant to allow U.S. personnel to operate within their boundaries. It is believed that your personal intercession is necessary to obtain this permission. In view of the vital importance of accurate weather forecasts to the success of forthcoming operations, which forecasts can best be produced by U.S. personnel, the accept- ance by Generalissimo Stalin of our proposal to establish and man the two weather controls indicated in attached memo- randum should be strongly urged. If, however, Stalin persists in his refusal to admit U.S. personnel to Siberia for this purpose and offers to man these facilities with Russian personnel, agreement to his counter proposal, though far from satisfactory, will be better than nothing. For the Joint Chief's of Staff: TRUMAN - the SERVICE "NATTONAL os as WILLIAM D. LEAHY, Fleet Admiral, U.S. Navy, Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy. Encl. DECLASSIFIED Copy to accompany original JCS Memo, Jan. 17, 1973 BYNLTW NARS, Dafe 6.29.96