Foreign Affairs File, 1940-1953: "Yalta Conference, Roosevelt and the Russians" by Edward R. Stettinius (draft)

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THE HORSESHOE RAPIDAN, VIRGINIA February 16, 1949 Dear Mr. President, Out of respect for the memory of President Roosevelt, I have been compelled to record the truth of what occurred at Yalta. I have spent many months on this effort, and I. send you herewith a copy of the manuscript. I shall, of course, also send a copy to Dean Acheson in order that the Department may clear the document from the standpoint of the security of the United States. You will find attached a copy of the note that I have sent to him. For the sake of orderly procedure, may I suggest, however, that you appoint some one member of your staff who may act for you as far as clearance is concerned through all agencies involved? Otherwise duplication of effort and lack of coordination would certainly arise. I know from our personal conversations in the past on the prospect of my writing a record of the formation of the United Nations that you feel just as ardently as I do relative to the im- portance - not only from a sentimental standpoint, but a practical one as well - of having the untruths that have been so widely enunciated relative to Yalta properly and authentically corrected. It was a source of great disappointment to me that it was not possible to attend prayers with you prior to your inauguration, and I was touched that you remembered me. However, as explained to Matt, I was hiding in Florida, working on the attached manu- script. Otherwise nothing would have prevented my being with you. With warmest personal regards, Faithfully, E ARCHIVES "NATIONAL SERVICE RECORDS AND running is Edward R. Stettinius, Jr. The President The White House