Telegram from President Harry S. Truman to Prime Minister Winston Churchill

NLT-213 CR 7603 DIT 12 MAY 1945 PRIORITY DECLASSIFIED by authority of PERSONAL AND TOP SECRET text false F.R. Polidam NUMBER 36 coif Vol.I P.S 8. Batef.7.23 NATIONAL TO: THE PRIME MENISTER AND us a FROM: THE PRESIDENT YOUR NUMBER 49. ! WOULD MUCH PREFER TO HAVE STALIN PROPOSE THE MEET- ING AND BELIEVE IT IS WORTHWHILE TO ENDEAVOR, THROUGH OUR AMBASSADORS, TO INDUCE HIM TO PROPOSE THE MEETING. IF SUCH AN EFFORT FAILS, WE CAN THEN CONSIDER OUR ISSUING AN INVITATION JOINTLY OR SEVERALLY. WHEN AND IF SUCH A MEETING IS ARRANGED, IT APPEARS TO ME THAT IN ORDER TO AVOID ANY SUSPICION OF OUR "GANG- I NG UP " IT WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US TO PROCEED TO THE MEETING PLACE SEPARATELY. WHEN THE CONFERENCE ENDS, IF MY DUTIES HERE DO NOT MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE, I SHALL BE VERY PLEASED TO MAKE A VISIT TO ENGLAND WHERE YOU AND I MAY DISCUSS FULLY OUR COMMON INTERESTS AND PROBLEMS. I AM FULLY IN AGREEMENT THAT THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WILL DECIDE QUESTIONS OF THE GREATEST CONSEQUENCE TO THE WHOLE WORLD. (SIGNED) TRUMAN Mr. Hallwas Adm. stark