One year prior to Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor
Prime Minister Winston Churchill sent a telegram
imploring President Roosevelt for increased
American participation in their catastrophic
European war.
Here are Churchill's main points:
The safety of the United States, as well as the future of our two democracies and the kind of civilization for which they stand, is bound up with the survival and independence of the British Commonwealth.
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The form this war has taken does not enable us to match the immense armies of Germany.
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The first half of 1940 was a disaster for the allies
and for Europe.
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The decision for 1941 lies upon the seas. Unless
we can feed our nation, move our armies to
where Hitler and his confederate Mussolini
must be met - we fall by the wayside.
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And the time needed by the United States
to complete her defensive preparations
may not be forthcoming.
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The enemy commands the ports all around
the coast of France.
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Our only effective route of entry to the British Isles
is increasingly concentrated with enemy U-boat action.
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The Japanese are believed preparing five good divisions
for possible use as an overseas expeditionary force.
We have no forces in the Far East capable of
dealing with this.
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In the face of these dangers we must build up
our supply of weapons, particularly of aircraft.
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The prime need is to limit the loss of tonnage
on the Atlantic approaches to our island.
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The United States could give supreme and decisive help
to our common cause. A large number of American vessels
of war, above all destroyers, already in the Atlantic is
indispensable to maintaining the Atlantic route.
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Would you consider upping your production of combat
aircraft by an additional two thousand a month? This
highest possible proportion of these should be
heavy bombers, the weapons on which we depend
to shatter the foundation of German military power.
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I am grateful for the arrangements you have made
to equip an additional ten of our divisions with
American weapons - in time for the campaign of 1942.
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The more rapid and abundant the flow of munitions
and ships which you are able to send us, the sooner
will our dollar credits be exhausted. The moment
approaches when we shall no longer be able
to pay cash.
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If, as I believe, you are convinced, Mr. President, that
the defeat of the Nazi and Fascist tyranny is a matter
of high consequence to the people of the United States
you will regard this letter not as an appeal for aid,
but a statement of the minimum action necessary
to achieve our common purpose.
Winston S. Churchill
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love
dad
© Tom Taylor
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