Beschreibung:

ROOSEVELT, Franklin D. (1882-1945). Two autograph notes signed ("FDR") to Winston Churchill [Quebec, 12 September 1944]; [ With: ] CHURCHILL, Winston S. (1874-1965) menu for 24 September 1944 from the Cunard White Star Line, signed ("Winston S. Churchill"), as well as Clementine Churchill, ‘Jock’ Colville, Lord Moran, J. M. Martin and others; a black and white photograph of Roosevelt and Churchill at the Second Quebec Conference; 2 candid photographs from the conference with handwritten identifications of the subjects in Colville's hand. Both notes, in pencil, comprise two pages total, the first on "The Citadel" letterhead 202 x 127mm, laid down on a 252 x 179mm sheet from an album with the two 110 x 118mm photographs annotated by Colville affixed to verso; the second on White House letterhead 201 x 127mm, addressed in in Roosevelt's hand on the verso: "The Prime Minister" (tape and mounting hinges on verso); the menu, 152 x 254mm (open), bifolium. Franklin Roosevelt confers with Winston Churchill on the schedule and attendants to the Second Quebec Conference. The conference convened in the months following the successful Normandy landings and in the immediate wake of the German retreat from France with Allied intelligence concluding that German resistance might end as early as 1 December 1944. Hence, the meetings focused on the anticipated post-war situation in Europe, and agreements were made as to Allied occupation zones of Germany as well as the Morgenthau Plan to demilitarize Germany. The letters from Roosevelt, written on the opening day of the conference are in response to communications from Churchill, the first in which the Prime Minister outlined the basic schedule of the meeting, and adding that he had asked Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden to join the conference ( Foreign Relations of the United States, Conference at Quebec 1944, p. 43). To this Roosevelt replied: "Schedule is good – Glad Anthony [Eden] is coming – I will get Cordell [Hull] or [Under Secretary of State Edward] Stettinius here on Friday. Morgenthau gets here Thursday at noon." The content of communication from Churchill that prompted the second note is unknown, but also concerns the schedule for the first day: "12 for Chief of Staff & 3:30 for Press[?] makes it easier all around – Everything OK." Following the end of the conference on Saturday 16 September, Roosevelt departed for Hyde Park where Churchill re-joined the President for two days of additional talks on 18-19 September 1944. The following day, Churchill departed for Britain aboard the Queen Mary , arriving safely home on 25 September (but not before enjoying some of the choices on the menu he signed the day beforehand). Provenance : Sir John ‘Jock’ Colville (1915-1987), Assistant Private secretary to both Chamberlain and Churchill in 1940 – by descent to the consignor.