PAGE 2 A CONDITION TO OUR RUSSIAN OFFER. (4) THE ALLOCATION OF 1,800 AIRCRAFT TO RUSSIA DURING THE NEXT 9 MONTHS IS AN INCREASE OF 600 AIRPLANES OVER THE APPROXIMATELY 1,200 SUGGESTED BY THE ARMY, THIS ADDITIONAL 600 PLANES TO COME FROM THE UNITED STATES ARMY ALLOCATIONS AND NOT IN FURTHER REDUCTION OF BRITISH UNDER LEND-LEASE. (5) BRITISH SHARE MUCH DISAPPOINTED WITH THEIR ALLOCATION OF BIG BOMBERS AND AS THEY HAVE BEEN CUT DOWN TO 51 FROM AMERICAN PRODUCTION AGAINST AT LEAST 200 HOPED FOR THEY ARE RELUCTANT TO SEE ANY GO TO RUSSIA. WITH THIS VIEW I PERSONALLY AGREE. ON THE OTHER HAND GENERALS EMBICK, BURNS AND CHANEY ALL FEEL THE MORAL EFFECT OF BIG BOMBERS ON RUSSIANS 1S IMPORTANT AND GENERAL EMBICK PARTICULARLY EMPHASIZES THE VALUE OF DETERANT EFFECT ON JAPAN. I WOULD APPRECIATE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ON WHETHER TO OFFER ANY BIG BOMBERS TO RUSSIA AND IF S0, HOW MANY AND DATE OF AVAILABILITY. (6) PRIME MINISTER HOPES THAT YOU WILL AUTHORIZE ME TO TELL STALIN OF THE DISCUSSIONS REGARDING THE VICTORY PROGRAM IN GENERAL, NOT IN DETAIL, AND ALLOW ME TO INDICATE TO STALIN THAT AFTER JUNE RUSSIANS WILL OBTAIN FROM THE UNITED STATES AND THE BRITISH THEIR FAIR SHARE OF EXPORTABLE MUNITIONS (7) HE HOPES THAT WE WILL GIVE ASSISTANCE IN CONNECTION WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE CAPACITY OF THE IRANIAN RAILROAD S0 NECESSARY TO SUPPLY RUSSIA AS WELL AS ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN TROOP IN THIS AREA, HE ASKS THAT WE SEND TOP RAILROAD MEN TO ADVISE A SUPPORT HIS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROMPT SHIPMENT OF MATERIAL NEEDED. THIS MAN 1S NEEDED IN ADDITION TO THE ONE ABOUT TO GO TO EGYPT. |