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FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT: (1882 - 1945) Thirty-second President of the United States who instituted...

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FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT: (1882 - 1945) Thirty-second President of the United States who instituted...
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT: (1882 - 1945) Thirty-second President of the United States who instituted the "New Deal" programs and who led the United States through most of World War II. Historically important A.N. (unsigned) in pencil, 1p. 4to., [Washington, Mar. 15, 1942], outlining his strategy to defeat Germany and Japan with a response by Gen. HENRY H. "HAP" ARNOLD dated the following day. The note, written as an outline, lists places to hold and places for future attacks. He writes in full: "Hold [underlined] 1. Australia 2. India West of Calcutta 3. Persia, Caucasus, Syria & Irak [sic] 4. Egypt. Attack 1. Japan Proper Attack 2. France". Together typed memorandum, stamped "SECRET" at top and bottom, from General HAP ARNOLD "H.H.A." (signed over his typed initials) 1p. 4to., Washington, Mar. 16, 1942 which reads in full: "SUBJECT: President's Recommendation on Winning the War. MEMORANDUM: (For Record) The attached [Roosevelt's note] was given to me March 15th. by President Roosevelt as his ideas put don in a very simple way as to how the war could be won. I told him that I disagreed with his attack 1. if it meant a major offensive. He assured me that attack 1. meant two air offensives against Japan Proper - one from the sea and one from China." It is significant that this memorandum was delivered to the head of the Army Air Forces as all parties agreed that strategic bombing was crucial to victory. The strategy appears simple: The U.S. should avoid spreading its recourses around the globe, primarily focusing on the nation that attacked it, then moving on to Germany. This strategy was perhaps in response to Lt. Gen. Eisenhower's report noting the difficulties of waging a two-front war. In the end, however, the U.S. ultimately decided that an offensive against Germany would take precedence over a land invasion of Japan. The British government, for obvious reasons, opposed the original strategy in regard to merely holding Egypt and soon convinced the U.S. to make its first major European theatre operations in North Africa in November 1942. Conversley, the areas that F.D.R. considered important to hold did reflect upon some critical Allied needs. Austrailia was important for supplies, India would prove an important staging ground to supply both China and the Soviets, Persia, Iraq, Syria and the Caucauses were (and still are) an important source of oil, and finally Egypt for the Suez Canal. Roosevelt also hits the nail on the head when he identifies the invasion of France as the key to defeating Germany. A truly important document illustrating the how the United States decided upon the ultimate strategy to defeat the Axis powers. Roosevelt's note bears light folds, a rough left margin and a few staple holes, but is otherwise in fine condition. Arnold's memorandum, originally stapled to Roosevelt's note, again bears a few staple holes, the usual folds, otherwise fine condition. From the estate of Hap Arnold. $15,000-20,000