ROOSEVELT’S WAR POLICY

Press, Volume C, Issue 29514, 16 May 1961, Page 9

ROOSEVELT’S WAR POLICY

“Explaining To N.Z. Difficult”

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) WASHINGTON, May 13. President Roosevelt found it difficult to persuade Australia and New Zealand that it was necessary to win the war in Europe first in order to defeat Japan, it was disclosed by United States diplomatic papers released today. The President made a brief reference to the problem in a message to Stalin in November, 1942. President Roosevelt had thanked the Soviet leader for receiving Major-General Patrick Hurley, the United States Minister to New Zealand, who visited the Soviet Union for two months as the President’s personal representative. “I am glad you have been so kind to Geneial Hurley," the President said. “As you can well recognise, I have had a problem in persuading the people of Australia and New Zealand that the menace of Japan can be most effectively met by destroying the Nazis first. "General Hurley will be able to effectively tell them at first hand how you and Churchill and I are in complete agreement on this.” Stalin, in a message a few days later, told President Roosevelt: “I understand well your desire to explain that complicated military situation to the people of Australia and New Zealand and also your attention to operations in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean.”