United States

Documents from [1939] to [1945]

Identity Statement

HAEU Reference Code
JMDS.A-02.03
Extent and Medium

n.13 files

Reference Archivists

Carr, Mary

Content and Structure

Abstract

By 1941 the Roosevelt Administration was shifting slowly to a full commitment to Britain's survival and to the defeat of Hitler. The Lend-Lease Act was introduced whereby arms would be lent to the allies for the duration of the war, this got over the hurdle created by the Johnson Act. Monnet gave himself the task while in the British Supply Council (BSC) of determining what Britain needed and how America could supply it. In his position, Monnet got to know many of the key officals and advisers to the President, such as Henry Stimson, who was appointed War Secretary in 1941 and Felix Frankfurter, Supreme Court Justice. But in the State Department, Monnet had few confidantes. Also there was the suspicion of Henry Morgenthau, Treasury Secretary, who tryed to have Monnet sacked from the BSC for abetting the efforts in 1939 of his partner in M,M&Co., George Murnane in protecting the assets of German subsidiaries in the US, he then instigated an investigation against Monnet for criminal tax evasion, plus there were the allegations of Monnet being a spy. Despite such diversions, Monnet continued his progress with the job in hand, the production of a balance sheet of the allies needs and requirements. US participation in the war was the result of Pearl Harbour and the realisation that Britain did not have the power to defeat Hitler on her own. On entering the war against the axis powers, Roosevelt announced the Victory Programme of War Production to increase dramatically American military output, the individuals behind this Programme were Monnet, Harry Hopkins and Robert Nathan. By late spring 1942, the major work on production objectives had been reached, this was due in part to the establishment of the Combined Production and Resources Board in Washington. By 1943, Monnet's work with the BSC had shown fruit, as virtually all the production goals had been realised.

Allied Materials

Location of Originals

The originals are held in various Archives in Europe and in the USA

Notes

Notes and Remarks

No Photocopying

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