Washington, D. C., November 9, 1942

White House news release.

"YOUR EXCELLENCY:

I take the liberty of requesting your good offices in the transmission to the addressee of the accompanying message of The President of the United States addressed to His Highness, Sidi Moncef Pacha, Bey of Tunis.

Your own loyal efforts, my dear Admiral, since the tragic days of June, 1940, to stem the tide of Axis infiltration in North Africa and to retain for France and the Tunisian population some vestige of liberty and well-being are often in my thoughts.

Now that the insatiable designs of Germany and Italy in their mad drive for world domination and oppression stretch out to encompass Tunisia in their onward march, I have determined to support French and Tunisian resistance by the despatch to North Africa of powerful American forces. These forces are equipped with masses of the most deadly instruments of modern warfare and they are instructed to cooperate with friendly French officials and the Tunisian population looking to the early destruction of our common enemy.

I know that I may count on your understanding of American friendship for France and American determination to liberate the French Empire from the domination of its oppressors.

Long live France! Long live the United States of America!

Your friend,
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT."