July 25, 2023

80th Anniversary of US-UK Agreement about Development of Nuclear Weapons

Meeting at the Citadel in Quebec on 19 August 1943, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin Roosevelt signed a secret agreement for Britain and the United States to combine efforts on the development of the world’s first atomic bomb. International Churchill Society Executive Director Justin Reash recently had a conversation with Professor Kevin Ruane, author of Churchill and the Bomb, in which they discussed this agreement and how it was subsequently implemented. To view the one-hour video, please CLICK HERE.

The British project, known as Tube Alloys, had been in development since 1941. American work on the Manhattan Project started in 1942. With the two Allies desiring to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort, Churchill and Roosevelt decided during the 1943 Quebec conference to pool their resources. The full text of resulting document is reprinted below:

ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT governing collaboration between the authorities of the USA and the UK in the matter of Tube Alloys

Whereas it is vital to our common safety in the present War to bring the Tube Alloys project to fruition at the earliest moment, and whereas this may be more speedily achieved if all available British and American brains and resources are pooled, and whereas owing to war conditions it would be an provident use of war resources to duplicate plants on a large scale on both sides of the Atlantic and therefore a far greater expense has fallen upon the United States;

It is agreed between us:

First, that we will never use this agency against each other.

2024 International Churchill Conference

Join us for the 41st International Churchill Conference. London | October 2024

More

Secondly, that we will not use it against third parties without each other’s consent.

Thirdly, that we will not either of us communicate any information about Tube Alloys to third parties except by mutual consent.

Fourthly, that in view of the heavy burden of production falling upon the United States as the result of a wise division of war effort, the British Government recognize that any post-war advantages of an industrial or commercial character shall be dealt with as between the United States and Great Britain on terms to be specified by the President of the United States to the Prime Minister of Great Britain. The Prime Minister expressly disclaims any interest in these industrial and commercial aspects beyond what, may be considered by the President of the United States to be fair and just and in harmony with the economic welfare of the world.

And Fifthly, that the following arrangements shall be made to ensure full and effective collaboration between the two countries in bringing the project to fruition:

     (a) There shall be set up in Washington a Combined Policy Committee composed of: The Secretary of War (United States); Dr. Vannevar Bush (United States); Dr. James Conant (United States); Field-Marshal Sir John Dill, GCB, CIMG, DSO (Great Britain); Colonel the Right Hon. J. J. Llewellin, CBE, MC, MP (Great Britain); The Honourable C. D. Howe (Canada)
The functions of this Committee, subject to the control of the respective Governments, will be:
          1. To agree from time to time upon the programme of work to be carried out in the two Countries.
          2. To keep all sections of the project under constant review.
          3. To allocate materials, apparatus and plant, in limited supply, in accordance with the requirements of the programme agreed by the Committee.
          4. To settle any questions which may arise on the interpretation or application of the Agreement.
     (b) There shall be complete interchange of information and ideas on all sections of the project between members of the Policy Committee and their immediate technical advisers.
     (c) In the field of scientific research and development there shall be full be and effective interchange of information and ideas between those in the two countries engaged in the same sections of the field.
     (d) In the field of design, construction and operation of large-scale plants, interchange of information and ideas shall be regulated by such ad ho hoc arrangements as may, in each section of the field, appear to be necessary or desirable if the project is to be brought to fruition at the earliest moment. Such ad hoc arrangements shall be subject to the approval of the Policy Committee.

Approved
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Winston S. Churchill