The Middle East: A 1945 Perspective

This post is from NDC Archives Specialist John Ritz.

While working on a FOIA request for Department of State records, I came across a document which immediately caught my attention.  I showed it to several coworkers who encouraged me to share it with a broader audience.

The document is a Memorandum of Conversation between President Roosevelt and King Abdul Ariz. Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia which took place on February 14, 1945.  The conversation focused on three primary areas: the Jewish settlement in Palestine, the French influence in, and future independence of Syria and Lebanon, and the use of irrigation to improve farming in Saudi Arabia.  Perhaps the most candid part of the discussion involves the President and King discussing a future Jewish homeland and Arab-Jewish tension in the Middle East.  This document provides insight into Roosevelt’s views on a topic that remains a global issue today.

This document comes from R.: 59 Entry A1 1434. Records of the Department of State Bureau of Near Eastern, South Asian & African Affairs:  Office of Near Eastern Affairs; Subject Files, 1920-1954, Box 15.

Memorandum of Conversation between President Roosevelt and King Abdul Ariz. Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia which took place on February 14, 1945

3 thoughts on “The Middle East: A 1945 Perspective

  1. The text of this document has long been available in FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES and is in the Department of State’s Central Decimal File.

  2. Fascinating – thanks for sharing. Interesting to see that it took place aboard a U.S. Navy ship, and only two months before FDR’s death. There’s a very nice color photo of FDR and the King aboard Quincy (See USS Quincy (CA-71) in Wikipedia).

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