Important TLS as president, one page, 8 x 10.5, White House letterhead, September 18, 1945. Truman writes to the Executors of the Estate of Franklin D. Roosevelt, requesting permission to obtain and view Roosevelt’s papers stored at the National Archives for use in the indictment and prosecution of Nazi war criminals.
In full: “Justice Robert H. Jackson, United States Chief Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality, wishes permission to examine certain papers of the late President Roosevelt now on deposit at the National Archives in the hopes of disclosing additional evidence for use in the prosecution of war criminals. Specifically, the Justice hopes that he, or members of his staff, may receive permission to examine the report submitted to President Roosevelt by Mr. Sumner Welles upon his return from Europe in 1940; the reports submitted to the President by Mr. Myron Taylor while he served on the Inter-Departmental Committee on Political Refugees and those later submitted by him while he was the President’s personal representative at the Vatican; personal letters to President Roosevelt from Ambassadors Dodd, Phillips, Bullitt, and Leshy; and any communications to the late President from leaders of the Axis powers.
Justice Jackson has been informed that permission to consult the papers of the late President now at the National Archives must be granted by the Executors of the Estate of Franklin D. Roosevelt. On his behalf, I should like to request that effort be made to locate the documents described above; that, upon location, they be sent to the White House; and that Justice Jackson, or officials properly designated by him, be given permission to examine and make such extracts from the papers as are deemed necessary by the Justice in executing his official tasks as Chief of Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality.
I hope that the Executors of the Estate will find it possible in the near future to grant the permission I have requested. I shall ensure that any documents made available to Justice Jackson, or members of his staff, at the White House will be returned to the National Archives as soon as they are examined.” In fine condition, with a few light creases and a paperclip impression to top.
As the Allied powers set out to prosecute Axis leaders who had terrorized Europe throughout World War II, Truman appointed Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson to serve as the Chief US prosecutor in the Nuremberg Trials. Jackson accepted the appointment and requested several relevant papers from FDR’s estate (the former president died five months prior, leaving his papers in possession of the National Archives). Looking for information that would show the German authorities’ pattern of deception, claiming to be working towards peace while they were in fact fighting for Nazi domination, Truman requested reports and correspondences from the ambassadors assigned to Germany, Italy, and France. When the first war trial began on November 21, 1945, these papers were crucial in laying out the case for conspiracy for the accomplishment of crime against peace; planning, initiating and waging wars of aggression and other crimes against peace; war crimes; and crimes against humanity. Without this request to the Estate of FDR, the prosecution would have lacked these key papers. An immensely important and significant letter in preparation of the Nuremberg Trials. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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