| First Quebec Conference Quadrant | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Host country | Canada |
| Date | August 17–24, 1943 |
| Cities | Quebec City, Quebec |
| Venues | Citadelle of Quebec Château Frontenac |
| Participants |
|
TheFirst Quebec Conference, codenamedQuadrant, was a highly secret military conference held duringWorld War II by the governments of the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. It took place inQuebec City on August 17–24, 1943, at both theCitadelle and theChâteau Frontenac. The chief representatives wereWinston Churchill andFranklin D. Roosevelt, hosted by the Canadian prime ministerWilliam Lyon Mackenzie King.[1]
Although Churchill suggested that Mackenzie King be involved in all discussions, Roosevelt vetoed the idea owing to concern that future conferences would be burdened by all of the Allied nations demanding seats.[2] As a result, Mackenzie King's hospitality was almost purely for ceremonial purposes.Joseph Stalin, leader of theSoviet Union, had been invited to join the conference, but he did not attend for military reasons.[3]
TheAllies agreed to begin discussions for the planning of theinvasion of France, codenamedOperation Overlord, in a secret report by theCombined Chiefs of Staff. It was agreed that Overlord would commence on May 1, 1944, but this was subsequently disregarded, and a later date was finalised.[4] However, Overlord was not the only option; for example,Operation Jupiter remained a strong possibility had the Germans proved too powerful on the French coast.[5] In theMediterranean (atheatre on which Churchill was very keen) they resolved to concentrate more force to removeItaly from the alliance ofAxis powers and to occupy it along withCorsica. Churchill and Roosevelt made it clear that they would only accept unconditional surrender from Italy, with a complete and immediate cessation of fighting.[6] News came through of thefall of Sicily to Allied forces, an invasion that had taken just 38 days.[7] It was then decided that aninvasion of Italy would begin on September 3, 1943. However, anarmistice was signed that same day, which officially put Italy out of the war.[8]
There were discussions about improving the coordination of efforts by the Americans, British, and Canadians todevelop anatomic bomb. Churchill and Roosevelt, without Canadian input, signed theQuebec Agreement, stating that the nuclear technology would never be used against one another, that they would not use it against third parties without the consent of one another, but also thatTube Alloys would not be discussed with third parties. Canada, although not being represented at the particular meeting, played a key role in this agreement as it was a major source of uranium and heavy water, both essential in the atomic bomb.[9]
It was decided that operations in theBalkans should be limited to supplyingguerrillas, whereas operations againstJapan would be intensified in order to exhaust Japanese resources, cut their communications lines, and secure forward bases from which the Japanese mainland could be attacked.[citation needed]
In addition to the strategic discussions, which were communicated to the Soviet Union and toChiang Kai-shek inChina, the conference also issued a joint statement onPalestine, intended to calm tensions as the Britishoccupation was becoming increasingly untenable. The conference also condemned German atrocities inPoland.[citation needed]
In thePacific theater the conference decided to bypass and isolateRabaul rather than proceed with the original plan of taking Rabaul. This decision fulfilled GeneralDouglas MacArthur's plan toneutralize the heavily fortified fortress of Rabaul inNew Britain.[10] MacArthur'sOperation Cartwheel led to the creation of a de facto prisoner-of-war camp of over 100,000 Japanese troops who were cut off from the rest of their forces.
In parallel with the military discussions, U.S. Secretary of StateCordell Hull held a private meeting with British Foreign SecretaryAnthony Eden, where both expressed opposition to the forcible dismemberment of Germany, favoring a more restrained postwar settlement.[11]
It was clear that eliminating Italy from the war was the Allies' main priority; this was expected to be done by the end of 1943. Following this, the next hope was that Germany would be defeated by the fall of 1944, which would leave just Japan remaining among the Axis powers.[12]
Following the conference, Churchill was on holiday at a fishing camp[13] and then, on August 31, 1943, delivered a radio address[14] before travelling by a special train that was going to Washington, D.C., to resume talks with Roosevelt.[15][16]
Given the highly secret topic under discussion at the conference, security at the Château Frontenac and the Quebec Citadelle was important. Sgt. Maj. Émile Couture (then 25 years of age) of the Canadian Army was responsible for cleaning the offices at both of these locations after the Conference had ended.[17] Couture found a leather portfolio with a gold inscription "Churchill-Roosevelt, Quebec Conference, 1943." on the exterior and kept it as a souvenir not realizing that it contained nearly complete plans forOperation Overlord. That evening Couture discovered the contents of the portfolio and, realizing the extremely sensitive nature of those documents, hid the portfolio under his mattress until he could return the portfolio in the morning. Couture was investigated byScotland Yard and theFBI to ensure none of the information had been leaked. At theSecond Quebec Conference Couture was awarded theBritish Empire Medal for his silence though it was attributed for "services rendered". Couture was interviewed on Radio-Canada's radio programAppelez-moi Lise by Lise Payette in 1972 about this issue. Additional magazine interviews with Couture are on display at the permanent exhibit for both Quebec Conferences in the Quebec Citadelle[18] after September 2019.
Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King hosted Churchill and Roosevelt, but did not participate in the conferences.
