740.0011 EW/7–2044

The Assistant Secretary of State ( Berle ) to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( Hoover )

My Dear Mr. Hoover: Some time ago a memorandum entitled “Prospective Program to encourage German nationals to desert their Government”50 was submitted for comment. Briefly, the memorandum indicated that serious consideration be given to the suggestion that the Office of War Information be employed to broadcast that this Government is willing to receive any German officials connected with the Nazi regime who would desert their posts.

While the idea has merit and we should not overlook any possibility of shortening the war, the suggestion certainly presents difficulty. The following might be mentioned.

1.
It is doubtful whether there be among the Nazi officials any trustworthy individuals who would be willing to work for our cause against Germany.
2.
The possibility that the guiltiest among our enemies would be the first to avail themselves of such an offer.
3.
The possibility that thousands of the so-called collaborationists might accept the offer as it becomes clear to them that defeat is inevitable.
4.
The likelihood that any German who has anything worthwhile to contribute and is sincerely willing to collaborate would not need to be told that we would be interested in what he might have to offer.
5.
The giving of special consideration to any German willing to collaborate with us is inconsistent with our announced policy of unconditional surrender.
6.
It is now too late to use Germans effectively for propaganda purposes in behalf of the United Nations.

As indicated in Five, above, this suggestion seems inconsistent with our policy of unconditional surrender. If it is decided to carry it out, we should keep in mind that the consideration shown any collaborationist should be strictly commensurate with the value of the information he supplies. In order to act on the suggestion it will be necessary to clear it with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the President.

Your thoughtfulness in submitting the above suggestions is greatly appreciated and, as I have already stated, these suggestions do obviously merit consideration. However, it is my considered opinion that at this time, the departure from our present policy, which would be required, does not appear to outweigh the adverse potentialities inherent in the suggestions.

Sincerely yours,

Adolf A. Berle, Jr.
[Page 532]

[For the comment of Secretary of State Hull on the day following the July 20 attempt on the life of Adolf Hitler, see Department of State Bulletin, July 23, 1944, page 83.]

  1. The memorandum was by a staff member of the Federal Burean of Investigation; not printed.