Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, General, Volume I

103.918/12–1544

Memorandum by the Secretary of State to President Roosevelt

Washington , December 15, 1944.

In accordance with your request, there is transmitted herewith a suggested memorandum for reply to General Donovan.

E. R. Stettinius, Jr.

[Annex]

Memorandum for General Donovan ³⁹

I do not believe that we should offer any guarantees of protection in the post-hostilities period to Germans who are working for your organization. I think that the carrying out of any such guarantees would be difficult and probably widely misunderstood both in this country and abroad. We may expect that the number of Germans who are anxious to save their skins and property by coming over to the side of the United Nations at the last moment will rapidly increase. Among them may be some who should properly be tried for war crimes or at least arrested for active participation in Nazi activities. Even with the necessary controls you mention I am not prepared to authorize the giving of guarantees.

39. No evidence has been found to indicate that this reply was transmitted to General Donovan by President Roosevelt.