Office of the Historian

740.00119 EW/6–3045: Telegram

No. 623
The Political Adviser in Germany (Murphy) to the Secretary of State ad interim
secret
Hoechst, June 30, 1945—noon.

80. Re Moscow’s tel. No. 1 from Pauley dated June 24, 3 p.m., which was reptd. to Dept.,1 following information furnished my staff informally by Col. Vissering, Deputy Chief, current operations, G–4, SHAEF.

Present indications are that strictly military needs in the American zone (Germany) will by December 1, 1945, be approximately 200,000 tons of gasoline and related products (not including high octane aviation gasoline) per month. Under static conditions with 400,000 troops in our zone, need will drop to about 50,000 tons per month. With rehabilitation of German refinery on Danube, Austrian crude could be used as 70 octane is sufficient where combat conditions do [Page 945] not prevail. These estimates are for our mil. needs only and do not include German minimum civil requirements. Accordingly SHAEF is anxious to obtain any oil supplies available Austria, Hungary, or Rumania.

Sent Dept., reptd to Moscow as 8, for Harriman from [for] Pauley.

Murphy
  1. As telegram No. 2250 of June 24, 4 p.m. See document No. 620.↩