Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference), 1945, Volume II

740.00119 (Potsdam)/8–145

No. 1400
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the French Minister of Foreign Affairs (Bidault)

secret
No. 678

Paris, August 1, 1945.

Excellency: I have just received a communication from Potsdam by telephone¹ from the Secretary of State instructing me to communicate to the Government of France a statement which has been adopted by the Three Powers at the Conference concerning the trial of war criminals.

You will note that the three Governments will be most grateful if the French Government will treat the present communication as strictly secret until such time as an official statement is issued by the Conference.

I avail myself [etc.]

Jefferson Caffery

[Enclosure]

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[Here is set forth, with minor variations, the text of document No. 1383, section VII (VI).]

It is the earnest wish of the three Governments that the Provisional Government of the French Republic will be able to associate itself with the above statement.

The three Governments would be grateful if the French Provisional Government would treat the present communication as strictly secret until such time as an official statement is issued by the Conference.

Paris, August 1, 1945.

1. A copy of the instruction to the British Ambassador at Paris to make a similar approach to the French Government bears the following manuscript notation: “Telephoned Caffery Aug 1, 6:00 p.m.”