740.00119 EAC/4–1245: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 12—10:12 a.m.]
3714. For the Secretary, Assistant Secretary Dunn and Mr. Matthews. Special German Series 5.
At my request Mr. Eden called a meeting late Wednesday of the Committee on Dismemberment of Germany (Department’s 2547, April 3, noon). I raised the question of informing the French of the inclusion of the word “dismemberment” in article 12 of the Instrument of Unconditional Surrender for Germany and of French participation in the discussions on dismemberment. Eden and Gousev both said they would consult their Governments. Eden said he was very sure his Government would support informing the French of this addition to the Instrument.39
- In a memorandum dated October 3, 1945, which reviewed the work of the Committee on Dismemberment, transmitted in despatch 25876, from London, October 3, 1945, the following statement is made: “The Ambassador [Winant] was informed later in the day of April 12 that Ambassador Caffery had informed the French, presumably on April 11, of the additional word in Article 12(a) of the Surrender Instrument and of the existence of the Committee on Dismemberment. This was brought to Mr. Eden’s attention by M. Massigli. Mr. Eden advised the French Ambassador not to get excited, to give no publicity to the question and to give the British and Americans time to bring about the inclusion of France in the Committee on Dismemberment.” (740.0119 EAC/10–345)↩