740.00119 Control (Germany)/4–1645
The United States Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy) to the Director of the Office of European Affairs (Matthews)
Dear Doc: Just a word about the current trend. Apparently there is on the part of some of our officers no particular eagerness to occupy Berlin first. It is not at all impossible that our forces may linger along the Elbe “consolidating” their position. This will be true in the event there is substantial German resistance. One theory seems to be that what is left of Berlin may be tenaciously defended house by house and brick by brick. I have suggested the modest opinion that there should be a certain political advantage in the capture of Berlin even though the military advantage may be insignificant.
. . . . . . .
Discussion regarding the life of SHAEF continues unabated. The burning question with many officers is rather a personal one—that of their own jobs—which is not without effect on their thinking. Kenneth Strong44 estimates that SHAEF would continue for at least three months from now based on the time necessary for the liquidation of the German ports, the redoubt area, Denmark and Norway. In his opinion at least six weeks would be necessary for the deployment of troops to their respective zones. Then there is of course the large [Page 230] question of when and whether the Russians will provide their element of the Control Council. From what Phil Mosely tells me of the past four weeks in EAC these prospects are none too bright. I suppose that under the circumstances three months may be considered as a reasonable estimate.
All the best to you.
Yours ever,
- Presumably British Maj. Gen. Kenneth W. D. Strong, Chief of the G–2 (Intelligence) Division of SHAEF.↩