Department of Defense Files: Telegram
President Truman to the British Prime Minister (Churchill)
9. Replying to your No. 7 of April 18, the following is a message which I consider suitable for sending to Stalin if you agree, and if you will send to him a similar message. Please let me know what you think of this suggestion.
“The approaching end of German resistance makes it necessary that the United States, Great Britain and the Soviet Union decide upon an orderly procedure for the occupation by their forces of the zones which they will occupy in Germany and Austria. I therefore propose the following:
- 1.
- That we agree that in both Germany and Austria our respective troops should, as soon as the military situation permits, retire to the zone which it has been agreed they should occupy.
- 2.
- In order to avoid any confusion between our armies in the field we agree that whenever one of our commanders is ready to occupy a portion of the zone allotted to his country which is held by other Allied troops, he inform his own Government of the sector he is prepared to occupy.
- 3.
- That we agree that the Government concerned would then consult the other two Governments in order that the necessary instructions be given for the immediate evacuation of the area involved and its occupation by the troops of the country to which it is assigned.
Please let me know if this arrangement is satisfactory to you.
It is of course essential that we promptly reach an agreement on the zones which we are to occupy in Austria.
I think we should, at an early date, reach a common decision as to the time when the control machinery for both countries should be brought into operation.”