Department of Defense Files:
Telegram
President Truman to
the British Prime Minister (Churchill)
[Washington,] 26 April 1945.
13. Referring to your Number 13, it appears to me, particularly in view
of the fact that the Armies now in the Soviet zone are American, that
any agreement entered into regarding withdrawal to the designated post
hostility zones of occupation in Germany and Austria should be
tripartite.
I therefore suggest for your consideration that you address the following
message to Marshal Stalin and to me:
- “1. The Anglo-American armies will soon make contact in
Germany with Soviet forces, and the approaching end of
German resistance makes it necessary that the United States,
Great Britain, and
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the Soviet Union decide upon an orderly procedure for the
occupation by their forces of the zones which they will
occupy in Germany and in Austria.
- 2. Our immediate task is the final defeat of the German
Army. During this period the boundaries between the forces
of the three Allies must be decided by Commanders in the
field, and will be governed by operational considerations
and requirements. It is inevitable that our armies will in
this phase find themselves in occupation of territory
outside the boundaries of the ultimate occupational
zones.
- 3. When the fighting is fininshed, the next task is for
the Allied Control Commissions to be set up in Berlin and
Vienna, and for the forces of the Allies to be redisposed
and to take over their respective occupational zones. The
demarcation of the zones in Germany has already been decided
upon and it is necessary that we shall without delay reach
an agreement on the zones to be occupied in Austria at the
forthcoming meeting proposed by you in Vienna.
- 4. It appears now that no signed instrument of surrender
will be forthcoming. In this event governments should decide
to set up at once the Allied Control Commissions, and to
entrust to them the task of making detailed arrangements for
the withdrawal of the forces to their agreed occupational
zones.
- 5. In order to meet the requirements of the situation
referred to in paragraph 2 above, namely the emergency and
temporary arrangements for the tactical zones, instructions
have been sent to General Eisenhower. These are as follows:
- (a)
- To avoid confusion between the two armies and to
prevent either of them from expanding into areas
already occupied by the other, both sides should
halt as and where they meet, subject to such
adjustments to the rear or to the flanks as are
required, in the opinion of the local commanders on
either side, to deal with any remaining
opposition.
- (b)
- As to adjustments of forces after cessation of
hostilities in an area, your troops should be
disposed in accordance with military requirements
regardless of zonal boundaries. You will, in so far
as permitted by the urgency of the situation, obtain
the approval of the Combined Chiefs of Staff prior
to any major adjustment in contrast to local
adjustments for operational and administrative
reasons.
- 6. It is requested that you will issue similar
instructions to your commanders in the field.”
Upon the receipt of the above message from you, I will at once inform
Marshal Stalin that I am in full agreement therewith.79
