740.00119 Control (Germany)/5–3145
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Central European Affairs (Riddleberger)
Mr. Berard15 called this morning and stated that he wished to communicate the following upon the urgent instruction of his Government:
If the United States can agree to the French proposal for its zone in Germany to be taken from the United States zone as given in the European Advisory Commission, the French Government will bind itself to accord all guarantees respecting transportation and other facilities through the French zone that the United States military authorities may desire.
Mr. Berard explained that this offer would include a “window on the Rhine”, such railroad facilities as might be required for the supply of United States troops and such American organizations operating in the French zone as might be necessary. He stated further that the French Government would appreciate receiving from us a statement of facilities which would be required and that it would make [Page 321] every effort to accord them in the manner desired by us. The French Government would furthermore be willing to discuss the matter either here or in Paris, according to our desire.
Mr. Beard then went on to state that the French Government had the impression in this matter of the French zone that our desiderata were primarily based on logistical considerations. The attitude of the French Government, on the other hand, was based fundamentally on political considerations, which he then explained.
The French Government attaches the greatest importance to maintaining the political integrity of Baden and would not be able to administer this province unless French forces occupied Karlsruhe, which is the capital of the province. Because of long-term political considerations, the French Government was compelled to insist upon having Karlsruhe, Mannheim and Darmstadt in its zone, but it was most anxious to work out with us any arrangements which the United States might require on account of logistical considerations.
I asked Mr. Berard why, if his Government attached such importance to the political integrity of Baden, it was quite prepared to violate this principle in the case of Hesse and perhaps other provinces when establishing bridgeheads on the east bank of the Rhine. He replied that there was by no means the same provincial sentiment in the Hesse province as prevailed in Baden and Württemberg.
I then got out a map and showed Mr. Berard how the rail communications between Frankfurt and Stuttgart lay. He admitted that the French proposal would obviously cut across our lines of communication but reiterated the willingness of his Government to grant us every facility and to do so formally and in writing if we so desire.
Mr. Berard concluded by expressing his most sincere hope that the United States military authorities would give serious consideration to what the French Government offered in the way of transport facilities. I promised Mr. Berard I would pass along the French offer to the appropriate American authorities at once.
- Armand Berard, Counselor of the French Embassy.↩