740.00119 Control (Germany)/4–1245
The United States Political Adviser for Germany
(Murphy) to the Assistant Secretary of State (Dunn)
[Versailles
?] April
12, 1945.
[Received April 20.]
Dear Jimmy: You may be interested in the
attached secret memorandum of April 11 prepared by Major General Lucius
Clay together with a chart which sets forth his latest thinking on the
organizational features of the American side of Military Government in
Germany.
There is also enclosed the final draft30 of a paper setting forth the outlines of the
relationship between the Joint Theater Staff and the US Group Control
Council (Germany) when Combined Command has terminated.
All of this has come to a head with the arrival here of General Clay
coincident with the visit of Jack McCloy. I must say that I do not
detect a movement anywhere to detract from the over-all authority of the
Control Council in favor of the Zonal Command.
It will be noted that General Clay has devised the title of “Deputy
Military Governor” and in that capacity he would be in charge under the
Commanding General (General Eisenhower) and the latter’s Chief of Staff
(Lieutenant General W. B. Smith) of all Military Government
[Page 934]
features on the American side
including the American Element of the Control Council and G–5 of the
Zonal Command as well.
There appears to be as yet no final determination who will be designated
to serve as the American member of the Coordinating Committees under the
Commanding General.
All the best to you,
Yours ever,
[Enclosure]
Memorandum by Major General Lucius D. Clay
[Versailles
?] 11
April 1945.
- 1.
- A chart is attached31 herewith which shows the relationship of the
Deputy Military Governor and the US Group Control Council to the
Theater Staff which has been accepted in principle and is to be
worked out in detail.
- 2.
- Under this arrangement the Deputy Military Governor would be
adviser to the Chief of Staff and the Commanding General for
Military Government within the US Zone of Occupation. For those
functions pertaining exclusively to Military Government he would
work directly through the G–5 Staff Divisions with the several
command echelons.
- 3.
- In his capacity as Deputy to the Commanding General, he would
represent the latter on the Coordinating [Committee of the?]
Control Council, and would sit in all important meetings of that
Council. He would be in direct charge of the US Group, assisted
by a deputy who would remain constantly in Berlin.
- 4.
- In the initial stages the work of the Group Council will
necessarily be devoted to developing working arrangements
between the several Zones of Occupation. These working
arrangements will undoubtedly be expanded and enlarged until
some over-all governmental control machinery has been effected.
As this takes place, the center of gravity of government may be
expected to shift from the several Zones to Berlin. The proposed
arrangement is sufficiently flexible to permit this shift.
Moreover, it provides at the same time for full coordination
between the Zone and the Group Council in Berlin.
- 5.
- G–5 Sections would continue their present responsibilities for
the staff supervision of Military Government functions and would
take over as military needs decrease functions now resting in
other Staff Divisions. As an example, G–4 is now pushing war
production in Germany. As the need for production for war
ceases, the responsibility for controlling production for other
purposes in the plants now devoted to war production would shift
to G–5.
- 6.
- Civilian personnel will be brought gradually into the G–5
Staff Divisions, which would be built up to become operating
units if and when the governing of Germany shifts from military
to civilian control.
- 7.
- Eventually, when responsibility for government is shifted to
civilian agencies, the Deputy Military Governor, the Group
Council, and the G–5 Sections could be carved out of the
military command, leaving the latter intact to provide a
complete framework for continued control of German
government.
