860F.01/8–2345: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Czechoslovakia (Steinhardt)
156. Deptel 46 July 9 and 74 July 24. Following is summary of proposed War Dept message to Commanding General USFET66 to be sent with Dept approval:
Commanding General USFET will be informed that continued Retention US forces Zecho is political matter. CG USFET also to be informed that US forces will be withdrawn simultaneously with and in proportion to Soviet withdrawal. Both War Dept and Dept believe that formal request for civil affairs agreement by US Govt at present time would be politically embarrassing to Zecho desire for simultaneous withdrawal and would lead Soviets to assume that US planned to retain forces in Zecho for a protracted period. This assumption is believed would delay the objectives of simultaneous withdrawal in the near future of US and Soviet forces. War Dept will inform CG USFET that apparently no real necessity exists for formal civil affairs agreement and no steps should be taken to conclude one unless CG USFET has different views. End summary.
Dept would appreciate your comments urgently before approving above message.
- Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Commanding General, United States Forces, European Theater.↩