740.00119 Control (Germany)/4–1546: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
urgent
[Received 8:03 p.m.]
1788. Top secret for the Secretary. Following is translation of note dated April 16 which I have just received from Bidault concerning [Page 57] our draft treaty proposal for the disarmament and demilitarization of Germany (my No. 1729, April 1178):
“Mr. Ambassador: You were kind enough, in your note of February 25, to transmit to me, from Mr. Byrnes, the text of a draft treaty concerning the disarmament and demilitarization of Germany. This draft is now being carefully studied and I shall not fail to inform Your Excellency of the position of the French Government as soon as this study is completed.
The French Government is examining this proposal all the more attentively since for its part it attaches extreme importance to the destruction of German militarism and the complete disarmament of Germany. Moreover, it does not see how these aims can be attained without the establishment of an effective and lasting control system.
The draft treaty which the American Government has prepared corresponds to preoccupations common to our 2 governments and which are certainly shared by all the United Nations which experienced German aggression. The disarmament of Germany is a principle which must be definitely established. In this sense it constitutes one of the fundamental aspects of the problem of Germany’s future.
The disarmament of Germany is, in itself, naturally not sufficient to guarantee that on the day when the occupation comes to an end, Germany will not again become a threat to peace. The way in which that country succeeded, after the First World War, in freeing itself of all the disarmament measures—incomplete it is true—which had been imposed on it, should constitute a warning for the countries responsible for preparing the peace. That is why the solution of this problem should be included in the decisions as a whole which will determine the future status of Germany and will ensure, through territorial, military or economic clauses, the security of the Allied Nations.
But there is no objection, in my opinion, to the four powers chiefly interested, proceeding to a preliminary discussion of the draft of the Government of the United States. This exchange of views might occur during the meeting which is to take place in Paris on April 25, on which occasion the French Government hopes the problems of central German administrations and of the status of western Germany will be studied.
This preliminary study would be all the more useful since the settlement in all its aspects of a question as complex as that of the disarmament and demilitarization of Germany will no doubt require fairly [Page 58] long consideration to prepare it for final discussion. Already the disarmament of Germany is being actively carried out under the jurisdiction of the Control Council in Berlin, and it would be advisable to complete the provisions already adopted in this connection. The inspection system necessary to control the carrying out of disarmament and the measures of guarantee indispensable to prevent future violation of disarmament, should be enforced progressively since their complete application will become necessary only after the end of the Allied occupation of German territory, that [is?], after a period of time as yet undetermined.
Furthermore, I do not wish to anticipate the results of a more thorough study of the various measures proposed in the draft which Your Excellency transmitted to me. It seems to me difficult, however, to consider that at the present time the disarmament of Germany can construct genuinely effective guarantee against further aggression on the part of that country, if its enforcement in the beginning has a time limit. It may be possible to consider lightening (alléger) the control measures provided for by this (draft) treaty after a certain period of time in the event that Germany should prove faithful to her obligations. But the principle itself of disarmament must be permanently provided for, and the application of this principle must be ensured by the great powers.
I should be happy if Your Excellency would convey to Mr. Byrnes these preliminary observations, emphasizing how interested the French Government would be to know the observations submitted by the Governments of the United Kingdom and the USSR.
It goes without saying, of course, that in order to comply with the desire expressed by the Secretary of State, I have given instructions that every precaution be taken to ensure that these negotiations in their present stage remain entirely confidential.
Please accept, Mr. Ambassador, the assurances of my very high consideration.
(Signed) Bidault.”
Repeated to London as 256 for Dunn and to USPolAd Berlin as 123. (If possible will Department please repeat to Moscow).
- Not printed; in it, Caffery reported that he had been pressing French Foreign Minister Bidault for a reply to the American note conveying the text of the draft proposal for the disarmament and demilitarization of Germany (740.00119 Control (Germany)/4–1146). In February 1946, the Secretary of State had communicated the United States draft treaty on the disarmament and demilitarization of Germany to Foreign Ministers Bevin, Molotov, and Bidault. Bidault was the only one of the three to reply. A slightly revised version of the draft treaty was subsequently submitted by the Secretary of State to the Council of Foreign Ministers as document C.F.M. (46) 21, April 30, p. 190.↩