Historical Documents
Volumes
(Dropdown menu temporarily disabled. Please browse volumes by administration below.)
Browse by Administration
The British Commonwealth; Europe
- Preface
- List of Abbreviations and Symbols
- The British Commonwealth of Nations:
- United Kingdom:
- Concern of the United States over the foreign exchange position of the
United Kingdom (Documents 1-59)
- Efforts to negotiate an agreement with Newfoundland respecting use of
leased bases by civil aircraft; concern of the United States over
resultant delay of similar negotiations with the United Kingdom (Documents 60-63)
- Agreements between the United States and the United Kingdom
- Concern of the United States over the foreign exchange position of the
United Kingdom (Documents 1-59)
- Australia:
- Discussions of the American Commander in Chief in the Pacific with
Australian officials
- Agreement between the United States and Australia
- Efforts of the United States to resolve certain differences with
Australia concerning disposal of war surplus materials and fixed
military installations in the Southwest Pacific
- Discussions of the American Commander in Chief in the Pacific with
Australian officials
- Canada:
- India and Pakistan:
- Ireland:
- Union of South Africa:
- United Kingdom:
- Europe:
- Multilateral Relations:
- The Council of Foreign Ministers
- The political and economic crisis in Europe and the United States
response (The Marshall Plan)
- I. United States concern with foreign needs for substantial
economic aid; The European crisis and Secretary of State Marshall’s
speech at Harvard (March–June) (Documents 128-143)
- II. The genesis of a European Recovery Program (June–September):
Conversations at London; The Conference of European Economic
Cooperation, at Paris, and its report (Documents 144-257)
- III. The United States reaction to the Paris report and matters
related to the development of a program for interim aid
(September–December)
- A. The Washington conversations on European economic
cooperation (Documents 258-267)
- B. Development of programs for interim and long-term
aid (Documents 268-273)
- A. The Washington conversations on European economic
cooperation (Documents 258-267)
- I. United States concern with foreign needs for substantial
economic aid; The European crisis and Secretary of State Marshall’s
speech at Harvard (March–June) (Documents 128-143)
- General United States policy toward the European Coal Organization
(ECO), with particular reference to
the British coal shortage (Documents 274-301)
- The signature, ratification, and deposit of instruments of
ratification of the treaties of peace with Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, and
Hungary (Documents 302-359)
- The United States participation in discussions on disposition of the
former Italian colonies in Africa (Documents 360-393)
- Interest of the United States in the repatriation of German prisoners
of war in Western Europe; agreement with France for recruitment of
voluntary labor for France in the United States zone of Germany (Documents 394-408)
- Publication by the Department of State of “Nazi-Soviet Relations,
1939–1941” (Documents 409-413)
- Interest of the United States in questions relating to navigation of
the Rhine and Danube Rivers
- The Council of Foreign Ministers
- Western Europe:
- Austria:
- Belgium:
- Denmark:
- France:
- Concern of the United States with political and economic
developments relating to France; measures undertaken by the United
States to assist in the preservation of democratic government in
France (Documents 438-535)
- Arrangements for continued use by the U.S. Navy of air base and
communications facilities at Port Lyautey, French Morocco
- Agreements between the United States and France
- Concern of the United States with political and economic
developments relating to France; measures undertaken by the United
States to assist in the preservation of democratic government in
France (Documents 438-535)
- Germany
- Greece
- Iceland:
- Concern of the United States over economic and political
conditions in Iceland (Documents 536-539)
- Concern of the United States over economic and political
conditions in Iceland (Documents 536-539)
- Italy:
- Netherlands:
- Norway:
- Portugal:
- Spain:
- Attitude of the United States with respect to the Franco regime in
Spain (Documents 707-740)
- Attitude of the United States with respect to the Franco regime in
Spain (Documents 707-740)
- Sweden:
- Austria:
- Multilateral Relations:
- Index
Doc List
Prev
Foreign Relations of the United States 1947
Volume III, The British Commonwealth; Europe [Document 411]
862.414/10–347
[Document 411]
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State for Occupied Areas (Saltzman) to the Under Secretary of State (Lovett)
discussion
We have an arrangement with the British, to which the French have recently adhered, providing for the publication, after editing by a group of scholars, of the documents contained in the captured German archives. There is an understanding between us and the British and French that any party will notify the others of its intention to publish any of the documents covered by this project. The Russians have not agreed to participate in this work but have independently published some of the captured German documents in their hands.
We have had numerous requests for the publication of these documents, particularly those relating to the Soviet-German pact of 1939. We have heretofore taken the position that we could not publish these documents separately.
The material concerned would in the normal course not be published until sometime in 1950. It is estimated that the ones relating to the Soviet Union could be edited and printed and be ready for release about the first of December of this year.
At a meeting of the interested Officers of the Department held in my office on October 2 it was decided to recommend the publication of these Russo-German papers shortly after the conclusion of the forthcoming meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers unless developments prior to that time should warrant our withholding them. It was realized that it is probable that the Russians will attempt to retaliate by publishing documents embarrassing to us or more probably the British. On balance, however, it was felt that United States interests would be served by the publication of these papers and that in view of the seriousness of the issues raised by current Soviet policies we would not be justified in further delaying their publication. In this connection it should be noted, however, that some of them have already been published unofficially and that Foreign Minister Bevin in October, 1946, confirmed the authenticity of the publication in a British paper of the secret protocol attached to the Soviet-German non-aggression pact of 1939.
recommendations
- (1) That we inform the British and French of our intention to publish the important captured German documents covering Soviet-German relations from 1939 to June 1941, early in December unless developments at the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers should indicate the wisdom of further delaying their publication.
- (2) In view of the seriousness of this decision it is suggested
that you obtain the approval of the Secretary.1Concurrences were shown by Messrs.
Hickerson, Henderson, Oppenheimer (for Mr. Gross),
Russell, and G. Bernard Noble, Chief of the Division of
Historical Policy Research. Mr. Rusk wrote in the
following note: “The question of when we tell the British and French must be
considered by the Secretary in relation to British and
French nervousness during present GA session. Otherwise, I concur. D. R.”
On October 31 the Executive Officer, Office of Departmental Administration (McWilliams) informed Mr. Saltzman that the Secretary of State had approved the memorandum, in principle, but wished that implementing action be delayed until he had discussed the project with the President and the Cabinet (862.414/10–3147)
1 Concurrences were shown by Messrs. Hickerson, Henderson, Oppenheimer (for Mr. Gross), Russell, and G. Bernard Noble, Chief of the Division of Historical Policy Research. Mr. Rusk wrote in the following note: “The question of when we tell the British and French must be considered by the Secretary in relation to British and French nervousness during present GA session. Otherwise, I concur. D. R.”
On October 31 the Executive Officer, Office of Departmental Administration (McWilliams) informed Mr. Saltzman that the Secretary of State had approved the memorandum, in principle, but wished that implementing action be delayed until he had discussed the project with the President and the Cabinet (862.414/10–3147)
Page 645