Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The British Commonwealth; Europe, Volume III

862.414/12–2647

Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Historical Policy Research (Noble) to the Deputy Director of the Office of European Affairs (Thompson)

secret

Washington, December 26, 1947.

Wednesday morning, December 24, Mr. Sontag and I had conferences with Mr. Henderson of the British Embassy¹ and Mr. Wapler of the French Embassy² on the subject of the Department’s policy regarding the publication of documents on the Soviet-German relations, 1939–1941. Mr. Henderson and Mr. Wapler were not able to come in at the same time; consequently we met with them separately.

Mr. Henderson first raised the question whether the understanding between our governments permitted separate publication by the Department of these documents, and he accepted our assurance that it did. He suggested that probably the Soviets would argue that this publication was a violation of the recent “anti-warmongering” resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations,³ though he did not apparently feel that this should bar action. His major concern was with the fact that the British Government had not been informed earlier of the intentions of the Department, and he expressed the view that his government might be subject to criticism in Parliament on the ground that the Department of State was in advance of the Foreign Office on the side of open diplomacy. He did not feel that the British Government would raise objections to the publication, though he seemed anxious to inform his government at the earliest possible moment of the Department’s proposed action.

Mr. Wapler expressed a good deal of satisfaction over the proposed publication. He said, however, that his government would necessarily have to wash its hands of the enterprise. It would be pleased with the American decision and would be glad not to have to take responsibility for the action. He expressed some satisfaction that his government had not been consulted in advance so that it would not be faced with the necessity of making a decision in the matter.

Copies of the proposed preface and editors’ foreword were given to Mr. Henderson and Mr. Wapler. Both of them thought these were well adapted to the needs of the occasion.

1. John Nicholas Henderson, Second Secretary, British Embassy.
2. Arnauld Wapler, Counselor, French Embassy.
3. United Nations, Official Records of the General Assembly, Second Session, resolution 110, adopted on November 8, 1947. For documentation, see volume i .