Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, Germany and Austria, Volume II

740.00119 Council/6–848: Telegram

The United States Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy) to the Embassy in the United Kingdom

top secret
urgent
niact

Berlin, June 8, 1948—4 p. m.

224. Your 180 June 7.¹ Confirming Clay’s telephone conversation² with Douglas this morning we view with grave misgiving French suggestion that démarche be made at Moscow along the lines of the text offered by Massigli. This would be tactical error giving USSR an impression of doubt and weakness on our part. It would also provide USSR an opportunity of suggesting delaying conversations which might interfere with the successful prosecution of program for western Germany. Démarche also would cause additional confusion in German public opinion already buffeted by waves of propaganda from east and west. Uncertainty as to western German policy might well deprive us of German support necessary for success of program which US has now approved.

Sent London 224, repeated Department 1310, Paris 226.

Murphy

1. Same as telegram 2511, June 7, from London, supra.
2. No record has been found of the conversation under reference here.