811.20200(D)/6–2448: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom
us urgent
2389. For the Ambassador. Please maintain closest contact Brit/French Govt with view to obtaining its comments interpretation and information re Berlin. We feel developments furnish us opportunity adopting strong propaganda line. For your info following is text of guidance directive cabled USPolAd, Berlin:
“ICD OMGUS advised through joint State–Army guidance channels that considered urgent here to utilize all media in all-out effort to expose current Sov strategy, i.e., attempt to undercut power of Berlin Govt by series of steps which inevitably result in hardships on Berlin population; that gross irresponsibility of policy which resorts to cutting off supplies for more than 2½ million Germans in order to achieve its expansionist aims should be stressed; and that basic position western occupying powers remains unchanged.
While point not emphasized in guidance suggest ICD also stress food shipments from Western zones for Berlin waiting ready to move and only blocked by Sov obstructionist measures.
Dept fully supports view vigorous campaign urgently needed to offset Sov propaganda blaming western allies for Berlin situation. Berliners should not be left in doubt as to who responsible.”1
Sent London as 2389; repeated Paris as 2274.
- In telegram 1474, June 25, from Berlin, not printed, Murphy reported that ICD was already taking steps along the lines of this telegram and that the U.S. controlled media had been fully mobilized to show the people of Berlin who was responsible for the situation in that city (811.20200 (D)/6–2548).↩