862.00/12–949: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the United States High Commissioner for Germany (McCloy), at Frankfurt
3556. Since receipt urtel 64 Dec 9 from Bonn1 Brit Emb has furnished us paraphrase UK HICOG’s tel reporting in detail Adenauer’s request for Allied assurance of defense for Fed Rep.2 UK HICOG [Page 361] expressed opinion it will not be possible sustain indefinitely attitude these matters no concern of Fed Rep head. He requests specific instrs from his FonOff on subj.
Prior reeeipt this tel, we were considering desirability further US govt statement re our policy on Ger rearmament including ref to defense of Fed Rep territory. On balance we believe matter shld properly be subj tripartite assurances, if any. We are developing statement which might be made either to Adenauer or publicly and will seek US views on text if further study here indicates desirability of any statement.
In meantime we have received urtel 5143 Dec 22.3 Perkins is arranging furnish you background info. Subj being considered here and we will communicate with you further. Suggest you delay talking to Adenauer until further word from Dept.
- Not printed; it reported on the High Commissioners’ meeting with Adenauer on December 8 at which the West German Chancellor, inter alia, requested Allied assurances of Germany’s security from a Soviet attack. (862.00/12–849)↩
- Not printed. The paraphrase had been delivered to Geoffrey W. Lewis, the Acting Assistant Chief of the Division of German Economic Affairs, on December 16 by J. H. Penson, the Advisor on German Affairs at the British Embassy. (740.00119 Control (Germany)/12–1649)↩
- Not printed; in it McCloy reported that Adenauer wanted to discuss informally with him the defense of Germany. McCloy felt he should be better advised on the latest policy before he offered any comments, but would report the Chancellor’s ideas on the subject if the Department of State so desired. (862.20/12–2249)↩