Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, Western Europe, Volume IV

840.00/1–949: Telegram

The United States Special Representative in Europe (Harriman) to the Acting Secretary of State

top secret

Paris, January 9, 1949—5 p. m.

us urgent

Repsec 8. Personal for Lovett. Please show Hoffman¹ and Forrestal.² Subject is Western Union rearmament: Please refer my letter to Lovett dated 12 November 1948.³ From phone calls Nitze–Bonesteel⁴ I understand supply board Western Union have made report concerning contribution to rearmament which can be made by Western Union countries. Bonesteel will meet Nitze London 12 January this subject.

Am disturbed that I knew nothing of situation until this late date. As reference letter states it is imperative that rearmament and ERP be closely coordinated and work forward together as integral parts US policy. Particularly in field of impact rearmament on European countries and judgement as to their proper contribution I believe it essential OSR, ECA be intimately involved. Nitze states present thinking is that US representative to Western Union supply board will be civilian from NME. I strongly recommend reconsideration to tie in OSR with this position which is directly concerned with economic situation Europe. Otherwise essential coordination recovery assistance and military assistance can not be effective.

I feel time has come when I should be brought into developments and activity Western Union rearmament. Otherwise we are likely to be working unwittingly at cross purposes.

Harriman

1. Paul G. Hoffman, Administrator, Economic Cooperation Administration.
2. Forrestal, as Secretary of Defense, together with Acting Secretary of State Lovett and ECA Administrator Hoffman, comprised the newly established Foreign Assistance Steering Committee (FASC).
3. No relevant letter of November 12 by Harriman has been identified, but the problem of coordination was taken up in his letter of November 23 to Secretary of State Marshall. This letter and a reply of December 3 by Lovett are printed in Foreign Relations, 1948, vol. iii, pp. 283 and 300.
4. Paul H. Nitze, Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, and Charles H. Bonesteel, 3rd, Special Assistant to the U.S. Special Representative in Europe.