740.5/12–1350: Telegram
The United States Deputy Representative on the North Atlantic Council (Spofford) to the Secretary of State
Depto 322.1. Joint meeting Deputies and Military Committee today approved reports of both bodies on German participation1 without [Page 567] substantive controversy and with only slight verbal changes designed to make papers conform to each other.
2. Spofford and Sherman2 acted as co-chairmen. Military paper considered first. Belgium reiterated opposition creation German air force, but had no objection to approval of paper. Following had been added to paragraph 19 to meet French point on RCT: “All precautions should be taken so that during the transitional period, the German combat teams shall not be welded into larger units, nor come directly under operational command of the German government. In this respect, there is no objection to the combat teams being attached to Allied divisions under conditions to be proposed by SHAPE.” UK requested France to confirm acceptance this wording. France stated in all likelihood wording would be accepted by his government.
3. In consideration of Deputies’ document Portugal pointed out that Portuguese reservation indicated in paragraph 10 Deputies’ document applied equally to paragraph 15 (3). Belgium raised question of what procedure would be undertaken in case negotiations between Occupying Powers and German authorities were unsuccessful and agreements reached in two documents under consideration require modification. Chair explained any modification must be undertaken by appropriate bodies in light of circumstances at time. Documents purposely left way open for such procedure.
4. US proposed draft for cover joint report adopted as follows: “Joint report on German participation in defense of Western Europe by North Atlantic Council Deputies and Military Committee to North Atlantic Council and Defense Committee.
NAC Deputies and Military Committee, at request of Defense Committee, have considered respectively political aspects and military aspects of German contribution to defense of Western Europe.
Reports on political and military aspects of this problem are attached (D/MC–D/13 and D/MC–D/24). Council Deputies and Military committee considered these reports in joint session and concurred in them.
Deputies and Military Committee recommend that attached reports be approved and action taken in accordance with conclusions and recommendations therein.”
5. Joint communiqué cabled separately.5
6. During discussion of draft communiqué sentence stressing peaceful basis of proposal deleted at French request on grounds such statements [Page 568] more appropriate from Ministers. UK and France also sought deletion of reference to basis for discussions with Germans allegedly on same ground. Reference retained at insistence US.
Sent priority Department Depto 322, repeated information priority Paris 1160 (for Embassy and OSR), priority Frankfort 627 (Frankfort pass Heidelberg for Handy as 114, and Wiesbaden for Cannon as 135), Brussels 171 (Brussels pass Luxembourg as 46), Copenhagen 130, The Hague 187, Lisbon 93, Oslo 113, Ottawa 60, Reykjavik 19, Rome 235.
- Reference here is to Council Deputies Document D/MC–D/1 (see D–D/196 (Final) printed p. 531), and Military Committee Document MC 30 (D/MC–D2), p. 538.↩
- Adm. Forrest P. Sherman, Chief of Naval Operations, was serving as the Acting U.S. Representative on the Standing Group.↩
- D/MC–D/1 is the same as D–D/196 (Final), p. 531, except for a few textual differences.↩
- Dated December 12, p. 538.↩
- The text of the communiqué, released to the press on December 13, was transmitted in Depto 321 from London, December 13, not printed (740.5/12–1351).↩