Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Western Europe, Volume III

CFM Files: Lot M–88: Box 152: SFM Documents 1–40

Draft Agreement on Berlin Security

top secret

New York, September 14, 1950.

Document 27 (Revised)¹

The Foreign Ministers of the United States, Great Britain and France agree that their Governments shall take the following steps to maintain their position in Berlin:

1. Make the Soviets understand that armed aggression against Berlin from any source would be met with force and might mean general war.

2. Make the Soviets understand that any interference with Berlin transport by them or the DDR² will have the most serious consequences.

(The draft communiqué³ covers these two points. The Allies should follow it up with stepped-up propaganda and other means.)

3. Build up Berlin food and fuel stocks to one-year’s supply with rationing.

4. Reaffirm that counter-blockade measures against Soviet interference with Berlin transport will be taken in degrees commensurate with the Soviet or DDR interference. Direct the High Commission to prepare plans for such action at once.

5. Request the NAT countries to cooperate in such counter-blockade action and, while it is going on, to restrict their trade with the rest of the Soviet orbit to a level at most no higher than in the period preceding the action.

6. Strengthen Allied forces in Berlin by the assignment prior to 1 January 1951 to that garrison of additional French, British and United States units and authorize the formation of German auxiliary forces there.⁴

7. Make clear that the Soviet Union is⁵ responsible for any armed attack upon Berlin or Western Germany by the East German forces inasmuch as they are in occupation of the Eastern zone. In the event of an armed attack from whatever source, defend Berlin by force, bring the relevant provisions of the North Atlantic Treaty into effect, and present the issue to the United Nations.

8. If the Soviet Union subsequent to the October 15 elections in the East Zone should take steps (including a separate peace settlement, withdrawal of occupation troops, etc.) to legally dissociate themselves from any of the responsibility for action by the East German government, the Occupying Powers agree that they will still hold the Soviet Union responsible for any infringement of the rights of the Occupying Powers by East Zone forces against Berlin or Western Germany. In the event of such action or at a time best calculated to deter or prevent such action, the Western Powers should publicly announce such position.

1. This paper is a revision of Document 27 submitted by the United States Delegation at the third meeting of the Foreign Ministers on September 13, the text of which is indicated in the following footnotes (CFM Files: Lot M–88: Box 152: SFM Document 1–40). For the minutes of the third meeting, see p. 1209.
2. The words “by them or the DDR” were not present in Document 27.
3. Document 25, supra.
4. Paragraph 6 in Document 27 read: “Strengthen Allied forces in Berlin and authorize the formation of German auxiliary forces there.”
5. In Document 27 the beginning of this sentence read “Hold the Soviet Union.”