762A.5/9–450: Telegram

The Chargé in the United Kingdom ( Holmes ) to the Secretary of State

top secret

1366. From Spofford1 and Holmes. In a conversation which Spofford and I had with Bevin today, he read from a paper which had received Cabinet approval concerning the creation of a German Federal Police. The eight points covered were as follows:

1.
The creation of a national German army should not be permitted.
2.
Authority is given to approach US and French to obtain agreement for creation of a federal gendarmerie of 100,000 men on the model of the Bereitschaften and designed to meet any aggressive move by East German forces.
3.
Increase Berlin police by 3,000.
4.
Abandon entirely the proposal of creation of gendarmerie by Laender.
5.
The auxiliary German formations now serving with British and US forces would be improved and reorganized.
6.
Frontier and customs police would be improved and slightly expanded.
7.
West Germany to make industrial contribution to Western strength.
8.
HICOG to be authorized to discuss foregoing with Adenauer.2

Sent Department 1366, repeated Paris 385, Frankfort 207.

Holmes
  1. Charles M. Spofford, United States Deputy Representative on the North Atlantic Council.
  2. In telegram 1480, September 8, from London, not printed, Embassy London reported that Sir Oliver G. Harvey, the British Ambassador in France, had given Schuman an oral message from Bevin along these same lines on September 7. Schuman agreed or raised no objections to Bevin’s views except that he felt control of the police should be placed with the Laender. (762A.5/9–850)