Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Central and Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

762A.5/11–1850: Telegram

The United States High Commissioner for Germany (McCloy) to the Secretary of State

secret

Bonn, November 18, 1950—2 p. m.

323. Eyes only for Acheson and Byroade. AGSec from Slater. In accordance with paragraph (c) of HICOG Bonn, sent Department 294, repeated Frankfort 309, Berlin 123, EuCom Heidelberg 6, of 9 November 1950,¹ below find verbatim text of tripartite statement to governments Unified Command in Berlin. This text was approved by US, UK and French High Commissioners in executive session 16 November 1950.

Begin text.

1. In a meeting with the US, UK and French Commandants, the Allied High Commissioners discussed on 9 November 1950 the problem of establishing a Unified Command for the defense of Berlin. The High Commissioners were unable to reach a conclusion as to which of several alternatives should be adopted and agreed to present the question to governments with a request for instructions.

2. The alternative forms of a Unified Command considered by the High Commissioners were:

(i) A Supreme Commander superior to the three Commandants.

(ii) The Commandant in the chair who would assume command in the event of an emergency with an integrated tripartite staff operating under the Commandants which would prepare plans for the joint defense of Berlin.

(iii) A separate military commander with his own integrated tripartite staff who would be responsible to the Commandant. In the event of hostilities, he would have full command over battle operations but would be responsible to the Commandants who would take only basic decisions appropriate to the functions exercised by Combined Chiefs-of-Staff.

3. It is pointed out that pending the resolution of the question of Unified Command the High Commissioners agreed:

(a) To recommend to the Commanders-in-Chief of the Occupation Forces the establishment at once of an integrated staff to prepare plans for the defense of Berlin and to request them to consider the necessary measures;

(b) As an interim measure:

(i) To authorize the Commandant in the chair to make spot decisions on defense matters in an emergency when time precludes consultation with the other Commandants;

(ii) That, in emergency situations where the time factor was of primary importance, a majority decision of the Commandants in defense matters should rule without recourse to the appeal procedure. End text.

Sent Department 323, repeated info Frankfort 353 (eyes only for King and Gerhardt)² Berlin 135 (eyes only for Taylor) EuCom Heidelberg 7 (eyes only Handy). [Slater.]

McCloy

1. Not printed; it transmitted a summary report on the Executive Session of the High Commissioners and the Berlin Commandants held at Bonn-Petersberg on November 9 in which the nature and quantity of arms for the Berlin police, the financing of the Berlin police program, and a unified defense plan for Berlin were discussed. (762A.5/11–1050)
2. James E. King, Executive Secretary of the Office of the U.S. High Commissioner, and Lieutenant Colonel Harrison A. Gerhardt, Special Assistant to the High Commissioner.