762A.00/11–1650: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Office of the United States High Commissioner for Germany, at Frankfort1
priority
3872. Re Frankfort’s 4139 Nov 16; Berlin’s 711 and 712 Nov. 17.2 Dept concerned about significance Berlin elections likely to assume in view current defense controversy. Agree on probability West Ger party dispute apt to confuse Berlin voters and thus benefit SED calling for abstention, or possibly extreme right like Deutsche Partei.
It therefore seems imperative for our media to impress upon Berlin population importance of vote as symbol of Free World resistance to Communist aggression, roughly as follows:
Free World always looking to Berlin elections with intense interest and considerable pride as manifestation of great free community behind Iron Curtain administering self in democratic way despite five years of relentless Sov pressure. Unquestionably, this very fact equally impresses Sovs, as it is bound to lift up hearts of all peoples deprived of freedom by Sov rule, from East Berlin to far boundaries of Sov Union and Asia. Are confident Berliners will exercise their voting privilege in full consciousness this symbolic responsibility, no matter whether election issues are of world-wide, or chiefly internal, significance.
Importance Berlin vote this time, however, much heightened when question of organized European self-defense with American help against Communist aggression is at stake. Admittedly, there are many thorny problems involved in building effective European self-defense system which at this point are reflected in differences on some points between governments and political parties of countries concerned. Debate of this type, although it may give temporary comfort to Sov aggressors and their Ger agents, is natural, inevitable and, in last analysis, healthy as method of free nations to work out agreement on momentous issue.
But while there are frank differences on best ways to build European self-defense, with American assistance, no doubt must be permitted to exist on basic determination of Free World to oppose Communist, aggression with all its strength. Nothing wld give more encouragement to Communist aggressors than Berlin election result [Page 901] leaving any room for doubt on this score. Berliners know any encouragement for Communist aggression front, however indirect, bound to result in increased pressure upon their city. They know, too, that because Berlin has become outstanding symbol of Western world resistance to Communist aggression, demonstration of their attitude can have more telling significance than that of any other community. Free World trusts Berlin voters will go to polls next Sunday, in defiance of SED appeals for abstention, fully conscious of their responsibility before world; and that they will show the political maturity they have acquired in years of suffering and resistance by rising above party dispute and casting their votes not merely for any one political party but, implictly, for combined, more effective resistance to Communist aggression.
If you concur this approach, will try to obtain last-minute appeals, from variety of American sources along these lines in addition to VOA broadcasts.3
- Repeated to Berlin.↩
- None printed; they reported on various aspects of the Berlin election campaign. (762A.00/11–1650 and 1750)↩
- In telegram 4501, November 29, from Frankfort, not printed, McCloy advised that he had discussed this proposed course of action with the Berlin Element, which felt it was unnecessary and undesirable. McCloy agreed, stating that rearmament was not an issue in Berlin and that “Soviet/SED line to discourage participation in elections likely to have exactly opposite effect,” and that the overall impression was that the “Berlin election situation well in hand.” (762A.00/11–2950)↩