Office of the Historian

740.5/7–751: Telegram

The Counselor of Embassy in France (MacArthur) to the Secretary of State 1

top secret priority
Paris, July 7, 1951—4 p. m.

130. Eyes only Perkins and Byroade from MacArthur (distribution at Perkins’ discretion). Am repeating in immediately following telegrams (a) Gen Eisenhower’s reply to Secretary of Defense re substance of Deptel 7155 June 28 Paris on which Gen Eisenhower received separate message from Secretary of Defense; (b) views (in message to Secretary of Defense) on Paris 25 July 3 to Dept. These messages will give clear indication his thinking.

For your background am adding following comments my own which I believe may amplify views:

1.
European Army Organization must not be rigid in sense it would prevent Gen Eisenhower from deploying individual European units (i.e., German units) with British and American units if such is essential to achieve maximum military effectiveness.
2.
View here is Gen Eisenhower must not become involved in ministerial functions or responsibilities which more properly should pass from National Ministers to new European Defense Organization.
3.
If conference is held Paris to bring agreement between Petersberg and European Army reports, SHAPE could lend invaluable assistance by giving advisory guidance on those features which are directly related to relationship between European Army and SHAPE. However, responsibility for creation of European Army Organization and its direction must rest the responsibilities of the individual participating nations.
4.
Our concept is that proposed European Army Organization would at appropriate time take over from existing National Defense Ministers the responsibilities for organizing, training, equipping, and administering all European army military units, such units when adequately trained to be made available to SACEUR as additional elements of his NATO defense forces. Thus SACEUR’s relationship to new European army organization would be essentially same as his present relationship to National Defense Ministries.

[ MacArthur ]
  1. This telegram was repeated for information to London as 24 eyes only for Spofford and to Frankfurt as 13 eyes only for McCloy.↩