Editorial Note
The documentation that follows presents an outline of United States policy toward Germany in 1951. Included in the compilation are only documents which illustrate the whole complex of issues which composed the German question and with which policy planners in the Department had to deal. The documents include a general assessment of the situation in Germany at the start of the year, a Department of State policy statement on Germany, reports on discussions held at Washington with members of the West German Bundestag, an appraisal by George Kennan of the situation in Germany, and two reports on Germany by High Commissioner McCloy. The footnotes to these documents indicate where, in the succeeding pages, further materials of a more detailed nature can be found on important issues relating to Germany and its position in Western Europe.