Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Western European Security, Volume V, Part 1

740.5/10–2552: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Belgium ¹

secret

Washington, November 8, 1952—7:08 p.m.

609. Embtel 444, Oct 22,² Paris tel 2520, Oct 23,³ rptd info Brussels 89.

Emb will recall that Belgs similarly appealed to US on eve signature EDC Treaty to press other member countries adopt uniform 24 months mil serv (Deptel 6409 to Paris, 1672 to Brussels, Apr 30).⁴ At that time UnderSecy was strictly non-committal and told Belg Amb flatly we considered it a practical impossibility for Fr adopt two years conscription. This is still the case, aggravated, moreover, by recent political developments. Situation Italy analogous.

Dept recommends that Emb respond orally to De Greef’s representations along fol lines as suggested by MacArthur:

1. US fully shares De Greef’s concern that EDC and NATO partners all strive toward creation as strong mil forces as possible. We will therefore continue to urge all to make maximum effort, and to this end support recommendation of leading mil authorities that 24 months service necessary goal if adequate defense establishment to be achieved.

2. We are convinced, however, that heavy political pressure by US particularly but not solely in the case of Fr, wld not at this juncture attain desired result.

3. In specific case Fr, it should be pointed out to De Greef that serious limiting factors exist with which Belg happily does not have to contend: manpower drain of prolonged struggle against communist aggression in Indochina and cancer in Fr body politic of 26 percent popular commie vote (6 times greater than in Belg) on which Sov Union yearly lavishes substantial propaganda funds.

4. For this reason it is all the more important that Belg, through its longer conscription period and splendid physical force build-up, do its utmost maintain its position as impressive example of what its EDC partners shld, and US is confident, ultimately will achieve. Therefore US wld greatly regret to see Belg abandon its position of leadership in these respects among EDC countries.

5. US considers it fundamental to success of collective Western defensive endeavor of NATO and EDC that partners refrain from looking over their shoulders since this wld inevitably reduce total effort to mediocre and probably inadequate level of lowest common denominator.

6. US firmly believes that relative magnitude in its own contribution in men (and it shld be emphasized that we require 2 years mil serv of our young men) and resources justifies expectation of Amer people, congr and gov that our partners be willing bear comparable burden in terms of their own manpower and resources. Shld be observed that it is no easier convince US Congr and public than it is their Belg counterparts of continued necessity this effort. We must all rely on one another’s example to sustain our own effort.

Bruce

1. Drafted by McClelland, cleared by Knight, Parsons, and Captain Matter of Defense. Repeated to Paris for MacArthur.
2. Not printed; it reported inter alia that Belgian Defense Minister De Greef in a conversation on Oct. 20 with the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group for the Benelux area and with the MDAP special assistant, was “most emphatic” in stating that the United States should make a “political approach” to the NATO countries urging them to adopt a uniform 24-month military service period. De Greef added that General Ridgway and other military leaders had made clear the necessity for such a military service period, “but that US Dept of State had not pushed for it politically and this shld be done” (740.5/10–2252). In telegram 413 from Brussels, Oct. 15, Ambassador Cowen had reported inter alia that during General Ridgway’s visit that day, Prime Minister Van Houtte had informed the General that Belgium could not ratify the EDC Treaty until agreement was reached among all EDC countries on the length of military service (740.5/10–1552).
3. Not printed; it informed the Department that in Ambassador Dunn’s personal view, it would be unwise to place heavy political pressure on the NATO countries to adopt a uniform military service policy of 24 months. Dunn stated that no amount of pressure would succeed in pushing France “and other countries” to 24 months at this time, and that therefore, the application of such pressure would be counterproductive, exacerbating “present state of mind of at least a significant sector of European opinion which I fear increasingly tends toward idea that US views Eur in light of teacher-pupil, prince-pauper relationship”. The 24-month service policy should, Dunn added, be urged as a goal, not insisted upon as a policy the United States had the right to impose (740.5/10–2352).
4. Not printed; it informed the Embassy in France that on the instruction of his Government, the Belgian Ambassador had on that day called upon the Under Secretary of State to express the misgivings of the Belgian Government in reference to initialing the EDC Treaty unless a uniform 24-month length of service was specified and adopted by all members. Following further representations to the U.S. Government and to the Steering Committee of the EDC conference, the Belgian Government accepted a compromise in which a statement of principle of uniformity was written into the Treaty while for the time being the length of service was fixed at a minimum of 18 months subject to change by unanimous agreement by the Council. Further documentation on this issue is in file 740.5/5–252 to 5–652.