328. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Department of State 1
Dulte 46. Eyes only Hoover from Secretary. Please pass to President:
“Dear Mr. President:
“Since the conference debate shifted its emphasis from problem of European security to problem of reunification of Germany by free elections the Soviet position has been very stubborn. This of course is not unexpected. We of course have put in our proposal for the holding of all-German elections.2 Molotov has refused to go further than to propose that the representatives of the two German states shall jointly establish a council for cooperation. He so far refuses to make any proposal which complies with directive which says the Heads of Government ‘have agreed that reunification of Germany shall be carried out by means of free elections’. Also Molotov will not even discuss our proposal for unification by free elections. British, French and ourselves are hammering him hard on his ‘deviation’ from Directive but so far he is immovable. Undoubtedly the Soviet tactic is to convince the Germans that Western Powers can do nothing for them and that they must deal with Moscow on Moscow’s terms.
“You may be interested in letter which I wrote Adenauer last night which sums up situation as I now see it.3 (Hoover transmitting to you in separate message.)
“We go back to the charge today and then there is three-day recess during which I go to Vienna Saturday night for gala reopening of opera and then to Brioni on Sunday to talk with Tito.
“At a dinner I gave last night for Foreign Ministers Molotov indicated he might go back to Moscow during this period. If so, he may return with new instructions. I surely hope so.
“Faithfully yours, Foster”
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–GE/11–455. Top Secret. Transmitted to the Denver White House on November 4.↩
- For text of this proposal, see Foreign Ministers Meeting, pp. 136–137, or Cmd. 9633, p. 108.↩
- See Document 323.↩