U.S. Relations with the Federal Republic of Germany 1

1. For documentation on Germany in 1955, see volumes IV and v. Documentation on the Ministerial meetings of the North Atlantic Council is in volume IV.


39. Letter From Chancellor Adenauer to Secretary of State Dulles

Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, Strictly Confidential File. Personal. Delivered by Ambassador Krekeler. The source text indicates it is a translation.


40. Telegram From the Delegation at the North Atlantic Council Ministerial Meeting to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 740.5/12–1755. Secret. Repeated to London, Bonn, and Moscow.


41. Letter From Secretary of State Dulles to Chancellor Adenauer

Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, Strictly Confidential File. Secret; Personal and Private. Transmitted to Conant on December 29 with the instruction to deliver it personally to Adenauer. Dulles also cautioned Conant:

“The Chancellor is particularly anxious that this exchange be kept on a private and personal basis. The only persons who have knowledge of it here besides myself are the President, Herb Hoover, and Livie Merchant.” (Ibid.)

On January 6, 1956, Conant in a personal letter informed Dulles that it had been impossible to deliver the letter personally because of the 81st birthday celebration of the Chancellor, but that he had given it to Brentano, who assured him that he would pass it along at the earliest opportunity. (Ibid.)


42. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs’ Special Assistant (Reinstein) to the Assistant Secretary of State (Merchant)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762A.5–MSP/1–1056. Secret. Drafted by George R. Roberts of the Office of German Affairs.


43. Diary Entry by the President

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Secret.


44. Memorandum of a Conversation, Bonn, February 3, 1956, 4:30 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 653. Secret. Drafted on February 8 by Hoover. Copies were sent to Murphy, Merchant, Robertson, Conant, and others. Hoover was visiting West Germany to speak at ceremonies marking the tenth anniversary of RIAS (Radio in the American Sector) in Berlin. Hoover arrived in Berlin on February 3 and returned to the United States on February 6.


45. Memorandum of a Conversation, Bonn, February 4, 1956, 1 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 653. Secret. Drafted by Hoover on February 8. Copies were sent to Murphy, Merchant, Robertson, Allen, and Conant.


46. Memorandum of a Conversation, Ambassador Dowling’s Residence, Bonn, February 4, 1956

Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 653. Confidential. Drafted by Dowling.


48. National Intelligence Estimate

Source: Department of State, INRNIE Files. Secret. According to a note on the source text, “The following intelligence organizations participated in the preparation of this estimate: The Central Intelligence Agency and the intelligence organizations of the Departments of State, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and The Joint Staff.” The Intelligence Advisory Committee concurred on April 17; also concurring were the Special Assistant, Intelligence, Department of State; the Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Department of the Army; the Director of Naval Intelligence; the Director of Intelligence, USAF; and the Deputy Director for Intelligence, The Joint Staff. The Atomic Energy Commission Representative to the IAC and the Assistant Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, abstained, because the subject was outside their jurisdiction.


49. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of East European Affairs (Beam) to the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Merchant)

Source: Department of State, EUR Files: Lot 59 D 233, Memos 1956–7. Confidential. Also addressed to Elbrick and Reinstein.


50. Memorandum of a Conversation Between the Secretary of State and the German Ambassador (Krekeler), Department of State, Washington, April 27, 1956, 5 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 64 D 199. Secret. Drafted by Merchant.


51. Telegram From the Delegation at the North Atlantic Council Ministerial Meeting to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 740.5/5–456. Confidential. Repeated to Bonn and London. Secretary Dulles was in Paris for a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, May 4–5. For documentation on this meeting, see vol. iv, pp. 5184.


52. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, May 14, 1956, 10 a.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 033.62A11/5–1456. Limited Official Use. Drafted on May 21 by William K. Miller and Robert C. Creel of the Office of German Affairs.


53. Report Prepared by the Operations Coordinating Board

Source: Department of State, OCB Files: Lot 61 D 385, Germany. Secret. A cover sheet, memorandum of transmittal, and financial annex are not printed.


54. Memorandum of a Conversation Between Secretary of State Dulles and Chancellor Adenauer, Secretary Dulles’; Office, Department of State, Washington, June 12, 1956

Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Memcons. Confidential; Personal and Private; No Distribution. Drafted by Secretary Dulles. Chancellor Adenauer arrived in the United States on June 9 for an official State visit. For his account of the several meetings in Washington, see Erinnerungen, 1955–1959, pp. 159–175.


55. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, June 12, 1956, 3:20 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 711. Confidential. Drafted by Reinstein. The time of the meeting is from Dulles’ Appointment Book.


56. Memorandum of a Conversation, Secretary of State Dulles’ Residence, Washington, June 12, 1956, 8 p.m.

Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Memoranda of Conversations. Secret; Personal and Private. Drafted by Dulles.


57. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, June 13, 1956, 2:30 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 711. Confidential. Drafted by Reinstein.


58. Memorandum of a Conversation Between President Eisenhower and Chancellor Adenauer, Walter Reed Hospital, Washington, June 14, 1956, 9:50 a.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 033.62A11/6–2656. Secret. Drafted by H.J. Kellermann of EUR as a memorandum for Secretary Dulles. The time and place of the meeting is taken from the President’s Appointment Book. (Eisenhower Library) The memorandum was forwarded to Goodpaster by Howe on June 26.


59. Memorandum of a Conversation Between Chancellor Adenauer and Secretary of State Dulles, Washington, June 14, 1956

Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 711. Secret. Drafted by Kellermann on June 25.


60. Memorandum of Discussion at the 288th Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, June 15, 1956

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret; Eyes Only. Drafted by Gleason on June 18.


61. Letter From Secretary of State Dulles to Chancellor Adenauer

Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, Adenauer. Personal and Private. Attached to a June 30 letter from Macomber to Conant informing the Ambassador of the contents of the letters exchanged by Dulles and Adenauer,.


62. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, July 17, 1956

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762A.0221/7–1756. Confidential. Drafted by Reinstein. A note on the source text reads “Sec Saw.”


63. Letter From the Ambassador in Germany (Conant) to the Secretary of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762A.00/7–2456. Secret; Personal; Eyes Only for Secretary.


64. Memorandum of a Conversation Between the Secretary of State and the German Ambassador (Krekeler), Department of State, Washington, August 6, 1956

Source: Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 64 D 199. Secret. Drafted by Elbrick.


65. Letter From Secretary of State Dulles to Chancellor Adenauer

Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, Strictly Confidential File. Secret; Personal and Private. According to notations on the source text, the letter was sent to O’Shaughnessy in a sealed envelope for delivery, and had been seen by Hoover, Radford, MacArthur, Eleanor Dulles, and Murphy. On August 10, Dulles wrote a note to Eisenhower recommending that the President see Adenauer’s July 22 letter to Dulles. The letter [3 pages of source text] was not declassified. (Ibid.) The note concludes:

“I think the Chancellor has been already somewhat ‘straightened out’, but he is particularly sensitive because he feels that he is risking his political life on a program for German and conventional rearmaments, while many of his political opponents, and indeed many within his own party, seem to feel that this is outmoded and that this is shown by United States policy.” (Department of State, Central Files, 762A.00/8–1056)

A notation on the August 10 note indicates that the text of Dulles’ letter to Adenauer was handcarried to the White House by Dulles for his meeting with the President at 8:30 a.m., August 11. In his memorandum of the conversation, Dulles noted, among other things:

“I then showed President Eisenhower Chancellor Adenauer’s letter to me of July 22 and a draft of reply. President Eisenhower said that Chancellor Adenauer’s feelings were not very different from his own. He recalled that from the beginning he had taken the position that even though we had superiority in atomic weapons, we should, if it were practicable, bring about their elimination. He read the draft reply. He pencilled a few suggested additions and suggested orally one further addition at the end and said that he heartily concurred in the draft.” (Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, Meetings with the President)


66. Memorandum of a Conversation Between Secretary of State Dulles and Foreign Minister von Brentano, London, August 23, 1956

Source: Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 64 D 199. Secret. Drafted by Dulles on August 24. He was in London to attend the Conference on the Suez Canal, August 20–21.


67. Memorandum From the Acting Director of Central Intelligence (Cabell) to the Secretary of State

Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, White House Memoranda. Top Secret; Eyes Only; Personal and Private. Notations on the source text indicate that Dulles, Hoover, and Elbrick saw this memorandum. On August 31, Dulles called Cabell and asked him to send a copy of this message to President Eisenhower, which Cabell agreed to do. (Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers)