119. Memorandum of a Conversation, Capitol Building, Washington, May 28, 1957, 3 p.m.1
SUBJECT
- Negotiations with the USSR
PARTICIPANTS
- Chancellor Adenauer
- Foreign Minister Von Brentano
- Ambassador Krekeler
- Richard Balken, German Embassy
- Jonathan Dean, Office of German Affairs
- Senator Johnson
- Senator Knowland
- Senator Green
- Senator Wiley
- Senator Bridges
The Chancellor began the conversation by thanking the Senators for agreeing to meet with him in private. The Chancellor said he saw difficult times ahead in Europe. He said he greeted the efforts of the United States to reach an agreement with the Soviets because only such an agreement could solve the problems of the world. But the way to such an agreement was long and filled with dangers and in order to reach a successful conclusion and to avoid these dangers, the true character of the Soviets must be known and constantly borne in mind. The Chancellor said he did not wish to exaggerate but that the freedom of Europe was vital to the continued freedom of the United States. Germany and Europe and the United States continued to be in a perilous position which only the strength and wisdom of the United States as the main power of the free world could withstand. The Chancellor said that the future was unclear but that Soviet aims were very clear. The Soviets would attempt to dissolve the alliance of the free world in order to achieve eventual domination of the world. They knew that their main battle would be against the United States, which would have to remain strong and alert.
Senator Johnson said he believed he spoke for the other Senators when he said that he shared fully the same doubts with regard to the intentions of the Soviets as the Chancellor and that the United States would do its utmost to retain its strength and its alertness with regard to the future.
The Chancellor stated that the character of the Soviets was deceptive and difficult to measure. He said he had felt the same feelings of doubt and uncertainty with regard to the rise of the Nazis. It remained inexplicable, he said, how the German people could have followed “Hitler and his bandits” but at the same time he could not understand why the outside world had helped Hitler so much by giving him recognition and stature through agreements and through such actions as participation in the 1936 Olympic Games which were of tremendous psychological assistance to Hitler. The Chancellor said it was clear that an attempt must be made to come to terms with the Soviets but that the West, and the United States in particular, must be cautious, careful and acute in these dealings with the Soviets.
Senator Johnson said he was grateful for these remarks by the Chancellor. He said that as far as the Legislature of the United States was concerned that the Chancellor was in the presence of the four or five men in the United States who would be most cautious and most reserved in going into any arrangements with the Soviet Union.
The Chancellor thanked the Senators and the meeting was terminated.
- Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 888. Confidential. Drafted by Dean.↩