99. Letter From Chancellor Adenauer to President Eisenhower1
My Dear Mr. President: In a note dated February 23, 1957, presented by the United States Embassy here,2 your Government has expressed the wish that the Federal Republic pay the United States, as was the case last year, an amount of DM 650 Million or $155 Million by way of contribution towards the costs of stationing United States Forces in the Federal Republic. A reply to this note was conveyed today to the Department of State. In view of the fact that the United States note was addressed to me you will permit me, I am sure, to express some additional comments to you.
For one thing I should like to emphasize that the Federal Republic’s obligation to pay “support costs” expired last year. Our two governments agree on this point. We are now acting on the basis of Article 3 of the NATO treaty on measures of mutual aid; these measures—according to an accepted practice among the NATO countries, which is surely known to you—are to be regarded as voluntary.
To the Federal Republic it means a great sacrifice that it is now to pay DM 1.200 Million out of its defense budget for defense efforts other than its own; this diversion of funds renders more difficult its own rearmament efforts. An increase would considerably slow down the speed of German rearmament. This would conflict not only with the German interest but also with that of the Allies— particularly at a time when Britain prepares to reduce her forces on the continent.
Nor is it possible for me now to increase the defense budget as a whole. The financial burden imposed by defense expenditures on the Federal Republic today is no less than that borne by other countries in a comparable position.
Let me recall only that before the end of this year the Federal Government will place at the disposal of NATO three motorized infantry divisions and two armored divisions. You will also understand that it is impossible for me to increase the defense budget, at any rate in this year when my alliance and defense policies are particularly exposed to debate and controversy.
In allocating the amount of DM 1.2 billion we have considered in the first place those countries which are in need of special assistance, and here it was primarily Britain. This is because we recognize [Page 221] Britain’s difficulties and because we see in the British plans for a reduction of forces a grave threat not only to the Federal Republic but to the entire Western Defense Community. The Council of Ministers of WEU has now succeeded with great difficulty to achieve a provisional, reasonably satisfactory compromise. In this connection it was of great importance that Britain could look to the German-British financial arrangement as a result of which Britain has largely been relieved of its foreign exchange and financial difficulties with regard to the stationing of forces. If this arrangement, however, is now placed in jeopardy the agreement reached in London will also be in danger.
I know that your Government is far from desiring such a situation. In practice, however, the upholding of your request would have this effect, since it is not possible—for the reasons explained by me—to implement both the Anglo-German arrangements and to meet the American request,—quite apart from the fact that the other countries maintaining forces in the Federal Republic would, of course, increase their requests in turn.
Let me address to you, my dear Mr. President, the urgent request for an early decision which takes account of the grave anxieties which I feel with regard to the future of the Western Defense Community.
With my best wishes and regards, I am,
Yours very sincerely,
- Source: Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204, Adenauer to Eisenhower. Ambassador Krekeler delivered this letter to Secretary Dulles on March 27; see infra. Dulles transmitted it to President Eisenhower the same day; see Document 101.↩
- Not found in Department of State files.↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩