Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XIV, Berlin Crisis, 1961–1962

Editor:
  • Charles S. Sampson
General Editor:
  • Glenn W. LaFantasie

Overview

The volume presents a comprehensive collection of the records of the President's meetings with heads of state and government with respect to Berlin. Also presented are records of the principal negotiations on policy and military contingency planning regarding Germany and the Berlin crisis that took place among the Western Allies as well as with representatives of the Soviet Union.

In focusing on the major lines of the development of the crisis, the editors have expanded the principles of selection adopted for previous volumes documenting the Berlin problem, focusing more extensively on its military aspects. As before, they have presented a record of the U.S. reaction and response to the major political events within the Federal Republic of Germany insofar as they figured directly in ongoing high-level political negotiations.

Intelligence information regarding Soviet intentions with respect to Berlin and Germany in general was vitally important during the Berlin crisis and found its way into political documents selected for publication. The editors did not, however, attempt to document any particular operational activities by intelligence authorities in connection with the German problem or to explore the scope and impact of intelligence operations.