Germany and Berlin, 1969–1972


241. Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the Ambassador to Germany (Rush)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; no time of transmission or receipt appears on the message.


242. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 692, Country Files, Europe, Germany (Berlin), Vol. IV. Secret. Sent for information. Kissinger initialed the memorandum; an attached form indicates that the memorandum was “noted by HAK” on June 1.


243. Conversation Between President Nixon and the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Recording of Conversation Between Nixon and Kissinger, May 28, 1971, Time Unknown, Oval Office, Conversation 505–18. No classification marking. According to his Daily Diary, Nixon met with Kissinger in the Oval Office from 9:50 to 11 a.m. The editor transcribed the portions of the conversation printed here specifically for this volume. The time of the conversation, which was held in the Oval Office, is taken from Kissinger’s Record of Schedule. (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 438, Miscellany, 1968–76) Haldeman, who briefly commented during the conversation, entered the Oval Office at 10:23 a.m. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Central Files, President’s Daily Diary)


244. Message From the Ambassador to Germany (Rush) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; no time of transmission or receipt appears on the message.


245. Conversation Between President Nixon and the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Recording of Conversation Between Nixon and Kissinger, May 29, 1971, Time Unknown, Oval Office, Conversation 507–4. No classification marking. According to his Daily Diary, Nixon met with Kissinger in the Oval Office from 9:08 to 10:32 a.m. The editor transcribed the portions of the conversation printed here specifically for this volume. The time of the conversation, which was held in the Oval Office, is taken from the President’s Daily Diary; Haldeman joined the discussion at 10 a.m. (Ibid., White House Central Files)


247. Message From the Ambassador to Germany (Rush) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. A copy was sent to Haig. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; no time of transmission or receipt appears on the message.


248. Message From the Ambassador to Germany (Rush) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. A copy was sent to Haig. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; no time of transmission or receipt appears on the message.


249. Message From the German State Secretary for Foreign, Defense, and German Policy (Bahr) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 60, Country Files, Europe, Egon Bahr, Berlin File [2 of 3]. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The message, translated here from the signed German original by the editor, was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt. No time of transmission appears on the message; a handwritten note indicates that it was received in Washington on June 7. Actual names have been substituted for pseudonyms used in the message. According to an undated note, the following pseudonyms were used in this and other messages from Rush (or Bahr) to Kissinger: Kissinger (“Sunshine”), Rush (“Snow”), Brandt (“Whirlwind”), Bahr (“Fog”), Kohl (“Rain”), Dobrynin (“Blizzard”), Abrasimov (“Overcast”), and Falin (“Thunder”). (Department of State, Bonn Post Files: Lot 72 F 81, Berlin Negotiations—Amb. Kenneth Rush) For the German text, see also Akten zur Auswärtigen Politik der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Vol. 2, pp. 918–919.


250. Telegram From the Embassy in Germany to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 38–6. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Repeated to Berlin.


251. Telegram From the Embassy in Germany to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 28 GER B. Secret; Priority; Exdis.


254. Conversation Among President Nixon, German Chancellor Brandt, the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), and the German State Secretary for Foreign, Defense, and German Policy (Bahr)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Recording of Conversation Between Nixon and Brandt, June 15, 1971, 11:02 a.m.–12:34 p.m., Oval Office, Conversation 520–6. No classification marking. According to his Daily Diary, Nixon met with Brandt in the Oval Office from 11:02 a.m. to 12:34 p.m. The editor transcribed the portions of the conversation printed here specifically for this volume. Kissinger and Bahr joined the discussion at 11:13 a.m.; Kissinger left at 12:30 p.m., just before Mosbacher, Ziegler, Pauls, Ahlers, and several others entered for several minutes. (Ibid., White House Central Files, President’s Daily Diary) A memorandum covering the end of the conversation, during which Pakistan and SALT were discussed, is in the National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 7 GER W. For Brandt’s memorandum of conversation, see Akten zur Auswärtigen Politik der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, 1971, Vol. II, pp. 966–972. For his memoir account, see Brandt, People and Politics, pp. 291–295.


256. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 692, Country Files, Europe, Germany (Berlin), Vol. IV. Secret. Sent for action. According to another copy, Downey drafted the memorandum. (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box CL 14, Chronological File, 1969–75, 20 May–10 July, 1971)


257. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 685, Country Files, Europe, Germany (Bonn), Vol. IX. Secret. Drafted by Sutterlin on June 18. The meeting was held in Kissinger’s office. The memorandum is part II of III; parts I (MBFR) and III (RFE and RL) are ibid. Sonnenfeldt forwarded the memorandum to Kissinger on June 21 for approval. (Ibid.) An attached note from David Halperin to Jeanne Davis indicates that Kissinger reviewed but did not specifically approve the memoranda of conversation with Bahr. For a German record of the conversation on Berlin, see Akten zur Auswärtigen Politik der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, 1971, Vol. 2, pp. 995–996. Kissinger told Nixon after the meeting with Brandt on June 15: “I’m having three different meetings with Bahr.” “One I have to do for the record, so that the State Department gets a record; then I’m seeing him with Rush tomorrow, for 2 hours tomorrow afternoon.” (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Recording of Conversation Between Nixon and Kissinger, June 15, 1971, 5:13–6:03 p.m., Oval Office, Conversation 521–13) The editor transcribed the portion of the conversation printed here specifically for this volume. According to his Record of Schedule, Kissinger also met Rush and Bahr on June 16 from 5:32 to 6:35 p.m., and Bahr privately for breakfast on June 17 from 8 to 9:10 a.m. (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 438, Miscellany, 1968–76) No substantive record of either meeting has been found.


258. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 692, Country Files, Europe, Germany (Berlin), Vol. IV. Secret; Sensitive. Urgent; sent for action.


260. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Germany

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 38–6. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Sutterlin on June 23; cleared by Hillenbrand, Haig, Morris (DOD), and Stimson CIA; and approved by Rogers. Repeated to Berlin. Hillenbrand forwarded the telegram to Rogers for approval on June 23 with a memorandum in which he explained: “The instructions do not authorize the Ambassador to propose as large an increase in the Soviet presence as he has recommended. We would have been prepared in EUR to include one or two additional offices but it was impossible to obtain Defense clearance. This message will, however, permit the Ambassador to broach the subject and there may be a tactical advantage in moving rather slowly on any concessions until we are more certain that the Soviets will go further than they have so far in accepting our minimum requirements for a satisfactory agreement.” (Ibid., POL 28 GER B)


261. Message From the Ambassador to Germany (Rush) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. A handwritten notation reads “No Dissem.” The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt. No time of transmission is on the message; a handwritten notation indicates that it was received in Washington at 1855Z.


262. Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the Ambassador to Germany (Rush)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The message, which Haig initialed for Kissinger, was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt. No time of transmission appears on the message.


263. Message From the Ambassador to Germany (Rush) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. A copy was sent to Haig. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt. No time of transmission appears on the message; a handwritten note indicates that it was received in Washington at 2218Z. Attached to the message but not printed is the text of a partial draft agreement, consisting of formulations for parts I and II and Annex I.


264. Message From the German State Secretary for Foreign, Defense, and German Policy (Bahr) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 60, Country Files, Europe, Egon Bahr, Berlin File [2 of 3]. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The message, translated here from the original German by the editor, was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt. No time of transmission appears on the message; a handwritten note indicates that it was received in Washington at 2157Z. For the German text, see also Akten zur Auswärtigen Politik der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, 1971, Vol. 2, pp. 1035–37.


265. Message From the Ambassador to Germany (Rush) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. A copy was sent to Haig. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt. No time of transmission is on the message; a handwritten note indicates that it was received in Washington on July 1 at 0110Z.


266. Message From the Ambassador to Germany (Rush) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1. Top Secret; Sensitive. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; no time of transmission or receipt is on the message.


267. Message From the Ambassador to Germany (Rush) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 2. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt. No time of transmission is on the message; a handwritten note indicates that it was received in Washington on July 15 at 0020Z.


269. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 715, Country Files, Europe, USSR, Vol. XIV. Secret. Urgent; sent for information. Kissinger wrote “Good job” on the memorandum, which, according to an attached form, was “noted by HAK” on August 3. Haig also initialed the memorandum, indicating that he had seen it.


270. Message From the Ambassador to Germany (Rush) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 2. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt. No time of transmission is on the message; a handwritten note indicates that it was received in Washington on July 24 at 0048Z. A copy was sent to Haig.