Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference), 1945, Volume II

740.00119 (Potsdam)/7–3045

No. 961
Proposal by the United States Delegation¹

[Babelsberg,] July 30, 1945.

German Reparations

The United States Proposal

Reparations claims of Russia and Poland to be satisfied from the Russian zone plus

(a) 25% of such industrial capital equipment as we determine is not necessary for a peace economy and should be removed from the Ruhr on condition that there would be exchanged an equivalent value in food, coal, potash, zinc, timber, clay products and oil products, to be made available to us by the Soviets.

(b) An additional 15% of such industrial capital equipment as is determined unnecessary for a peace economy should be transferred from the Ruhr to the Soviet government without payment or exchange of any kind in return.

1. Attachment 1a to the summary of the Tenth Meeting of the Foreign Ministers, July 30. See ante, pp. 484, 497. Byrnes had given Molotov a copy of this proposal at a private meeting immediately preceding the Tenth Meeting of the Foreign Ministers. See ante, p. 481.