Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Germany and Austria, Volume VII, Part 2

PPS files, lot 64 D 563, “Germany”

No. 541
Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Bruce)¹

top secret

Washington, May 28, 1952.

National Security Council Meeting, Wednesday, May 28, 1952

berlin

I brought up the matters covered by Mr. Bohlen’s memorandum regarding Berlin.² I said that the attached courses of action were immediately relevant and that I thought none of them departed from the principles outlined in existing authorities. Therefore, they were submitted only for noting and possible discussion, and not for any formal action.

The President said that he believed we and other interested departments should proceed as indicated; that he was in accord with the outline given him regarding the lines on which we were working, and that we needed no additional authority at this time, and if we did so he was sure the NSC would readily grant it.³

David Bruce

[Attachment]

Memorandum by the Counselor of the Department of State (Bohlen) to the Secretary of State

top secret

Washington, May 27, 1952.

Mr. Secretary: At a Steering Committee meeting of the NSC Senior Staff this afternoon the situation in Berlin was discussed. While it was not considered that the Berlin policy paper⁴ is in proper shape for submission to the Council until next week at the earliest, it was agreed that, in the light of present circumstances, the Council may find it well worth while to discuss the subject. It is recommended, therefore, that you introduce the attached courses of action as being immediately relevant. Because of the shortness of time and the fact that some of the courses do not need Council approval, it is suggested that you indicate that they are submitted only for noting and discussion and not for any final approval.

Charles E. Bohlen

[Subattachment]

Paper Prepared in the Department of State

top secret

[Washington, undated.]

1. A special inter-departmental steering group on Berlin should be constituted to coordinate implementation of United States courses of action to counter Soviet measures.⁵

2. Consideration should be given to the desirability of a public statement by the President, warning of the seriousness of the situation, to be issued in the event harassing measures continue.

3. The United States should regard under present circumstances any harassing measures against Berlin taken by the East Germans or other satellites as action by the USSR and should accordingly hold the Soviet Union responsible.

4. The allied authorities should immediately protest to the Soviet authorities in Berlin against any Soviet or satellite infringement of Western rights in the city; and if no reply or an unsatisfactory reply is received, the United States should protest to the Soviet government in Moscow.

5. The United States should immediately accelerate preparations, including consultation with the U.K. and France, for possible early initiation of an airlift to Berlin.

6. The United States should expedite preparations for countermeasures in Germany and should accelerate study of wider non-military retaliatory measures against the USSR. The U.K. and France should be consulted regarding these actions.

1. Sent to Bohlen, Matthews, and Nitze.
2. Printed as an attachment below.
3. A memorandum of the discussion at the 117th meeting of the National Security Council is in the Truman Library, Truman papers, PSF–Subject file. It does not elaborate on the description given here.
4. Regarding the NSC paper under reference, see footnote 1, Document 547.
5. Apparently on the strength of this recommendation an Ad Hoc Berlin Committee was established consisting of members from each of the services, the CIA, and the Department of State. No record of its first meeting has been found in Department of State files, but the second was held on June 13 with Bohlen, Schwartz, and Riddleberger among others attending. The minutes for this meeting are in file 762A.5/6–1352. The committee continued to meet throughout 1952 and 1953 as circumstances warranted.