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

95. Transcript of Conversation Between Frank E. Cash, Jr., and Arthur R. Day⁰

August 19, 1962, 7:45 p.m.

Message from Mr. Day:

“Following the shooting of the refugee on Friday,¹ we in the Mission and General Watson considered that we should keep the initiative with the Soviets and keep the pressure on them which resulted from this incident. Meanwhile, the action of the West Berlin crowds against Soviet busses near Friedrichstrasse² led us to believe that sooner or later the Soviets would react in some way to this situation.

We therefore decided that General Watson should invite the Acting Soviet Commandant to a Four Power Commandants Meeting to discuss means of reducing tension in the city. We decided that General Watson should inform the Soviet Acting Commandant that he was lifting the ban on the entry of the Soviet Commandant and his Political Advisor into West Berlin for the purpose of conducting this and subsequent meetings.

Meanwhile, at about 1800 hours today another Soviet bus was attacked by a crowd about one block from Friedrichstrasse and about 19 windows in the bus were broken by stones before the bus could proceed. About 1900, the Deputy Soviet Commandant requested a meeting with General Watson and also with the British Commandant, which we assume is related to the incident of an hour earlier.

We considered that it was highly desirable to move ahead with the initiative we had earlier determined on in order to keep the discussions with the Soviets concerned with the basic issues of tension along the Wall and not to narrow it to the bus incidents. We therefore met urgently with the UK and French and agreed that Watson should send a letter tonight along the line of that which I described earlier proposing a Four Power Commandants meeting for tomorrow afternoon.

We asked the Soviet Deputy Commandant to call on Hulick, Acting Deputy Commandant, at 2300 at which time we intended to deliver the letter to him. He did not appear, however, and we have now taken steps to deliver the letter to Soviet Headquarters.

We intend to meet with the British and French tomorrow morning to discuss with them the line of action to take with the Soviets should they accept this invitation.

I should tell you that the atmosphere in Berlin right now has a considerable anti-American overtone as a result of the shooting on Friday and our inability to aid the wounded refugee. The crowd which formed during the day along the border attacked by jeers and slogans the Americans as well as the Soviets. Within the past hour we had a small demonstration outside the Mission gates in which autos passed back and forth blowing their horns in protest. I don’t want to exaggerate this sentiment, but it does exist and it is difficult to say right now whether it will die away or increase.

We would be interested in any comment you may have with regard to the course of action we have taken.

Cash: I think it is logical and reasonable. I see no problem as far as we are concerned. I will discuss it with Mr. Tyler and if we have any further word, will call you on the KY–9.

Day: We would be interested in any guidance you would have on what we should discuss with the Soviets, but unless you have something else, don’t call. We are sending a telegram with the text of the letter to the Acting Soviet Commandant. Hulick advises that we have been informed there is no one at the Soviet Headquarters tonight to receive the letter, but our messenger will go anyway and try to leave it.”³ End of Transcript.

Mr. Day also advised that at 2130 the Soviet Deputy Commandant called at both US and UK Headquarters. He was told General Watson was not available, but would be writing the Soviet Commandant. At the British Headquarters, he spoke with the “Military attache” (an aide to the UK Commandant) and simply asked that the Soviet bus at the War Memorial be permitted to return to East Berlin without the special British military and West Berlin police guards which had been arranged.

0. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Germany, Berlin. Secret. The source text bears no drafting information. Cash was in Washington; Day was in Berlin.
1. On August 17 PETER FECHTER had been shot while trying to escape from East Berlin. He bled to death within sight of Checkpoint Charlie. On August 21 the President sent a memorandum to Rusk asking for an account of the shooting and subsequent events. (Ibid.) A copy of Rusk’s account, August 24, is ibid.
2. In response to the shooting, crowds in West Berlin on August 18, 19, and 20 stoned buses carrying guards to the Soviet war memorial in West Berlin.
3. Following this conversation, the letter was delivered at 2:15 a.m. on August 20 to Soviet Headquarters in East Berlin. Seven hours later it was returned. It was released to the press that morning. (Telegrams 214 and 215 from Berlin, August 20; Department of State, Central Files, 762.00/8–2062) For text of the letter, see Documents on Germany, 1944–1985, pp. 822–823.