198. Message From President Johnson to Prime Minister Wilson1
I have become increasingly concerned during the past few weeks about the dangers of an unraveling in NATO which could easily get out of hand. With your urgent need to save foreign exchange in Germany, Erhard’s budgetary and political difficulties (not to speak of his problems with his brass), my problems with our German offset and with the Congress on troops in Europe—all against the background of the General’s antics—there is danger of serious damage to the security arrangements we have worked so hard to construct during the last 20 years. To you, I don’t have to spell out the possible political consequences, especially in Germany. And while I would not think it likely that our Russian friends will develop itchy fingers, one cannot rule it out. In any case, it would be foolish to run down our assets vis-a-vis Moscow without some quid-pro-quo.
It seems to me that the essential step, if we are to hold things together, would be for you, the Germans, and ourselves to get to work immediately to find a solution that would be equitable, meet our respective political requirements, and fully cover the defense needs of the Alliance. I propose to write to Erhard this afternoon2—before his budget meeting tomorrow—to suggest that the U.S. join the FRG and the UK in an initial exploration of this entire range of issues: force levels, deployments and the sharing of the foreign exchange burden. I would think that such an exploration should involve our Ministers of Finance, as well as of Foreign Affairs and Defense. And, of course, it would have to be followed by thorough consultation with all our Allies in NATO.
I know that not all of your decisions can await the outcome of such a tripartite exercise. But I very much hope—and I will put this hard to Erhard in connection with his budget—that we will all try to avoid any decisions during the next several weeks which would unduly narrow our choices.
David Bruce will be in touch with you about this proposal in the near future. In the meanwhile, I hope, my good friend, you are having a good rest on your island. After some strictly nonpolitical speech making in the West, I hope to spend Saturday and Sunday at home in Texas observing, [Page 458] as I told the press yesterday, the results of 58 years of very pleasant existence.3
With warm regards,
- Source: Department of State, Bruce Diaries: Lot 64 D 327. Secret; Nodis. A typed note at the top of the source text reads: “President sent following message to Prime Minister August 26.” Another copy of the message indicates that it was sent to Bruce for his information in telegram 37597, August 30. (Ibid., Presidential Correspondence: Lot 67 D 272)↩
- The message to Erhard was actually sent on August 25. (Ibid.)↩
- In his August 29 reply, Wilson stated that he shared the President’s concern and would be happy to agree to tripartite talks. Because of his “major concern” to safeguard sterling, however, he wanted to reach an agreed Anglo-American position so the Germans could not play one country off against the other. (Ibid.)↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩