763.72/3312b
The Secretary of State to President Wilson
My Dear Mr. President: I have been considering deeply and I believe without emotion the present crisis and just what course should be taken. The results are as follows:
I am firmly convinced that we must without taking any preliminary step break off diplomatic relations by sending Bernstorff and his suite home and by recalling Gerard and closing our Embassy at Berlin.
The next step is less clear and requires very careful thought before it is adopted. There seem to be two courses open to us.
First: To follow the severance of diplomatic relations by announcing to Congress this action with a statement that this Government must consider Germany to be an international outlaw, and that it [Page 592] would be necessary to warn Americans to keep away from the seas infested by its piratical craft.
Second: To follow up the severance of relations by announcing to Congress this action with a statement that Germany has forfeited every consideration by reason of her breach of faith, that the full criminality of her previous acts is revived and that no other honorable course remains but for this country to employ every resource which it possesses to punish the guilty nation and to make it impotent to commit in the future crimes against humanity.
The first course has certain advantages in that, while we would not be at war, we would be in a position to do certain things which we cannot do now consistently with strict neutrality. Furthermore it would give time for consideration as to the advisable steps to be taken afterward for I feel convinced that Germany will not declare war on the breaking off intercourse. As to the suggested warning of Americans, we could do it with propriety if we declare Germany outlaw, something which could not be done as long as we treated her as a friend. It has this disadvantage, which requires very careful consideration and may make it inadvisable, namely, that it will accomplish the very purpose which Germany sought a year ago by keeping American ships and citizens from going to Great Britain and her allies. So that it would result in Germany obtaining by threat of lawless action what she was unable to obtain through friendly negotiation.
The second course has these advantages. It amounts to a frank declaration that an outlaw Government is an enemy of mankind, and will show that the present military oligarchy must be eliminated for the sake of civilization and the future peace of the world. It will influence other neutrals far more than the less vigorous course and will, in my opinion, induce them to follow such action, which I do not think they will do unless they are certain we are willing to go the limit. It will leave us some friends after the war. It will do more to end the war than anything that can be done. It will give this country a prominent place in the peace negotiations which will prevent unjust treatment of the Central Powers and will be decidedly for their interests. It will give tremendous moral weight to the cause of human liberty and the suppression of Absolutism. It will remove all charge of weakness of policy and satisfy, I believe, our own people. (This latter advantage is not of great importance but the benefit of popular support is not to be ignored.)
In brief these are my views as to the two courses open to us if severance of diplomatic relations takes place.90a
Faithfully yours,
- For correspondence previously printed regarding the severance of diplomatic relations with Germany, see Foreign Relations, 1917, supp. 1, pp. 106–112.↩