Office of the Historian

Moscow Embassy Files—500 Berlin Conference

No. 92
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Soviet Assistant Foreign Commissar (Vyshinsky)

top secret and urgent
No. 366
Moscow, June 23, 1945.

Dear Mr. Vyshinski: General Deane has just received a message from General Devers1 who is in charge of the American forces during General Eisenhower’s absence, informing him of the results of General Parks’ visit to Berlin. General Parks states that he was very cordially received by Colonel General Kruglov who granted General Parks every facility within his power.

There are certain matters which Colonel General Kruglov said were not within his competency to decide, and therefore, I am submitting them to you for your approval.

1.
Authority is requested to reconnoiter the vicinity of Zehlendorf for additional camp sites and billets. Zehlendorf is a district in Berlin in the area which the United States troops are eventually to occupy, and it is believed that some overflow space will be needed beyond that which has been provided in the Babelsberg district.
2.
Authority is requested to operate supply vehicles over the Halle–Berlin Autobahn without special permission in each case. These vehicles to be in addition to those vehicles now in Babelsberg since authority for them to operate over the Halle–Berlin Autobahn has already been given by Marshal Zhukov’s Chief of Staff.
3.
Authority is requested to increase the size of General Parks’ party now at Babelsberg as deemed advisable by General Devers without further reference to Soviet authorities. There is quite a task involved in getting communications set up. Major General Stoner and a group of signal technicians have been sent from Washington to establish communications, and it is necessary that they should be in Berlin by the 25th of June.

I would be very grateful for prompt action in this matter so that the preparations which have started so well can continue.

Sincerely yours,

W. A. Harriman
  1. The message referred to appears to be the telegram to Deane from Major General Crawford (document No. 91) printed supra. ↩