860C.01/6–445: Telegram
The British Prime Minister (Churchill) to President Truman
72. …
. . . . . . .
5. …I view with profound misgivings the retreat of the American Army to our line of occupation in the Central Sector, thus bringing Soviet power into the heart of Western Europe and the descent of an iron curtain between us and everything to the eastward.
I hoped that this retreat, if it has to be made, would be accompanied by the settlement of many great things which would be the true foundation of world peace. Nothing really important has been settled yet and you and I wall have to bear great responsibility for the future.
. . . . . . .
[On June 5, 1945, in Berlin, the Declaration Regarding the Defeat of Germany and the Assumption of Supreme Authority with Respect to Germany by the Governments of the United States, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the United Kingdom, and the Provisional Government of the French Republic was signed by the military representatives of the four Governments. For text of the Declaration, see Department of State, Treaties and Other International Acts Series (TIAS) No. 1520, or 60 Stat. (pt. 2) 1649.
Also on June 5, the Governments of the United States, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom, and the Provisional Government of the French Republic made three statements with regard to the arrangements for the control of Germany: (1) Statement on Zones of Occupation in Germany; (2) Statement on Control Machinery in Germany; and (3) Statement on Consultation With Governments of Other Nations. For the texts of the statements on zones of occupation and control machinery, see Department of State Bulletin, June 10, 1945, pages 1052 and 1054, respectively, or A Decade of American Foreign Policy, 1941–49 (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1950), page 512. The text of the statement on consultation with the governments of other nations reads as follows: “By the declaration made at Berlin on 5th June the Governments of the United States, United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Provisional Government of the French Republic have assumed supreme authority with respect to Germany. [Page 327] The Governments of the four Powers hereby announce that it is their intention to consult with the Governments of other United Nations in connection with the exercise of this authority.”]
- For remaining portions of this telegram, see vol. v, p. 320, and Conference of Berlin (Potsdam), vol. i, p. 92.↩