Office of the Historian

740.00119 EAC/6–945: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State

London, June 9, 1945—8 p.m.
[Received June 9—3:26 p.m.]

5862. Comea 282. At June 7 EAC meeting acting UK Rep Hood asked Soviet Rep if he could comment on publication in Moscow press of exact description of Soviet zone in Germany and map illustrating same.44 Hood recalled past understanding that EAC deliberations and documents are secret and that nothing can be made public concerning them without discussion and agreement between member Govts. Gousev disclaimed info concerning this publication. It is matter for regret that Soviet Govt made unilateral announcement of Soviet zone. Manner of publication prevented public from realizing that this was only part of an agreement made by the three Govts at an earlier date and that division of zones was based on relative population and productive value rather than on extent of area alone. Soviet announcement may be due to Russian feeling that the Brit were not keen to see an immediate withdrawal into the zones of occupation assigned in zones agreement.

When Gousev has raised question concerning US attitude toward execution of agreement of zones of occupation in Germany, I have consistently left no doubt in his mind that US Govt intends carry out its agreement.

Winant

[For correspondence between President Truman and Prime Minister Churchill and Marshal Stalin between June 9 and June 18 regarding the redeployment of American, British, and Soviet troops to their respective zones of occupation in Austria and Germany, see pages 132–137 passim.]

  1. The text of this description is printed in The Bulletin of International News (The Royal Institute of International An airs), vol. XXII, No. 13, June 23, 1945, p. 579.↩