740.00119 Control (Germany)/3–1045: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 11—1:10 a.m.]
2525. From Heath.25 Attention Ambassador Murphy. General McSherry of G–5 SHAEF and Colonel Kutz26 of G–3 SHAEF met in United States Group CC this morning with regard to their criticism of the basic plan of United States Group CC as assuming too prominent a role for Control Council, and the United States group, as against the Zone command’s responsibility, control and freedom of action. After discussion with General Wickersham, however, agreement was reached that there should be no conflict between United States Group CC and Military Government and other divisions of SHAEF, but they would reconcile all differences through close consultation and cooperation. (Reference my 2325 of March 7, 1 p.m. and Department’s 1785 of March 8, midnight.27) On General McSherry’s plea, however, that in the initial state it would be necessary to have all orders pass through the military command of the zone, both by reason of the presumed impairment of normal German governmental channels and in order to prevent any sabotage of military government, it was agreed that paragraph 17 of the group’s basic plan be revised to specify that only military channels of communication would be used until further instructions had been received. Previously this provision contemplated direct communication on technical matters between the United States element and the Control Council and Military Government of other officers of the United States zone.
General McSherry withdrew some of the criticisms of the basic plan of the group which were quoted in my telegram under reference. It was agreed that a staff study would be made to perfect liaison and cooperation between the American element of the Control Council of which United States Group CC is the nucleus (and the staff of the zone commander). The whole incident was never a conflict between [concerning?] the authority of the Control Council whose supremacy in matters affecting all Germany General McSherry thoroughly realizes, but was a difference as to the extent and manner to which United States Group CC should develop plans for the application of policy in the Control Council period. The point in General [Page 932] McSherry’s and Colonel Kutz’s letters28 that the United States Group CC plan should not go into the question of administration of the zones, but should confine itself to Council Control of the central German agencies was abandoned at the conference. [Heath.]
- Donald It. Heath, Counselor of Mission on the staff of the United States Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy).↩
- Col. C. R. Kutz, Post Hostilities Planning Subsection, Operations and Training Section (G–3), SHAEF.↩
- Neither printed.↩
- Reference is to two memoranda submitted to the U.S. Group, Control Council, by General McSherry and Colonel Kutz, neither printed; copies were transmitted to the State Department in despatch 212, March 15, from London, also not printed.↩