740.00119 Council/5–1148: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
2035. For Lovett’s Eyes Only from Douglas. In the private conversations I have had with Massigli and Strang, the French are revealing a growing disquiet about the question of security. They are still apprehensive about Germany, and their apprehensions extend beyond such matters as prohibited industries as reported in Embtel 2017, Delsec 1725, May 10.1
Moreover, their preoccupation with security is heightened by their impression that we are growing cold about the general security problem. Their fears would, excepting for items such as prohibited industries, rapidly evaporate if they could get some assurance about the general security problem.
Are there any further developments? Can you give me any further advice?2
- Ante, p. 230.↩
- In telegram 1707, May 11, to London, not printed, Under Secretary Lovett replied that “we are not in any sense ‘growing cold’ on general security problem.” Lovett explained that he had given the Senate Foreign Relations Committee a top secret account of Western Union developments and that Senator Vandenberg planned soon to have reported to the Senate a Committee resolution expressing the policy of the United States favoring regional and collective self-defense arrangements and the willingness of the United States to associate itself with such arrangements. Lovett further explained that the United States would soon begin talks in Washington with the British, French, and Benelux countries regarding general security, and that President Truman was prepared to authorize United States participation in London military talks aimed at concerting military plans in the event the Soviet Union resorted to aggression in Europe in the near future (840.00/5–1148). In telegram 1770, May 14, to London, not printed, Lovett transmitted the draft text of the Senate Resolution as worked out with Senator Vandenberg and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (840.00/5–1448). In telegram 1769, May 14, to London, Lovett authorized Ambassador Douglas to use the content and status of the Vandenberg Resolution set forth in telegram 1770 (840.00/5–1348).↩