Editorial Note
On February 14 Kennan sent to the NSC Sub-Committee on the German Question, a copy of the first draft, prepared by himself, of the Report of the Steering Group which the Steering Group had accepted, four main problems were identified:
- “1. Long-term U.S. policy toward Germany (including Germany’s future role in Europe);
- 2. Policy, in terms of Germany, with relation to that portion which is under Western control (This is the area of the present negotiations with the British and French);
- 3. Policy on the problem of working out Four-Power agreement on a unified Germany; and
- 4. The handling of the Berlin situation.”
After identifying these problems, the report next considered the line of procedure in dealing with them, and concluded that a Three-Power meeting devoted to the German problem was desirable if not unavoidable. The initiative should come from the United States for such a meeting with the Departments of State and War handling it on an operational basis.
Attached to the report were four draft statements dealing with United States long-term policy toward Germany, problems to be raised at a Three-Power meeting, principles governing common action within [Page 94] the framework of a split Germany, and an outline of various courses which the Western Powers might follow in the Berlin situation.
A copy of the report is in file 740.00119 Control (Germany)/2–1449. Only two of the four drafts have been identified in the Department of State files and they are printed infra.