762A.00/8–2150

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State

secret

Memorandum of Conversation With the President

item no. 1. termination of state of war with germany 1

I said to the President that Mr. Webb had gained the impression that the President had some reservations about the wisdom of terminating the state of war with Germany, and that it would be very helpful to us to learn just what it was the President had in mind.

I explained that the present status of the matter was that a study group made up of British, French and US representatives was at work analyzing the difficulties which were created by the continuance of [Page 654] the state of war and the consequences of terminating it.2 I explained that we thought it probably impossible to have a treaty of peace with Western Germany, without raising very serious questions having to do with the division of Germany and the attitude of the Russians.

On the other hand, and in order to try to integrate Western Germany with the Western world, it seemed essential to get rid of the disabilities which the continuance of the state of war placed upon Germany and the Germans—questions of German property, claims against Germany, business done by German firms, suits in courts—all of these things made it almost impossible to establish normal, friendly, and helpful relations.

The President said that what he wished to be sure about is that we all know where we are going in this study and in the action which might be taken in regard to it. There had been so much talk about re-arming Germany, which he thought quite impossible aside from the creation of an European Defense Force, that he did not want us to be starting on courses which we had not thought through. My explanation had reassured him, and he did not wish us to stop our work, but merely to be sure where each step might be taking us.

  1. Also discussed was the military defense assistance program.
  2. For documentation on the work of the Intergovernmental Study Group on Germany, see pp. 737 ff.