762B.00/10–450: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Office of the United States High Commissioner for Germany, at Frankfort

secret
priority

2627. Urtel 2838 Oct. 4.1 We are not sure we understand ur para 5. However consider shld not “encourage” East German electorate to go through voting procedure. For one thing such action wld seem contradictory to tenor of ltr to Chuikov in which we protest against these very elections.2 Prefer our media omit instrs. Suggest instead initiating immediately campaign on theme Sovs–SED have failed to yield to long-standing popular pressure, in and outside Eastern zone, for elections and after initial one year postponement, are instead embarked on farce which might be considered census “Volkszaehlung” or new type entertainment for Sov rulers and their satellites but manifestly lacks any and all characteristics of an election. Believe this line will make possible for us as well as East Gers to discredit Oct 15 elections in toto and deny value their forced participation.

[Page 975]

Refusal to accept Oct 15 farce as election at all shld permit us renew demand for genuine East zone elections, in accordance Bundestag resolution3 and HICOM’s letters to Chuikov, and simultaneously call on East Gers to stage elections demands, in ostentatious ignoring of Oct 15 farce, with all means that can be devised (including slogan “We Want Elections” scribbled on walls, etc.). These popular demands, with fullest support by our media, to climax on Oct 15 thus transforming the day of Sov farce into culmination of anti-Sov “underground” campaign.

If you concur, will seek to enlist maximum support for this line back here, possibly with statements by Secretary and public figures outside the government.4

Webb
  1. Same as telegram 57, p. 971.
  2. For the text of McCloy’s letter to Chuikov, dated October 10, see telegram 2791, October 3, p. 663.
  3. Regarding the Bundestag resolution of September 14, see telegram 49, September 27, p. 659.
  4. In telegram 3098, October 13, from Frankfort, not printed, McCloy replied that there was “no intention urging East Germans vote ‘yes’ Believe statements by Secretary and other public figures on elections or announced election results should continue to emphasize lack of choice for individual, atmosphere of terror and invalidity of so-called elections.” (762B.00/10–1350)