U.S. State Department (July 26, 1945)
Log of the President’s Trip to the Berlin Conference
Thursday, July 26:
At 0730 the President and certain members of his party left the Little White House by auto for the airport at Gatow. At Gatow they enplaned for Frankfurt to inspect U.S. Army personnel and facilities in that area.
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1830: The President’s plane arrived at Gatow. He and his party entered waiting motor cars here and left at once for the Little White House where they arrived at 1900.
1915: General Marshall called on the President.
Captain John B. Ross, Medical Corps, USA (Secretary Ross’ son) and Major Alfred K. Lee, JAGD, USA (a personal friend of the President) were dinner guests at the Little White House this evening. Captain Ross spent several days in Babelsberg visiting with his father.
2200: Ambassador Harriman called on the President.
The President, jointly with Prime Minister Churchill and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, issued a proclamation from Berlin this evening calling on the Japanese to surrender unconditionally now or suffer complete destruction. This document later became known as the “Potsdam Declaration.” A copy is appended.
There was no meeting of the Big Three today as Mr. Churchill, Mr. Attlee, and Mr. Eden were in England in connection with the official election count.