Potsdam Conference (TERMINAL)

521

The Special Assistant to the Secretary of State to the President and the Secretary of State

Memorandum

[Potsdam, August 1, 1945]

Subject: COMMUNIQUÉ

Attached is revised draft of communiqué: The Committee is in agreement on this draft with the following exceptions:

  1. Introduction: (I) We and the British prefer the introduction in the attached draft. The Russians have submitted a substitute which is attached.

    The differences are these:
    (a) The Russian draft breaks the introduction by listing all the names of the delegations, about 30 in all. Many of these ore military names and there is only one line in the communiqué about military talk. Our draft lists the Big Three and Foreign Ministers in the lead and the other names at the end of the communiqué.

    (b) Our communiqué gives more details as to the numbers and times of meetings held by the Big Three.
    Neither we or the British feel strongly about the matter but thought we would let the Big Three decide.

  2. On page 1 of Germany, III, last line of first paragraph the Russians wish to delete words “loudly applauded.” This is a British phrase which we accepted.

  3. On orderly transfers of German populations, XIII, Russians wish to delete word “orderly” in title. Dunn and British feel this word should be retained since one of the two principal provisions of the agreement is that the transfers shall be orderly.

  4. The British do not want to include Tangier (XVI) and Russians do not want to include Rumanian oil equipment (XIV). We prefer to include both.

  5. Military Talks (XV). This chapter caused much discussion. Neither Russians nor British like Leahy text. We agreed to a single sentence stating Chiefs of Staffs of the three Governments conferred “on military matters of common interest.”

All agreed on that yesterday.

The British agreed to go along with separate joint statement on Japanese War if we desired.

Today the Russians wanted to go back to sentence saying meetings were held by joint Chiefs of Staff “on military matters of common interest affecting Europe.”

We decided to pass this one up to the Big Three.

The following items are in the protocol but no mention is made of them in the communiqué:

  1. Ruhr
  2. Black Sea Straits
  3. International inland waterways
  4. European Inland Transport Conference
  5. Directive to military commanders in Allied Control Council
  6. Allied property in Southeastern Europe.

In connection with the discussion this afternoon on the inland waterways proposal, I would also like to call your attention to the fact that in Trusteeships (XI) and in the second part of Iran (XV) direct mention is made of the fact that the matters are being referred to the [Council of] Foreign Ministers.

W[ALTER] B[ROWN]

[Attachment]

[Soviet Draft of the Communiqué]

I. [Introduction – alternative a]

Draft proposed by the Soviet Union of Section I of the Report on the Tripartite Conference at Berlin

A Conference of the leaders of the three Allied Powers, the President of the United States of America, H. S. Truman, the President of the Council of Peoples Commissars, J. V. Stalin, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Winston S. Churchill, and, from July 28 onwards, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Clement R. Attlee, took place in Berlin from July 17 until August 1, 1945, with the participation of the Foreign Secretaries, military and other advisers.

The President of the United States of America was invited by his two colleagues to be the Chairman of the Conference.

Besides the heads of the three Governments, the following took part in the Conference:

  • For the Soviet Union: [blank]
  • For the United Kingdom: [blank]
  • For the United States: [blank]

During the course of the Conference there were daily meetings of the Foreign Ministers. Committees appointed by the Foreign Ministers for preliminary consideration of the questions before the Conference also met daily.

The meetings of the Conference were held at the Cecilien Hof near Potsdam. The Conference ended on August 1, 1945.

Important decisions and agreements were reached and they are announced in this report. Views were exchanged on a number of other questions that deeply concern the three Governments and consideration of these matters will be continued by the Council of Foreign Ministers established by the Conference.

This Conference strengthened the ties among the three Governments and extended the scope of their collaboration and understanding.

President Truman, Generalissimo Stalin and Prime Minister Attlee leave this Conference with renewed confidence that their governments and peoples, together with the other United Nations, will ensure the creation of a just and enduring peace.

I. [Introduction – alternative b]

[Draft proposed by the U.S. and British Delegations]

On July 17, 1945, the President of the United States of America, Harry S. Truman, the Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Generalissimo J. V. Stalin, and the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston S. Churchill, together with Mr. Clement R. Attlee, met in the Tripartite Conference of Berlin. They were accompanied by the foreign secretaries of the three Governments, Mr. James F. Byrnes, Mr. V. M. Molotov, and Mr. Anthony Eden, the Chiefs of Staff, and other advisers.

There were nine meetings between July 17 and July 25. The Conference was then interrupted for two days while the results of the British general election were being declared.

On July 28 Mr. Attlee returned to the Conference as Prime Minister, accompanied by the new Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ernest Bevin. There were four additional meetings. During the course of the Conference there were daily meetings of the Foreign Ministers. Committees appointed by the Foreign Ministers for preliminary consideration of the questions before the Conference also met daily.
The meetings of the Conference were held at the Cecilien Hof near Potsdam. The Conference ended on August 1, 1945.

Important decisions and agreements were reached and they are announced in this report. Views were exchanged on a number of other questions that deeply concern the three Governments and consideration of these matters will be continued by the Council of Foreign Ministers established by the Conference.

This Conference strengthened the ties among the three governments and extended the scope of their collaboration and understanding.

President Truman, Generalissimo Stalin and Prime Minister Attlee leave this Conference with renewed confidence that their governments and peoples, together with the other United Nations, will ensure the creation of a just and enduring peace.

I. [Introduction – alternative c]

[Redraft by the British Delegation]
On July 17, 1945, the President of the United States of America, Harry S. Truman, the Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Generalissimo J. V. Stalin, and the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston S. Churchill, together with Mr. Clement R. Attlee, met in the Tripartite Conference of Berlin. They were accompanied by the foreign secretaries of the three Governments, Mr. James F. Byrnes, Mr. V. M. Molotov, and Mr. Anthony Eden, the Chiefs of Staff, and other advisers.

There were nine meetings between July 17 and July 25. The Conference was then interrupted for two days while the results of the British general election were being declared.

On July 28 Mr. Attlee returned to the Conference as Prime Minister, accompanied by the new Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ernest Bevin. Four days of further discussion then took place. During the course of the Conference there were regular meetings of the Heads of the Three Governments accompanied by the foreign secretaries, and separate8 meetings of the Foreign Secretaries alone. Committees appointed by the Foreign Secretaries for preliminary consideration of questions before the Conference also met daily.
The meetings of the Conference were held at the Cecilienhof near Potsdam. The Conference ended on August 1, 1945.

Important decisions and agreements were reached. Views were exchanged on a number of other questions [that deeply concern the three Governments] and consideration of these matters will be continued by the Council of Foreign Ministers established by the Conference.

President Truman, Generalissimo Stalin and Prime Minister Attlee leave this Conference, which has strengthened the ties between the three governments and extended the scope of their collaboration and understanding, with renewed confidence that their governments and peoples, together with the other United Nations, will ensure the creation of a just and enduring peace.

II. Establishment of a Council of Foreign Ministers

The Conference reached an agreement for the establishment of a Council of Foreign Ministers representing the five principal Powers to continue the necessary preparatory work for the peace settlements and to take up other matters which from time to time may be referred to the Council by agreement of the governments participating in the Council.

The text of the agreement for the establishment of the Council of Foreign Ministers is as follows:

  1. There shall be established a Council composed of the Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, China, France and the United States.

  2. (i) The Council shall normally meet in London, which shall be the permanent seat of the joint Secretariat which the Council will form. Each of the Foreign Ministers will be accompanied by a high-ranking Deputy, duly authorized to carry on the work of the Council in the absence of his Foreign Minister, and by a small staff of technical advisers.

    (ii) The first meeting of the Council shall be held in London not later than September 1st 1945. Meetings may be held by common agreement in other capitals as may be agreed from time to time.

  3. (i) As its immediate important task, the Council shall be authorised to draw up, with a view to their submission to the United Nations, treaties of peace with Italy, Roumania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Finland, and to propose settlements of territorial questions outstanding on the termination of the war in Europe. The Council shall be utilised for the preparation of a peace settlement for Germany to be accepted by the Government of Germany when a government adequate for the purpose is established.

    (ii) For the discharge of each of these tasks the Council will be composed of the Members representing those States which were signatory to the terms of surrender imposed upon the enemy State concerned. For the purposes of the peace settlement for Italy, France shall be regarded as a signatory to the terms of surrender for Italy. Other Members will be invited to participate when matters directly concerning them are under discussion.

    (iii) Other matters may from time to time be referred to the Council by agreement between the Member Governments.

  4. (i) Whenever the Council is considering a question of direct interest to a State not represented thereon, such State should be invited to send representatives to participate in the discussion and study of that question.

    (ii) The Council may adapt its procedure to the particular problem under consideration. In some cases it may hold its own preliminary discussions prior to the participation of other interested States. In other cases, the Council may convoke a formal conference of the State[s] chiefly interested in seeking a solution of the particular problem.

In accordance with the decision of the Conference the three Governments have each addressed an identical invitation to the Governments of China and France to adopt this text and to join in establishing the Council.
The establishment of the Council of Foreign Ministers for the specific purposes named in the text will be without prejudice to the agreement of the Crimea Conference that there should be periodic consultation among the Foreign Secretaries of the United States, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United Kingdom.

The Conference also considered the position of the European Advisory Commission in the light of the agreement to establish the Council of Foreign Ministers. It was noted with satisfaction that the Commission had ably discharged its principal tasks by the recommendations that it had furnished for the terms of Germany’s unconditional surrender[,] for the zones of occupation in Germany and Austria, and for the inter-Allied control machinery in those countries. It was felt that further work of a detailed character for the coordination of Allied policy for the control of Germany and Austria would in future fall within the competence of the Allied Control Council at Berlin and the Allied Commission at Vienna. Accordingly, it was agreed to recommend that the European Advisory Commission be dissolved.

III. Germany

The Allied armies are in occupation of the whole of Germany and the German people have begun to atone for the terrible crimes committed under the leadership of those whom, in the hour of their success, they (loudly applauded and) blindly obeyed.

Agreement has been reached at this Conference on the political and economic principles of a coordinated Allied policy toward defeated Germany during the period of Allied control.

The purpose of this agreement is to carry out the Crimea declaration on Germany. German militarism and Nazism will be extirpated and the Allies will take in agreement together, now and in the future, the other measures necessary to assure that Germany never again will threaten her neighbors or the peace of the world.

It is not the intention of the Allies to destroy or enslave the German people. It is the intention of the Allies that the German people be given the opportunity to prepare for the eventual reconstruction of their life on a democratic and peaceful basis. If their own efforts are steadily directed to this end, it will be possible for them in due course to take their place among the free and peaceful peoples of the world.

The text of the agreement is as follows:

The Political and Economic Principles to Govern the Treatment of Germany in the Initial Control Period

A. Political Principles

  1. In accordance with the Agreement on Control Machinery in Germany, supreme authority in Germany is exercised on instructions from the respective Governments, by the Commanders-in-Chief of the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the French Republic, each in his own zone of occupation, and also jointly, in matters affecting Germany as a whole, in their capacity as members of the Control Council.

  2. So far as is practicable, there shall be uniformity of treatment of the German population throughout Germany.

  3. The purposes of the occupation of Germany by which the Control Council shall be guided are:

    (i) The complete disarmament and demilitarization of Germany and the elimination or control of all German industry that could be used for military production. To these ends:

    • (a) All German land, naval and air forces, the SS, SA, SD and Gestapo, with all their organizations, staffs and institutions, including the General Staff, the Officers’ Corps, Reserve Corps, military schools, war veterans’ organizations and all other military and quasi-military organizations, together with all clubs and associations which serve to keep alive the military tradition in Germany, shall be completely and finally abolished in such manner as permanently to prevent the revival or reorganization of German militarism and Nazism;

    • (b) All arms, ammunition and implements of war and all specialized facilities for their production shall be held at the disposal of the Allies or destroyed. The maintenance and production of all aircraft and all arms, ammunition and implements of war shall be prevented.

    (ii) To convince the German people that they have suffered a total military defeat and that they cannot escape responsibility for what they have brought upon themselves, since their own ruthless warfare and the fanatical Nazi resistance have destroyed German economy and made chaos and suffering inevitable.

    (iii) To destroy the National Socialist Party and its affiliated and supervised organizations, to dissolve all Nazi institutions, to ensure that they are not revived in any form, and to prevent all Nazi and militarist activity or propaganda.

    (iv) To prepare for the eventual reconstruction of German political life on a democratic basis and for eventual peaceful cooperation in international life by Germany.

  4. All Nazi laws which provided the basis of the Hitler regime or established discrimination on grounds of race, creed, or political opinion shall be abolished. No such discriminations, whether legal, administrative or otherwise, shall be tolerated.

  5. War criminals and those who have participated in planning or carrying out Nazi enterprises involving or resulting in atrocities or war crimes shall be arrested and brought to judgment. Nazi leaders, influential Nazi supporters and high officials of Nazi organizations and institutions and any other persons dangerous to the occupation or its objectives shall be arrested and interned.

  6. All members of the Nazi Party who have been more than nominal participants in its activities and all other persons hostile to Allied purposes shall be removed from public and semi-public office, and from positions of responsibility in important private undertakings. Such persons shall be replaced by persons who, by their political and moral qualities, are deemed capable of assisting in developing genuine democratic institutions in Germany.

  7. German education shall be so controlled as completely to eliminate Nazi and militarist doctrines and to make possible the successful development of democratic ideas.

  8. The judicial system will be reorganized in accordance with the principles of democracy, of justice under law, and of equal rights for all citizens without distinction of race, nationality or religion.

  9. The administration of affairs in Germany should be directed towards the decentralization of the political structure and the development of local responsibility. To this end:

    (i) local self-government shall be restored throughout Germany on democratic principles and in particular through elective councils as rapidly as is consistent with military security and the purposes of military occupation;

    (ii) all democratic political parties with rights of assembly and of public discussion shall be allowed and encouraged throughout Germany;

    (iii) representative and elective principles shall be introduced into regional, provincial and state (Land) administration as rapidly as may be justified by the successful application of these principles in local self-government;

    (iv) for the time being no central German government shall be established. Notwithstanding this, however, certain essential central German administrative departments, headed by State Secretaries, shall be established, particularly in the fields of finance, transport, communications, foreign trade and industry. Such departments will act under the direction of the Control Council.

  10. Subject to the necessity for maintaining military security, freedom of speech, press and religion shall be permitted, and religious institutions shall be respected. Subject likewise to the maintenance of military security, the formation of free trade unions shall be permitted.

B. Economic Principles

  1. In order to eliminate Germany’s war potential, the production of arms, ammunition and implements of war as well as all types of aircraft and sea-going ships shall be prohibited and prevented. Production of metals, chemicals, machinery and other items that are directly necessary to a war economy shall be rigidly controlled and restricted to Germany’s approved post-war peacetime needs to meet the objectives stated in Paragraph 14. Productive capacity not needed for permitted production shall be removed in accordance with the reparations plan recommended by the Allied Commission on Reparations and approved by the Governments concerned or if not removed shall be destroyed.

  2. At the earliest practicable date, the German economy shall be decentralized for the purpose of eliminating the present excessive concentration of economic power as exemplified in particular by cartels, syndicates, trusts and other monopolistic arrangements. Notwithstanding this, however, and for the purpose of achieving the objectives set forth herein, certain forms of central administrative machinery, particularly in the fields of Finance, Transportation and Communications, shall be maintained or restored.

  3. In organizing the German economy, primary emphasis shall be given to the development of agriculture and peaceful domestic industries.

  4. During the period of occupation Germany shall be treated as a single economic unit. To this end common policies shall be established in regard to:
    (a) mining and industrial production and allocation;
    (b) agriculture, forestry and fishing;
    (c) wages, prices and rationing;
    (d) import and export programs for Germany as a whole;
    (e) currency and banking, central taxation and customs;
    (f) reparation and removal of industrial war potential;
    (g) transportation and communications.

    In applying these policies account shall be taken, where appropriate, of varying local conditions.

  5. Allied controls shall be imposed upon the German economy but only to the extent necessary:

    (a) to carry out programs of industrial disarmament and demilitarization, of reparations, and of approved exports and imports.

    (b) to assure the production and maintenance of goods and services required to meet the needs of the occupying forces and displaced persons in Germany and essential to maintain in Germany average living standards not exceeding the average of the standards of living of European countries. (European countries means all European countries excluding U.K. and USSR)

    (c) to ensure in the manner determined by the Control Council the equitable distribution of essential commodities between the several zones so as to produce a balanced economy throughout Germany and reduce the need for imports.

    (d) to control German industry and all economic and financial international transactions, including exports and imports, with the aim of preventing Germany from developing a war potential and of achieving the other objectives named herein.

    (e) to control all German public or private scientific bodies, research and experimental institutions, laboratories, cetera, connected with economic activities.

  6. In the imposition and maintenance of economic controls established by the Control Council, German administrative machinery shall be created and the German authorities shall be required to the fullest extent practicable to proclaim and assume administration of such controls. Thus it should be brought home to the German people that the responsibility for the administration of such controls and any breakdown in these controls will rest with themselves. Any German controls which may run counter to the objectives of occupation will be prohibited.

  7. Measures shall be promptly taken:
    (a) to effect essential repair of transport;
    (b) to enlarge coal production;
    (c) to maximize agriculture output; and
    (d) to effect emergency repair of housing and essential utilities.

  8. Appropriate steps shall be taken by the Control Council to exercise control and the power of disposition over German owned external assets not already under the control of United Nations which have taken part in the war against Germany.

  9. Payment of Reparations should leave enough resources to enable the German people to subsist without external assistance. In working out the economic balance of Germany the necessary means must be provided to pay for imports approved by the Control Council in Germany. The proceeds of exports from current production and stocks shall be available in the first place for payment for such imports.

    The above clause will not apply to the equipment and products referred to in paragraphs 4 (a) and 4 (b) of the Reparations Agreement.

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IV. Reparations from Germany

In accordance with the Crimea decision that Germany be compelled to compensate to the greatest possible extent for the loss and suffering that she has caused to the United Nations and for which the German people cannot escape responsibility, the following agreement on reparations was reached:

  1. Reparation claims of USSR shall be met by removals from the zone of Germany occupied by the USSR.

  2. The USSR undertakes to settle the reparation claims of Poland from its own share of reparations.

  3. The reparations claims of the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries entitled to reparations shall be met from the Western Zones and from appropriate German external assets.

  4. In addition to the reparations to be taken by the USSR from its own zone of occupation, the USSR shall receive additionally from the Western Zones:

    (a) 15 percent of such usable and complete industrial capital equipment, in the first place from the metallurgical, chemical and machine manufacturing industries as is unnecessary for the German peace economy and should be removed from the Western Zones of Germany, in exchange for an equivalent value of food, coal, potash, zinc, timber, clay products, petroleum products, and such other commodities as may be agreed upon.

    (b) 10 percent of such industrial capital equipment as is unnecessary for the German peace economy and should be removed from the Western Zones, to be transferred to the Soviet Government on reparations account without payment or exchange of any kind in return.

    Removals of equipment as provided in (a) and (b) above shall be made simultaneously.

  5. The amount of equipment to be removed from the Western Zones on account of reparations must be determined within six months from now at the latest.

  6. Removals of industrial capital equipment shall begin as soon as possible and shall be completed within two years from the determination specified in paragraph 5. The delivery of products covered by 4 (a) above shall begin as soon as possible and shall be made by the USSR in agreed installments within five years of the date hereof. The determination of the amount and character of the industrial capital equipment unnecessary for the German peace economy and therefore available for reparation shall be made by the Control Council under policies fixed by the Allied Commission on Reparations, with the participation of France, subject to the final approval of the Zone Commander in the Zone from which the equipment is to be removed.

  7. Prior to the fixing of the total amount of equipment subject to removal, advance deliveries shall be made in respect to such equipment as will be determined to be eligible for delivery in accordance with the procedure set forth in the last sentence of paragraph 6.

  8. The Soviet Government renounces all claims to shares of German enterprises which are located in the Western Zones of Germany as well as to German foreign assets in all countries except those specified in paragraph 9 below.

  9. The Governments of the U.K. and USA renounce their claims to shares of German enterprises which are located in the Eastern Zone of occupation in Germany, as well as to German foreign assets in Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Rumania and Eastern Austria.

  10. The Soviet Government makes no claims to gold captured by the Allied troops in Germany.

V. Disposition of the German Navy and merchant ships

The Conference agreed in principle upon arrangements for the use and disposal of the surrendered German Fleet and merchant ships. It was decided that the Three Governments would appoint experts to work out together detailed plans to give effect to the agreed principles. A further joint statement will be published simultaneously by the Three Governments in due course.

VI. City of Koenigsberg and the adjacent area

The Conference examined a proposal by the Soviet Government that pending the final determination of territorial questions at the peace settlement, the section of the western frontier of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics which is adjacent to the Baltic Sea should pass from a point on the eastern shore of the Bay of Danzig to the east, north of Braunsberg-Goldep, to the meeting point of the frontiers of Lithuania, the Polish Republic and East Prussia.

The Conference has agreed in principle to the proposal of the Soviet Government concerning the ultimate transfer to the Soviet Union of the City of Koenigsberg and the area adjacent to it as described above subject to expert examination of the actual frontier.

The President of the United States and the British Prime Minister have declared that they will support the proposal of the Conference at the forthcoming peace settlement.

VII. War criminals

The Three Governments have taken note of the discussions which have been proceeding in recent weeks in London between British, United States, Soviet and French representatives with a view to reaching agreement on the methods of trial of those major war criminals whose crimes under the Moscow Declaration of October, 1943 have no particular geographical localisation. The Three Governments reaffirm their intention to bring those criminals to swift and sure justice. They hope that the negotiations in London will result in speedy agreement being reached for this purpose, and they regard it as a matter of great importance that the trial of those major criminals should begin at the earliest possible date. The first list of defendants will be published before September 1.

VIII. Austria

The Conference examined a proposal by the Soviet Government on the extension of the authority of the Austrian Provisional Government to all of Austria.

The three Governments agreed that they were prepared to examine this question after the entry of the British and American forces into the city of Vienna.

It was agreed that reparations should not be exacted from Austria.

IX. Poland

The Conference considered questions relating to the Polish Provisional Government and the western boundary of Poland.

The following statement on the Polish Provisional Government was approved:

We have taken note with pleasure of the agreement reached among representative Poles from Poland and abroad which has made possible the formation, in accordance with the decisions reached at the Crimea Conference, of a Polish Provisional Government of National Unity recognized by the Three Powers. The establishment by the British and United States Governments of diplomatic relations with the Polish Provisional Government has resulted in the withdrawal of their recognition from the former Polish Government in London, which no longer exists.

The British and United States Governments have taken measures to protect the interest of the Polish Provisional Government as the recognized government of the Polish State in the property belonging to the Polish State located in their territory and under their control, whatever the form of this property may be. They have further taken measures to prevent alienation to third parties of such property. All proper facilities will be given to the Polish Provisional Government for the exercise of the ordinary legal remedies for the recovery of any property belonging to the Polish State which may have been wrongfully alienated.

The three Powers are anxious to assist the Polish Provisional Government in facilitating the return to Poland as soon as practicable of all Poles abroad who wish to go, including members of the Polish Armed Forces and the Merchant Marine. They expect that those Poles who return home shall be accorded personal and property rights on the same basis as all Polish citizens.

The three Powers note that the Polish Provisional Government in accordance with the Crimea Conference has agreed to the holding of free and unfettered elections as soon as possible on the basis of universal suffrage and secret ballot in which all democratic and anti-Nazi parties shall have the right to take part and to put forward candidates, and that representatives of the Allied press shall enjoy full freedom to report to the world upon developments in Poland before and during the elections.

The following agreement was reached on the western boundary of Poland:

In conformity with the agreement on Poland reached at the Crimea Conference the three Heads of Government have sought the opinion of the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity in regard to the accession of territory in the north and west which Poland should receive. The President of the National Council of Poland and members of the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity have been received at the Conference and have fully presented their views. The three Heads of Government reaffirm their opinion that the final delimitation of the western frontier of Poland should await the peace settlement.

The three Heads of Government agree that, pending the final determination of Poland’s western frontier, the former German territories east of a line running from the Baltic Sea through Swinemunde, and thence along the Oder River to the confluence of the western Neisse River and along the western Neisse to the Czechoslovak frontier, including that portion of East Prussia not placed under the administration of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in accordance with the understanding reached at this conference and including the area of the former free city of Danzig, shall be under the administration of the Polish State and for such purposes should not be considered as part of the Soviet zone of occupation in Germany.

X. Conclusion of peace treaties and admission to the United Nations

In view of the victorious end of the war in Europe and the necessity of establishing as soon as possible the conditions of lasting peace, the Conference agreed upon the following statement of common policy:

The Three Governments consider it desirable that the present anomalous position of Italy, Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary and Rumania should be terminated by the conclusion of Peace Treaties, so that as soon as possible thereafter relations between them and the ex-enemy States can, where necessary, be reestablished on a normal footing. They trust that the other interested Allied Governments will share these views.

For their part the Three Governments have included the preparation of a Peace Treaty with Italy as the first among the immediate important tasks to be undertaken by the new Council of Foreign Ministers. Italy was the first of the Axis Powers to break with Germany, to whose defeat she has made a material contribution, and has now joined with the Allies in the struggle against Japan. Italy has freed herself from the Fascist regime and is making good progress towards the reestablishment of a democratic government and institutions. The conclusion of such a Peace Treaty with a recognized and democratic Italian Government will make it possible for the Three Governments to fulfil their desire to support an application from Italy for membership of the United Nations.

The Three Governments have also charged the Council of Foriegn Ministers with the task of preparing Peace Treaties for Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary and Rumania. The conclusion of Peace Treaties with recognized democratic Governments in these States will also enable the three Governments to support applications from them for membership of the United Nations. The three Governments agree to examine each separately in the near future, in the light of the conditions then prevailing, the establishment of diplomatic relations with Finland, Rumania, Bulgaria, and Hungary to the extent possible prior to the conclusion of peace treaties with those countries.

The three Governments have no doubt that in view of the changed conditions resulting from the termination of the war in Europe, representatives of the Allied press will enjoy full freedom to report to the world upon developments in Rumania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Finland.

As regards the admission of other states into the United Nations Organization, Article 4 of the Charter of the United Nations declared that:

  1. Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving States who accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgment of the organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations;

  2. the admission of any such State to membership in the United Nations will be effected by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.

The Three Governments, so far as they are concerned, will support applications for membership from these states which have remained neutral during the war and which fulfil the qualifications set out above.
The Three Governments feel bound however to make it clear that they for their part would not favor any application for membership put forward by the present Spanish Government, which, having been founded with the support of the Axis Powers, does not, in view of its origins, its nature, its record and its close association with the aggressor States, possess the qualifications necessary to justify such membership.

XI. Trusteeship territories

The Conference examined a proposal by the Soviet Government concerning trusteeship territories as defined in the decision of the Crimea Conference and in the Charter of the United Nations Organization.
After an exchange of views on this question it was decided that the disposition of any former Italian territories was one to be decided in connection with the preparation of a peace treaty with Italy and that the question of Italian territory would be considered by the September Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

XII. Revised Allied Control Commission procedure in Rumania, Bulgaria, and Hungary

The Three Governments have taken note that the Soviet Representatives on the Allied Control Commissions in Rumania, Bulgaria and Hungary, have communicated to their United Kingdom and United States colleagues proposals for improving the work of the Control Commission, now that hostilities in Europe have ceased.

The Three Governments agree that the revision of the procedures of the Allied Control Commissions in these countries will now be undertaken, taking into account the interests and responsibilities of the Three Governments which together presented the terms of armistice to the respective countries, and accepting as a basis, in respect of all three countries, the Soviet Government’s proposals for Hungary.

XIII. (Orderly) Transfers of German populations

The Conference reached the following agreement on the removal of Germans from Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary:

The Three Governments, having considered the question in all its aspects, recognize that the transfer of German populations, or elements thereof, remaining in Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary, will have to be undertaken. They agree that any transfers that take place should be effected in an orderly and humane manner.

Since the influx of a large number of Germans into Germany would increase the burden already resting on the occupying authorities, they consider that the Allied Control Council in Germany should in the first instance examine the problem with special regard to the question of the equitable distribution of these Germans among the several zones of occupation. They are accordingly instructing their respective representatives on the Control Council to report to their Governments as soon as possible the extent to which such persons have already entered Germany from Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary, and to submit an estimate of the time and rate at which further transfers could be carried out, having regard to the present situation in Germany.

The Czechoslovak Government, the Polish Provisional Government and the Control Council in Hungary are at the same time being informed of the above, and are being requested meanwhile to suspend further expulsions pending the examination by the Governments concerned of the report from their representatives on the Control Council.

XIV. Bilateral commissions to investigate the removal of oil equipment from Rumania

The Conference agreed to set up two bilateral commissions of experts, one to be composed of United Kingdom and Soviet Members, and one to be composed of United States and Soviet members, to investigate the facts and examine the documents, as a basis for the settlement of questions arising from the removal of oil equipment from Rumania. It was further agreed that these experts shall begin their work within ten days, on the spot.

XV. Iran

The Conference has decided that Allied troops should be withdrawn immediately from Tehran, and that further stages of the withdrawal of troops from Iran should be considered at the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers to be held in London in September 1945.

XVI. The International Zone of Tangier

A proposal by the Soviet Government was examined and the following decisions were reached.
Having examined the question of the Zone of Tangier, the three Governments have agreed that this Zone, which includes the city of Tangier and the area adjacent to it, in view of its special strategic importance shall remain international.

The question of Tangier will be discussed in the near future at a meeting in Paris of representatives of the Governments of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and France.

XVII. Military talks

During the Conference there were meetings between the chiefs of Staff of the three Governments on military matters of common interest (affecting Europe).

XVIII. List of delegations

For the United States
• The President
• The Secretary of State, James F. Byrnes
• Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, USN, Chief of Statt to the President
• Joseph E. Davies, Special Ambassador
• Edwin Pauley, Special Ambassador
• W. Averell Harriman[,] Ambassador to the USSR
• General of the Army, George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff, United States Army
• Fleet Admiral, Ernest J. King, USN, Chief of Naval Operations and Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet
• General of the Army, H. H. Arnold, U.S. Army Air Forces
• Lieutenant General Brehon B. Somervell, Commanding General, Army Service Forces
• Vice Admiral Emory S. Land, War Shipping Administrator
• William L. Clayton[,] Assistant Secretary of State
• James C. Dunn[,] Assistant Secretary of State
• Ben Cohen, Special Assistant to the Secretary of State
• H. Freeman Matthews, Director of European Affairs, State Department
• Charles E. Bohlen[,] Assistant to the Secretary,
• (together with political, military and technical advisers).

523

The Pittsburgh Press (August 1, 1945)

Truman wins concessions at Potsdam

Final conference of Big Three underway
By Merriman Smith, United Press staff writer

…

524

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (August 1, 1945)

After Stalin, who? Is query at Potsdam

Illness of Red leader stirs issue never discussed in Moscow
By Daniel De Luce, Associated Press staff writer

…

525

U.S. State Department (August 1, 1945)

Thirteenth plenary meeting, 10:40 p.m.

Present
United States United Kingdom Soviet Union
President Truman Prime Minister Attlee Generalissimo Stalin
Secretary Byrnes Foreign Secretary Bevin Foreign Commissar Molotov
Mr. Davies Sir Alexander Cadogan Mr. Vyshinsky
Mr. Bohlen Major Birse Mr. Golunsky
Mr. Brown Sir Archibald Clark Kerr Mr. Maisky
Mr. Cohen

Department of State Minutes

Potsdam, August 1, 1945, 10:40 p.m.
Top secret

The last meeting of the Big Three convened at 10:40 p.m. on Wednesday, the first of August 1945.

THE PRESIDENT stated that Mr. Byrnes had a report from the Economic Subcommittee.

MR. BYRNES stated that the Economic Subcommittee had reported regarding reparations and it was his understanding that agreement had been reached by all delegations.

MR. BYRNES then read the text.

MR. BYRNES called attention to sections 8 and 9 of the reparations report. He disliked greatly to suggest amendments but felt that he should in the interests of all parties concerned. Paragraph 8 read as follows: “The Soviet Government renounces all claims to enterprises located, etc.” He suggested the insertion after the word “claims” the words “in respect of reparations.” The purpose of this change would be to avoid creating the impression that the Soviet Government had claims other than reparations. The same language should be inserted in the next paragraph with respect to the United States and the United Kingdom.

MR. BYRNES stated that this is the only change and asked whether the reparations document could be considered to be approved.

MR. BEVIN asked for the text of the proposed amendment and cited as an example the possibility that the Germans had taken over works belonging to British nationals for war purposes before 1939. In such a case the British by this amendment would be renouncing that property.

MR. BYRNES replied that the language provides that the Soviet Government renounces all claims in respect to reparations. In the case cited by Mr. Bevin the amendment would not affect the situation but if the language was not there it would affect it.

MR. ATTLEE agreed.

MR. BYRNES then asked whether Mr. Molotov agreed with the paper on war trophies.

MR. MOLOTOV proposed that an insertion be made in the record to the effect that the Conference had adopted the American suggestion in principle. The Soviet Delegation did not have time to discuss this paper and the wording should be agreed on afterward. The Soviet Delegation agreed in regard to its substance. Everyone had been busy on either the protocol or committees.

MR. BYRNES stated that he had before him a paper which he was informed the three members of the committee had tentatively agreed to.

MR. MOLOTOV stated that he hadn’t read it.

MR. BYRNES asked the President whether there was anything else to do but agree.

THE PRESIDENT agreed.

MR. BYRNES stated that in regard to the protocol he had been informed that there was agreement between the three representatives. Therefore, it was unnecessary to read portions regarding the settlement of disputed questions unless there was some objection here to these agreements. It should be added to the protocol that they had agreed in principle regarding the trophy paper.

MR. MOLOTOV then suggested an amendment concerning the question of the western frontier of Poland in paragraph 2. This paragraph stated that the line ran from the Baltic Sea through Swinemünde. He suggested the substitution of the words “west of” instead of “through.”

MR. ATTLEE agreed.

THE PRESIDENT asked how far west.

MR. MOLOTOV stated that it was shown on the map.

MR. ATTLEE stated that the map showed a line west from Swinemünde.

STALIN suggested the words “immediately west of.”

THE PRESIDENT and MR. ATTLEE agreed.

MR. MOLOTOV then suggested an amendment to the last section of the paragraph. Instead of the words “subject to examination by experts” he suggested the words “exact line on ground should be established by experts of the USSR and Poland.”

MR. BEVIN stated that the British could not cut themselves out of this.

STALIN replied that the question concerned the frontiers of Russia and Poland.

MR. BEVIN admitted this but stated that the line must be recognized by the United Nations. He went on to say that we have agreed at the peace settlement to support this line but it is too much to ask that we accept the line established by the Russians and Poles.

STALIN pointed out that the conditions for the borderline have been given in the document. All that remained to be done was to establish the exact frontier. This would mean only a variation of a kilometer or so including a village here or there. This is all that remains. Since the question is between the Russians and the Poles they should decide. Stalin asked who the British wanted on the commission. Was it British, Americans or Australians?

MR. ATTLEE stated that we had agreed in principle to the transfer but that the ultimate transfer had been left to the peace conference and this was being anticipated by the proposed amendment.

STALIN asked what Attlee desired.

MR. BEVIN replied that they wished to have a commission of experts appointed by the peace conference.

STALIN indicated that he could not understand this attitude.

MR. BYRNES thought the original language to be desirable since if the two countries most concerned were in peaceful agreement between themselves he assumed that no one else would be concerned. If there was disagreement, the line could be settled only by expert examination provided for by the Council of Foreign Ministers.

STALIN then suggested leaving the old wording and Mr. Attlee agreed.

THE PRESIDENT stated that if the Soviet and Polish Governments were in agreement we would have no objection.

MR. MOLOTOV stated that he had another amendment. The section regarding admission into the United Nations, paragraph 1 should be amended. The first sentence of paragraph 1 now reads: (wording read). This wording had been accepted before agreement had been reached on the wording of paragraph 3, which provides for possible resumption of diplomatic relations before the conclusion of peace. These two sections were contradictory and it was evident that the word “thereafter” [in paragraph 1] should be deleted.

MR. ATTLEE pointed out that this was not quite correct. Paragraph 2 [3?] read “to the extent possible.” If “thereafter” was deleted it would go farther than intended. It should be left in.

MR. MOLOTOV pointed out that paragraph 1 says that relations will be restored only after the conclusion of peace, but paragraph 3 provides for possible resumption before then.

MR. ATTLEE replied that that was exactly why the British wanted this in. The first paragraph was mandatory and provides that relations will be restored after the conclusion of peace. The second [third?] provides that an attempt will be made before then.

STALIN stated that he could not agree to this.

MR. ATTLEE again pointed out that the first paragraph speaks of normal relations while the second [third?] paragraph means that we would get as close as possible to relations. There is no conflict.

MR. BEVIN stated that he would agree to the insertion of “as soon as possible thereafter full diplomatic relations, etc.”

STALIN again stated that he could not agree to such an interpretation. He gave the example of Finland and stated that there is no ground for failing to give recognition to the present Finnish Government.

MR. BEVIN pointed out that Britain was still at war with Finland.

MR. MOLOTOV stated that technically speaking we were at war with Italy but America and the Soviet Union have established relations with that country.

MR. ATTLEE then stated that they were now going back to old discussions. He thought that the British had explained fully that they can’t go farther than this constitutionally. They had already made great concessions here and could not make more.

STALIN stated that it was not possible to arrive at an understanding. Finland has more right to recognition than Italy. It has a freely elected government. Finland got out of the war a long time ago and fought against Germany. Why should not the resumption of diplomatic relations with Finland be permitted.

MR. BEVIN stated that he was anxious to agree. He read a suggested amendment to which STALIN and THE PRESIDENT agreed.

MR. MOLOTOV then stated that he had no other amendments.

MR. BYRNES announced that the protocol had now been agreed to. He went on to state that the remaining business was the communiqué.

MR. BEVIN stated that he had a slight amendment to offer on page l.

MR. BYRNES stated that he had a British paper to be substituted for page 1. The change was very slight and he had no objection.

STALIN asked where the change was.

MR. BYRNES replied that it was on the second page of the committee report. Apparently two paragraphs had been combined. There was no material difference.

MR. ATTLEE then read the British substitute.

STALIN suggested postponement of the question of the preamble until other questions had been discussed.

THE PRESIDENT expressed agreement.

STALIN asked that they begin with section 2 regarding the establishment of the Council of Foreign Ministers.

THE PRESIDENT agreed and asked whether section 2 was satisfactory.

STALIN and ATTLEE agreed.

THE PRESIDENT then asked about section 3.

MR. BYRNES referred to the fact that there had been some objection to the words “loudly applauded.” He had no objection to striking them out.

STALIN suggested the words “openly approved.”

MR. BYRNES suggested the words “blindly obeyed.”

MR. BEVIN suggested “obeyed stupidly.”

STALIN suggested, “whom at time of their success they openly expressed approval of and blindly obeyed.”

THE PRESIDENT and ATTLEE agreed.

THE PRESIDENT asked whether there were other changes.

STALIN replied that there were none.

THE PRESIDENT then raised section 4.

MR. BEVIN pointed out that in the words of the Economic Principles there is some repetition. Paragraph 12 and paragraph 9 (iv) contained exactly the same language. He suggested that this should be deleted from the Economic Principles and left in the Political.

STALIN announced that he had no amendments on the Economic Principles.

THE PRESIDENT next brought up reparations.

STALIN remarked that before Political Principles they have a small (a) and that therefore there should be a (b) before Economic Principles.

THE PRESIDENT agreed and stated that there were no amendments to 4.

THE PRESIDENT then brought up no. 5, the disposition of the German fleet and merchant marine.

STALIN had no amendments.

THE PRESIDENT then brought up no. 6, City of Koenigsberg and adjacent area.

STALIN agreed to this.

THE PRESIDENT brought up no. 7, war criminals.

MR. MOLOTOV thought that paragraph 1 should be deleted.

MR. ATTLEE and THE PRESIDENT stated that it had been deleted on their copies.

MR. MOLOTOV then stated that he had a suggestion regarding Austria. He suggested that this should not be included in the communiqué. It should be left only in the protocol. He felt that there should be no mention of it in the communiqué. He thought it was not proper to publish the decision regarding Austrian reparations. It would be in the protocol.

THE PRESIDENT said it would be taken out.

STALIN said only about reparations.

THE PRESIDENT replied that he would take all out or part.

STALIN said only the last paragraph.

THE PRESIDENT then raised the matter of Poland.

MR. BEVIN suggested a slight amendment. The document says that “the following states approve [statement was approved?], etc.” He suggested that “on the Polish Provisional Government they defined their attitude in the following statement.” The opening words would stand.

STALIN and THE PRESIDENT agreed.

MR. BEVIN then proposed that on page 2 the words “following was conclusion reached” be inserted.

THE PRESIDENT interjected to state that he had told the Polish Government we had agreed to that.

STALIN suggested that it be left as it is.

MR. BEVIN stated that it would then be necessary to amend the words [“through Swinemünde” to] “immediately west of Swinemünde.”

This was agreed.

STALIN then mentioned no. 10, Conclusion of Peace Treaty with Italy.

MR. BEVIN presented a suggested amendment which he stated would have psychological value.

MR. BYRNES stated that he could see no difference in the text.

MR. BEVIN stated that it read better than the present one.

MR. BYRNES did not agree.

MR. BEVIN stated that the new draft presents a different picture to his people.

STALIN interposed to remark that he thought the present wording contained the same idea but was shorter and clearer.

THE PRESIDENT announced that he would accept either wording.

MR. BEVIN asked Stalin whether he would agree.

STALIN replied that the first draft is shorter and was best. However, he would accept either.

MR. BEVIN insisted that he preferred his.

STALIN stated that if Bevin insisted his proposal could be accepted.

THE PRESIDENT agreed.

THE PRESIDENT then announced that Mr. Byrnes had a suggestion to make on no. 4 and asked that they turn back to reparations.

MR. ATTLEE then interposed to state that all changes in the protocol would be embodied in the communiqué.

THE PRESIDENT stated that the next subject was no. 11 on Trusteeship.

STALIN stated that the Russians were given very little in this paper. However, he had no objection.

THE PRESIDENT then raised no. 12 regarding the revision of Allied Control Commission procedure in Rumania, Bulgaria, and Hungary.

STALIN agreed to this.

THE PRESIDENT next brought up no. 13, “Transferring of German Populations.”

STALIN stated that he would agree to all the rest.

THE PRESIDENT mentioned no. 14 regarding the bilateral commission investigating the removal of oil equipment from Rumania.

MR. MOLOTOV then suggested that this section and the section regarding Tangier be deleted from the communiqué but remain in the protocol.

MR. ATTLEE supported this.

MR. MOLOTOV then suggested the same procedure for Iran.

MR. ATTLEE agreed.

MR. BYRNES asked why these were being left out.

MR. BEVIN announced that they were anxious to leave Tangier out.

MR. ATTLEE called attention to the fact that it had been agreed that there would be no publicity regarding Tangier.

MR. BEVIN stated that the British agreed to the deletion of Tangier and Rumania but to keep Persia in.

STALIN insisted that all three go out.

MR. BEVIN did not agree. He wanted Tangier out and was willing to have Rumania out but Iran was important in the Near East.

STALIN then suggested that Tangier be left in.

MR. ATTLEE then called attention to the fact that Molotov had not asked for a public announcement regarding Tangier.

MR. MOLOTOV stated that he did not insist upon publicity now but that he did think that the oil question and Iran should not be publicized.

MR. BYRNES asked whether it could not be agreed to eliminate Tangier and the oil question since the British wanted one out and the Soviets wanted one out.

STALIN insisted that after such big, serious decisions the communiqué would be spoiled if small decisions were put in.

MR. BYRNES asked for agreement that 2 would be out.

STALIN refused. Rumania and Tangier should be out. However, the Russians were not going to keep the Iran decision secret. They just didn’t want it in the communiqué.

MR. BEVIN asked whether he could make an announcement in the House of Commons.

STALIN replied, “Of course.”

THE PRESIDENT then stated that all three would be out.

THE PRESIDENT then raised no. 17, Military Discussions.

MR. BEVIN queried one word and Stalin and The President agreed to its deletion.

STALIN stated that he had no objection to this section of the communiqué.

THE PRESIDENT then asked about the preamble.

MR. BEVIN asked to refer back to paragraph 12. The words of the last line referred to a proposal but the proposal was not published. He suggested the addition of the words, “and accepted as a basis an agreed proposal.”

MR. BYRNES agreed.

MR. MOLOTOV pointed out that this should be changed [also] in the protocol.

STALIN stated his assumption that there would be a list of participants at the end of the communiqué.

THE PRESIDENT again raised the preamble.

STALIN said he had no objection.

MR. BYRNES said he wished to object on behalf of the Foreign Ministers. It said that the Foreign Ministers had separate meetings alone. He suggested instead of “separate” the word “regular.”

MR. MOLOTOV agreed. He offered a suggestion regarding the signature of the communiqué. He had before him the Tehran communiqué. This communiqué was first signed by the British Prime Minister. It was the same at the Crimea. It was agreed that at the next conference the first signature would be that of the Soviet Government. Two documents were issued at Tehran. On one the first signature had been that of President Roosevelt. On the other the first signature had been the British Prime Minister.

THE PRESIDENT stated he had no objection.

MR. ATTLEE interjected to state that he voted for an alphabetical listing. There he would score over Marshal Zhukov.

STALIN stated that if the President preferred another order of signature could be arranged.

THE PRESIDENT stated he had no objection.

STALIN inquired about publication time.

MR. BEVIN stated that he would like to release the communiqué for publication in the Friday morning papers. It would be given out tomorrow.

STALIN agreed.

MR. BEVIN stated that this followed the Yalta formula. The time would be 9:30 GMT.

STALIN asked when it would be on the radio.

MR. ATTLEE replied after release.

MR. BYRNES asked whether the time had been agreed upon.

MR. BEVIN repeated Thursday night, 9:30 p.m. GMT.

STALIN said “August 2.”

THE PRESIDENT said right, August 2, for the Friday morning papers.

THE PRESIDENT then announced that Mr. Byrnes had a protocol matter to present.

STALIN repeated Thursday, 9:30 GMT.

MR. BYRNES stated that he wished to call attention to the fact that in the English protocol there was no reference to the Ruhr industrial area. He had been told that there was such a reference in the Russian text. He thought this should be settled so there would be no misunderstanding. He had no recollection that the disposition mentioned in the Soviet text had been made. However, he had been told that his recollection was faulty.

THE PRESIDENT interjected to state that he had suggested reference to the Council of Foreign Ministers.

MR. BYRNES then suggested that the draftsmen should consider more exact language in regard to the intent. The Soviet text did not say what was referred.

MR. MOLOTOV suggested that it be written down.

MR. BYRNES stated that it should be the same in all three texts.

MR. MOLOTOV stated that the Soviet text had been submitted in writing.

MR. BYRNES replied he was informed that the Soviet suggestion had not been ready to submit today.

Stalin then said that he thought it better to withdraw this point altogether. The matter should not be referred to the Council of Foreign Ministers.

It was withdrawn.

MR. BYRNES agreed that this was better.

MR. ATTLEE then suggested that top copies be signed by the Big Three. He thought Churchill and Eden would like to have them. These and other documents were then signed.

STALIN then asked how agreement would be reached on the final draft of the protocol.

MR. BYRNES suggested the appointment of a committee to compare texts. He thought that language suggestions should be considered.

THE PRESIDENT asked whether it was satisfactory that each appoint a representative to compare texts and let the rest go home.

This was agreed to.

MR. BYRNES appointed Mr. Dunn.

MR. ATTLEE appointed Sir Edward Bridges.

STALIN appointed Vyshinski.

THE PRESIDENT stated that there was nothing further. The meeting should adjourn until they could meet again which he hoped would take place in Washington.

MR. ATTLEE stated that he wished to express his thanks to the Generalissimo for the excellent arrangements made for this meeting and for our comfort and also to the President for having presided over this Conference. He expressed the hope that the Conference would be a milestone on the road the three nations were pursuing together toward permanent peace and that the friendships between the three meeting here would be strengthened.

STALIN stated that this was the Soviet desire.

THE PRESIDENT expressed appreciation of the American Delegation to Stalin for his kind treatment and also joined in all that the Prime Minister had said.

STALIN stated that the Russian Delegation joined in the thanks to the President for presiding over the Conference.

THE PRESIDENT stated that he had appreciated the privilege and hoped that it had been satisfactory to the Marshal and the Prime Minister.

STALIN said that he wished personally to express his thanks to Mr. Byrnes who seemed to work harder than anyone else.

MR. BYRNES expressed his deep appreciation of these kind words. He hoped that with his two colleagues he had been able to make a contribution to this Conference.

THE PRESIDENT said that he also wished to thank the other Foreign Ministers and others who had worked to get the three to agree.

The meeting adjourned.

526

Cohen Notes

Potsdam, August 1, 1945, 10:40 p.m. to August 2, 1945, 12:30 a.m.

Evening meeting — 10:30 p.m.

TRUMAN: We will take up the report of the Protocol Committee.

Secretary Byrnes takes up the Reparation Section.

BYRNES: I suggest an amendment to the paragraph renouncing claims to industrial shares outside of their respective zones, so as to make such claims refer only to claims in respect of reparations.

This amendment was agreed to.

Secretary Byrnes then brought up the question of Allied property in satellite countries.

MOLOTOV: I suggest that the conference adopt the American proposal in principle but the wording should be agreed to through diplomatic channel. We did not have time to consider the wording.

BYRNES: I understood that the Committee had agreed to a substitute which was satisfactory to the Soviet representative with a single reservation.

MOLOTOV: We have not had a chance to consider it.

BYRNES: All right then, it will have to be agreed in principle and then followed through diplomatic channel.

MOLOTOV: I have a suggestion regarding the description of the western frontier of Poland. It refers to a line running to the Baltic Sea to the town of “S”. This might go through the town. It should rest [read] west of the town “S”.

BYRNES: How far west.

BEVIN: Immediately west.

STALIN: Immediately west will satisfy us.

TRUMAN: That is ah right.

ATTLEE: Agreed.

MOLOTOV: I have a suggestion regarding the section on Koenigsberg. At the end of the second paragraph I suggest we substitute for the clause “subject to examination by experts” a clause which will provide for [that] the exact line on the ground should be established by experts of the USSR and Poland.

BEVIN: That is really asking too much. That is a matter for the United Nations.

STALIN: I think there is a misunderstanding. The boundary line is drawn by this conference. The drawing of the line should not involve a degradation [digression?] of a kilometer one way or the other. We think it should be arranged between the USSR and Poland. If you want other experts say so and we will agree.

ATTLEE: This would anticipate the work of the peace conference.

STALIN: What would you suggest, a committee of experts appointed by the peace conference.

BYRNES: The two countries most concerned are the USSR and Poland. If they agree there will be no problem. If there is a disagreement there must be experts appointed by the Council of Foreign Ministers to decide.

STALIN: Let us leave the old wording then.

TRUMAN: If the Soviets and Poland agree we will have no objection.

MOLOTOV: In the section dealing with the admission of states to the United Nations, I have an amendment to offer. The first paragraph of this section was agreed to before we agreed to paragraph 3. The word “Thereafter” should be removed from the first paragraph. It is misleading.

ATTLEE: I do not think that is correct. Paragraph 3 refers to the establishment of diplomatic relations so far as possible. The first paragraph refers to Poland complete diplomatic relations which in our case are possible only after the conclusion of peace.

STALIN: Paragraph 3 is denied by paragraph 1.

ATTLEE: No, paragraph 1 refers to full normal relations, while paragraph 3 refers to necessarily incomplete relations.

BEVIN: We would say that as soon as possible “full” diplomatic relations may be established. That will draw a distinction between partial and complete diplomatic relations.

STALIN: Take Finland. There is no ground for denying full diplomatic relations with Finland.

BEVIN: We are still at war with Finland.

STALIN: We have relations with Italy, although technically we are still at war with Italy.

ATTLEE: We went a long way to meet the Soviets in view of our constitutional difficulties, we [do not?] want to go back now to the wording that caused so much trouble.

STALIN: Then we won’t reach an agreement. Why should not those who want it resume diplomatic relations with Finland now?

BEVIN: I am very anxious for an agreement. I will make another suggestion with reference to the resumption of diplomatic relations in the first paragraph which might be omitted entirely. It would then read that the three governments considered it desirable that anomalous position of these states be terminated by the conclusion of the peace treaties.

STALIN: All right.

BYRNES: The protocol then is accepted subject to the one change to be made in the part dealing with the American proposal regarding Allied property in the satellite countries. The American proposal on this [is] accepted on [in?] principle but the exact wording will be worked out in diplomatic channel.

We can now consider the communiqué.

STALIN: I suggest we postpone consideration of the preamble.

TRUMAN: Is section #2 satisfactory?

It was agreed to.

TRUMAN: Section 3?

BYRNES: There was objections to the words “loudly applauded”. We have no objection to striking it out.

STALIN: Why not say openly approved.

BEVIN: --and blindly obeyed.

TRUMAN: It will be read then, openly approved and blindly obeyed.

TRUMAN: Any other changes – section 4?

BEVIN: In the economic principles we have a repetition of some things contained in the political principle[s]. I suggest we leave out of the economic principles the thought contained in paragraph 9 for [9 (iv) of?] the political principle[s].

This was agreed to.

TRUMAN: Section 5, the disposition of the German Navy and merchant ships?

STALIN: No amendment.

TRUMAN: Section 6? Koenigsberg.

STALIN: Agreed.

TRUMAN: Section 7, war criminals?

STALIN: First section of this paragraph could be eliminated.

MOLOTOV: I have a suggestion regarding Austria. We should not publish the statement about reparations in the communiqué. It may be published in the protocol. Its publication in the communiqué would tie our hands unnecessarily. It is better for Austria to hope for this decision than to be advised that it has been made.

TRUMAN: Poland?

STALIN: No amendments.

BEVIN: I suggest a slight verbal change which was agreed to by Stalin and Truman.

Bevin also proposes that on page two, reference be made to the fact that the conclusion was reached instead of the agreement being reached.

TRUMAN: I told the Poles that we agreed.

BEVIN: I withdraw my suggestion.

A number of other minor verbal suggestions were made and discussed. Most of these suggestions as to style were made by Mr. Bevin. At one point where Mr. Bevin criticized the English of the communiqué, Stalin implied that English that was acceptable to the Americans was acceptable to the Russians.

STALIN: The sections on Rumanian oil equipment and on Tangier should be deleted from the communiqué, also Iran.

BEVIN: I agree.

BYRNES: Why?

BEVIN: I do not want to say anything about Tangier.

BYRNES: We agreed to delete the paragraph on Rumania and Tangier.

BEVIN: But we would like Persia to remain.

BYRNES: We have not agreed to the omission of Iran.

STALIN: All or none.

BEVIN: We don’t care about Tangier and Rumanian equipment, but Iran is important throughout the Middle East.

STALIN: Then leave in Tangier and Iran.

BYRNES: Leave out Rumania and Tangier if you like, but leave in Iran.

STALIN: After such big decisions, these small decisions are spoiling the communiqué. We need not keep our decision secret, I just don’t want the minor decisions in the communiqué.

BEVIN: I can speak of this then in the House of Commons?

STALIN: Of course.

TRUMAN: Then leave out all three.

STALIN: There is no objection to the reference in the communiqué to military talks on matters of common interest. I do not insist on any qualification limiting these talks to Europe and the paragraph should go in the communiqué and [be] published. At the end of the communiqué will be a list of the participants.

TRUMAN: Yes. The preamble is now satisfactory.

MOLOTOV: In our previous conferences it was agreed that the signatures should be rotated. According to this procedure the Russians would sign the present communiqué first.

TRUMAN: I have no objections.

ATTLEE: I favor alphabetical order[;] that is where I would score over Marshal Zhukov.

TRUMAN: When are we going to publish it.

BEVIN: For the Friday morning press.

STALIN: Today is Wednesday.

BEVIN: If you will follow Yalta precedence [precedent] it would be 9:30 p.m., Greenwich time Thursday.

BYRNES: I refer back to the protocol. A paragraph on the Ruhr is in the Russian protocol, but not in ours. I have no recollection of such disposition, but I am told that my recollection is faulty.

TRUMAN: The Ruhr was referred at my suggestion to the Council of Foreign Ministers.

BYRNES: If so, I suggest the draft be made more definite. Certainly it should be in all three texts.

STALIN: I think we will withdraw our suggestion.

The messages to Churchill and Eden were agreed to.

TRUMAN made a note of the fact that the business of the conference be concluded and that they were now ready to adjourn. He expressed the hope that the next meeting would be at Washington.

STALIN: God willing.

ATTLEE: I want to thank Generalissimo Stalin for the excellent arrangements he has made for this conference. I also want to thank the President of the United States for arranging to come so great a distance to personally participate in our deliberations. I hope that it will be a milestone on the road to peace between our countries and in the world.

STALIN: That is our desire also.

TRUMAN: I wish to join in the sentiments expressed by Prime Minister Attlee.

STALIN: The Soviet delegation wishes to join in the thanks expressed by the Prime Minister to the President for his personal appearance at this conference.

I should also like to express our thanks to Secretary Byrnes who has worked harder perhaps than any one of us to make this conference a success. He has worked hard and he has worked very well. He has helped us to reach agreements. Those sentiments, Secretary Byrnes, come from my heart.

BYRNES: I thank you very much, Generalissimo. I sincerely hope I have been helpful.

STALIN: We can call this conference successful.

TRUMAN: I want to add my thanks to all the Foreign Secretaries.

MOLOTOV: I want to thank Bevin and Eden for all their arduous labours which have facilitated the work of the conference.

Adjourned at 12:30 a.m., August 2, 1945.

527 
740.00119 Potsdam/8-745

Memorandum by the Executive Secretary of the Central Secretariat

Top secret
[Washington,] August 7, 1945

Questions Discussed at the Berlin Conference and Their Disposition

I. Procedures for the peace settlement

  1. Council of Foreign Ministers
    Disposition – As reported in the communiqué.

  2. Meetings of the three Foreign Ministers as provided at the Yalta Conference
    Disposition – It was agreed that, in spite of the establishment of the Council of Foreign Ministers, periodic meetings of the U.S., British, and Soviet Foreign Ministers might still usefully be held.

  3. European Advisory Commission
    Disposition – It was agreed that the Commission should be dissolved.

  4. General Peace Conference to settle questions arising from the present war
    Disposition – Such a conference was constantly referred to as an agency for ratifying decisions reached at Berlin or by the Council of Foreign Ministers, but no definite decision was taken as to whether or not such a conference should in fact be held.

II. German questions

  1. Political principles in regard to the treatment of Germany during the interim control period
    Disposition – As stated in the communiqué.

  2. Economic principles for the treatment of Germany during the initial control period
    Disposition – As stated in the communiqué.

  3. German reparations
    Disposition – As stated in the communiqué.

  4. French participation in the Reparations Commission
    Disposition – It was agreed that France should become a member of the Commission.

  5. German external assets. The U.S. presented a proposal on this subject.
    Disposition – Final action was as stated in paragraphs 8 and 9 of the section on German reparations in the communiqué.

  6. The Ruhr. The Soviets presented a paper stating that the Ruhr is to be considered an integral part of Germany and proposing a quadripartite administration of the area.

    Disposition – It was originally agreed to refer this question to the Council of Foreign Ministers but at the time of the drawing up of the final Protocol it was dropped.

  7. Königsberg area
    Disposition – As stated in the communiqué.

  8. Directives to military commanders on Allied Control Council for Germany
    Disposition – As stated in the Protocol.

  9. Disposal of the German Navy and Merchant Marine
    Disposition – As stated in the Protocol.

  10. War criminals
    Disposition – As stated in the communiqué.

  11. Transfer of German populations from Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary
    Disposition – As stated in the communiqué.

  12. Disarming of German troops in Norway. The Soviets raised this question and the British presented a reply.

  13. Fascist activities in U.S. and British zones in Germany and Austria. The Soviets presented a statement on this subject. The U.S. and Britain said that they had asked their zone commanders for reports and that they would inform the Soviets of the tenor of these reports and would take whatever action seemed to be required.

  14. Delivery of food, coal and fuel to Berlin. The British presented a proposal on this subject for the delivery of these materials by the Soviets.

    Disposition – The Soviets asked for time to study the proposal and no action was taken.

  15. Repatriation of Soviet citizens from Germany and other areas. The Soviets presented two statements on this subject to which the U.S. and British agreed to give sympathetic consideration.

III. Austria

  1. Austria. The British raised the question of the entry of British and U.S. forces into Vienna and Stalin stated that this question had just been settled.

    At the British and U.S. request Stalin agreed that the Soviets would continue to provide food for the population of the U.S. and British zones in Vienna until the U.S. and British commanders were ready to take over this task.

    Agreement in regard to the Austrian Provisional Government and to Austrian reparations is as stated in the Protocol.

IV. Poland

  1. Liquidation of the London Polish Government
    Disposition – As stated in the communiqué.

  2. Implementation of the Yalta Declaration in Regard to Poland
    Disposition – As stated in the communiqué.

  3. Western frontier of Poland
    Disposition – As stated in the communiqué.

V. Italy

  1. Italy. The U.S. presented a proposal for easing the position of Italy.
    Disposition – The Conference approved only that action set forth in the section of the communiqué on “Conclusion of Peace Treaties and Admission to the United Nations Organization.”

  2. Italian reparations. The Soviets presented two proposals in regard to reparations from Italy but in view of U.S. and British opposition no action was taken.

  3. Trusteeship territories. The Soviets proposed that the Council of Foreign Ministers be authorized to work out proposals for bringing into effect provisions of the trusteeship system in regard to ex-enemy territories and to League mandates.

    Disposition – The action finally taken related only to Italian colonial territories and is as stated in the communiqué.

  4. Treatment of Soviet prisoners in a British camp in Italy. The Soviets raised this question and the British presented an explanation which was accepted as satisfactory.

VI. Spain

  1. Spain. The Soviets presented a proposal that the Conference recommend to the United Nations that they break off all relations with the Franco Government and support the democratic forces in Spain.

    Disposition – The action of the Conference in regard to Spain was limited to the final paragraph of the section of the communiqué entitled “Conclusion of Peace Treaties and Admission to the United Nations Organization.”

VII. Southeast Europe

  1. Implementation of the Yalta Declaration on Liberated Europe and Satellite States. The U.S. presented a proposal providing for the following action in Rumania, Bulgaria, and Hungary: (1) supervision of elections, (2) greater facilities for the press, and (3) revised Control Commission procedure.

    Disposition – No action was taken on the first point. The second point is covered to some extent in the fourth paragraph of the section in the communiqué on “Conclusion of Peace Treaties and Admission to the United Nations Organization.” The third point was disposed of as stated in Section XII of the communiqué.

  2. Use of Allied property for satellite reparations or “war trophies.” The U.S. presented a proposal on this subject, final action being as stated in the Protocol.

  3. Facilities for radio representatives. The U.S. sought to have the same facilities which had been agreed to for Allied press representatives in Poland, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria and Finland extended to Allied radio representatives.

    Disposition – The Soviets would not agree.

  4. Oil equipment in Rumania
    Disposition – As stated in the Protocol.

  5. Yugoslavia. The British presented a proposal for the implementation of the Yalta Declaration concerning Yugoslavia. Stalin maintained that the Yalta Declaration was being carried out and refused to act unless Yugoslav representatives were allowed to state their case to the Conference.

    Disposition – No action was taken.

  6. Greece. Both the Greek internal situation and Greek relations with Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Albania were discussed. The U.S. and Britain proposed that the three powers join in supervising the Greek elections but the Soviets refused. The Soviets accused the Greek Government of an internal reign of terror and of aggressive action against Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, which the British refuted.

    Disposition – No action was taken.

  7. Southeast Europe. The British presented a proposal for the mediation of differences between Yugoslavia and Greece.

    Disposition – The Soviets did not agree and no action was taken.

VIII. General European

  1. Cooperation in solving urgent European economic problems. The U.S. proposed that the Soviets participate in the work of the EEC, the ECO and the EITO [ECITO].

    Disposition – The final action was as stated in the Protocol.

  2. International inland waterways. The U.S. presented a proposal for insuring the free and unrestricted navigation of international waterways and for establishing interim international regimes to this end for the Rhine and the Danube.

    Disposition – Final action was as stated in the Protocol.

  3. Oil supplies for Western Europe. The U.S. presented a proposal for the supply of oil to Western Europe from Rumania, Hungary and Austria. The Soviets agreed to study the proposal but did not give any final reply before the end of the Conference.

IX. Near East

  1. Turkey and the Black Sea Straits. After the British had raised the question as to Soviet intentions toward Turkey, the Soviets introduced a proposal providing for the abrogation of the Montreux Convention and for exclusive control of the Straits by Turkey and Russia with provision for Soviet bases on the Straits.

    Disposition – The action finally taken was as described in the Protocol.

  2. Tangier
    Disposition – As stated in the Protocol.

  3. Syria and Lebanon. The Soviets proposed quadripartite consultation on this question but after a statement by Churchill dropped that proposal.

  4. Iran. The British presented a proposal for the evacuation by stages of Soviet, British and U.S. troops from Iran.

    Disposition – Final action was as stated in the Protocol.

X. Far East

  1. Japanese peace proposal. Stalin informed the Conference of the latest proposal and of the Soviet reply thereto.

  2. Korea. The question of trusteeship for Korea was raised by the Soviets but not discussed.

528 
Berlin, August 1, 1945

There is attached hereto the agreed protocol of the Berlin Conference.

И. СТАЛИН
HARRY S TRUMAN
C. R. ATTLEE

[Attachment]

Protocol of the Proceedings of the Berlin Conference

The Berlin Conference of the Three Heads of Government of the USSR, USA, and U.K., which took place from July 17 to August 1, 1945, came to the following conclusions:

I. Establishment of a Council of Foreign Ministers

The Conference reached the following agreement for the establishment of a Council of Foreign Ministers to do the necessary preparatory work for the peace settlements:

  1. There shall be established a Council composed of the Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, China, France and the United States.

  2. (i) The Council shall normally meet in London, which shall be the permanent seat of the joint Secretariat which the Council will form. Each of the Foreign Ministers will be accompanied by a high-ranking Deputy, duly authorized to carry on the work of the Council in the absence of his Foreign Minister, and by a small staff of technical advi[s]ers.

    (ii) The first meeting of the Council shall be held in London not later than September 1st 1945. Meetings may be held by common agreement in other capitals as may be agreed from time to time.

  3. (i) As its immediate important task, the Council shall be authorized to draw up, with a view to their submission to the United Nations, treaties of peace with Italy, Rumania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Finland, and to propose settlements of territorial questions outstanding on the termination of the war in Europe. The Council shall be utilized for the preparation of a peace settlement for Germany to be accepted by the Government of Germany when a government adequate for the purpose is established.

    (ii) For the discharge of each of these tasks the Council will be composed of the Members representing those States which were signatory to the terms of surrender imposed upon the enemy State concerned. For the purposes of the peace settlement for Italy, France shall be regarded as a signatory to the terms of surrender for Italy. Other Members will be invited to participate when matters directly concerning them are under discussion.

    (iii) Other matters may from time to time be referred to the Council by agreement between the Member Governments.

  4. (i) Whenever the Council is considering a question of direct interest to a State not represented thereon, such State should be invited to send representatives to participate in the discussion and study of that question.

    (ii) The Council may adapt its procedure to the particular problem under consideration. In some cases it may hold its own preliminary discussions prior to the participation of other interested States. In other cases, the Council may convoke a formal conference of the State[s] chiefly interested in seeking a solution of the particular problem.

It was agreed that the three Governments should each address an identical invitation to the Governments of China and France to adopt this text and to join in establishing the Council. The text of the approved invitation was as follows:

Council of Foreign Ministers
Draft for identical invitation to be sent separately by each of the Three Governments to the Governments of China and France.

The Governments of the United Kingdom, the United States and the USSR consider it necessary to begin without delay the essential preparatory work upon the peace settlements in Europe. To this end they are agreed that there should be established a Council of the Foreign Ministers of the Five Great Powers to prepare treaties of peace with the European enemy States, for submission to the United Nations. The Council would also be empowered to propose settlements of outstanding territorial questions in Europe and to consider such other matters as member Governments might agree to refer to it.

The text adopted by the Three Governments is as follows:

(Here insert final agreed text of the Proposal).

In agreement with the Governments of the United States and USSR, His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom and USSR, the United States Government, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Government extend a cordial invitation to the Government of China (France) to adopt the text quoted above and to join in setting up the Council. His Majesty’s Government, The United States Government, The Soviet Government attach much importance to the participation of the Chinese Government (French Government) in the proposed arrangements and they hope to receive an early and favorable reply to this invitation.

It was understood that the establishment of the Council of Foreign Ministers for the specific purposes named in the text would be without prejudice to the agreement of the Crimea Conference that there should be periodical consultation between the Foreign Secretaries of the United States, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United Kingdom.

The Conference also considered the position of the European Advisory Commission in the light of the Agreement to establish the Council of Foreign Ministers. It was noted with satisfaction that the Commission had ably discharged its principal tasks by the recommendations that it had furnished for the terms of surrender for Germany, for the zones of occupation in Germany and Austria and for the inter-Allied control machinery in those countries. It was felt that further work of a detailed character for the coordination of Allied policy for the control of Germany and Austria would in future fall within the competence of the Allied Control Commission at Berlin and the Allied Commission at Vienna. Accordingly the Conference agreed to recommend to the Member Governments of the European Advisory Commission that the Commission might now be dissolved.

II. The principles to govern the treatment of Germany in the initial control period

A. Political Principles

  1. In accordance with the Agreement on Control Machinery in Germany,16 supreme authority in Germany is exercised, on instructions from their respective Governments, by the Commanders-in-Chief of the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the French Republic, each in his own zone of occupation, and also jointly, in matters affecting Germany as a whole, in their capacity as members of the Control Council.

  2. So far as is practicable, there shall be uniformity of treatment of the German population throughout Germany.

  3. The purposes of the occupation of Germany by which the Control Council shall be guided are:

    (i) The complete disarmament and demilitarization of Germany and the elimination or control of all German industry that could be used for military production. To these ends;

    • (a) All German land, naval and air forces, the SS, SA, SD and Gestapo, with all their organizations, staffs and institutions, including the General Staff, the Officers’ Corps, Reserve Corps, military schools, war veterans’ organizations and all other military and quasi-military organizations, together with all clubs and associations which serve to keep alive the military tradition in Germany, shall be completely and finally abolished in such manner as permanently to prevent the revival or reorganization of German militarism and Nazism;

    • (b) All arms, ammunition and implements of war and all specialized facilities for their production shall be held at the disposal of the Allies or destroyed. The maintenance and production of all aircraft and all arms, ammunition and implements of war shall be prevented.

    (ii) To convince the German people that they have suffered a total military defeat and that they cannot escape responsibility for what they have brought upon themselves, since their own ruthless warfare and the fanatical Nazi resistance have destroyed German economy and made chaos and suffering inevitable.

    (iii) To destroy the National Socialist Party and its affiliated and supervised organizations, to dissolve all Nazi institutions, to ensure that they are not revived in any form, and to prevent all Nazi and militarist activity or propaganda.

    (iv) To prepare for the eventual reconstruction of German political life on a democratic basis and for eventual peaceful cooperation in international life by Germany.

  4. All Nazi laws which provided the basis of the Hitler regime or established discrimination19 on grounds of race, creed, or political opinion shall be abolished. No such discriminations, whether legal, administrative or otherwise, shall be tolerated.

  5. War criminals and those who have participated in planning or carrying out Nazi enterprises involving or resulting in atrocities or war crimes shall be arrested and brought to judgment. Nazi leaders, influential Nazi supporters and high officials of Nazi organizations and institutions and any other persons dangerous to the occupation or its objectives shall be arrested and interned.

  6. All members of the Nazi Party who have been more than nominal participants in its activities and all other persons hostile to Allied purposes shall be removed from public and semi-public office, and from positions of responsibility in important private undertakings. Such persons shall be replaced by persons who, by their political and moral qualities, are deemed capable of assisting in developing genuine democratic institutions in Germany.

  7. German education shall be so controlled as completely to eliminate Nazi and militarist doctrines and to make possible the successful development of democratic ideas.

  8. The judicial system will be reorganized in accordance with the principles of democracy, of justice under law, and of equal rights for all citizens without distinction of race, nationality or religion.

  9. The administration of affairs in Germany should be directed towards the decentralization of the political structure and the development of local responsibility. To this end:

    (i) local self-government shall be restored throughout Germany on democratic principles and in particular through elective councils as rapidly as is consistent with military security and the purposes of military occupation;

    (ii) all democratic political parties with rights of assembly and of public discussion shall be allowed and encouraged throughout Germany;

    (iii) representative and elective principles shall be introduced into regional, provincial and state (Land) administration as rapidly as may be justified by the successful application of these principles in local self-government;

    (iv) for the time being, no central German Government shall be established. Notwithstanding this, however, certain essential central German administrative departments, headed by State Secretaries, shall be established, particularly in the fields of finance, transport, communications, foreign trade and industry. Such departments will act under the direction of the Control Council.

  10. Subject to the necessity for maintaining military security, freedom of speech, press and religion shall be permitted, and religious institutions shall be respected. Subject likewise to the maintenance of military security, the formation of free trade unions shall be permitted.

Economic Principles

  1. In order to eliminate Germany’s war potential, the production of arms, ammunition and implements of war as well as all types of aircraft and sea-going ships shall be prohibited and prevented. Production of metals, chemicals, machinery and other items that are directly necessary to a war economy shall be rigidly controlled and restricted to Germany’s approved post-war peacetime needs to meet the objectives stated in Paragraph 15. Productive capacity not needed for permitted production shall be removed in accordance with the reparations plan recommended by the Allied Commission on Reparations and approved by the Governments concerned or if not removed shall be destroyed.

  2. At the earliest practicable date, the German economy shall be decentralized for the purpose of eliminating the present excessive concentration of economic power as exemplified in particular by cartels, syndicates, trusts and other monopolistic arrangements. Notwithstanding this, however, and for the purpose of achieving the objectives set forth herein, certain forms of central administrative machinery, particularly in the fields of Finance, Transportation and Communications, shall be maintained or restored.

  3. In organizing the German Economy, primary emphasis shall be given to the development of agriculture and peaceful domestic industries.

  4. During the period of occupation Germany shall be treated as a single economic unit. To this end common policies shall be established in regard to:
    (a) mining and industrial production and allocation;
    (b) agriculture, forestry and fishing;
    (c) wages, prices and rationing;
    (d) import and export programs for Germany as a whole;
    (e) currency and banking, central taxation and customs;
    (f) reparation and removal of industrial war potential;
    (g) transportation and communications.

    In applying these policies account shall be taken, where appropriate, of varying local conditions.

  5. Allied controls shall be imposed upon the German economy but only to the extent necessary:

    (a) to carry out programs of industrial disarmament and demilitarization, of reparations, and of approved exports and imports.

    (b) to assure the production and maintenance of goods and services required to meet the needs of the occupying forces and displaced persons in Germany and essential to maintain in Germany average living standards not exceeding the average of the standards of living of European countries. (European countries means all European countries excluding U.K. and USSR)

    (c) to ensure in the manner determined by the Control Council the equitable distribution of essential commodities between the several zones so as to produce a balanced economy throughout Germany and reduce the need for imports.

    (d) to control German industry and all economic and financial international transactions, including exports and imports, with the aim of preventing Germany from developing a war potential and of achieving the other objectives named herein.

    (e) to control all German public or private scientific bodies, research and experimental institutions, laboratories, et cetera, connected with economic activities.

  6. In the imposition and maintenance of economic controls established by the Control Council, German administrative machinery shall be created and the German authorities shall be required to the fullest extent practicable to proclaim and assume administration of such controls. Thus it should be brought home to the German people that the responsibility for the administration of such controls and any breakdown in these controls will rest with themselves. Any German controls which may run counter to the objectives of occupation will be prohibited.

  7. Measures shall be promptly taken:
    (a) to effect essential repair of transport;
    (b) to enlarge coal production;
    (c) to maximize agricultural output; and
    (d) to effect emergency repair of housing and essential utilities.

  8. Appropriate steps shall be taken by the Control Council to exercise control and the power of disposition over German owned external assets not already under the control of United Nations which have taken part in the war against Germany.

  9. Payment of Reparations should leave enough resources to enable the German people to subsist without external assistance. In working out the economic balance of Germany the necessary means must be provided to pay for imports approved by the Control Council in Germany. The proceeds of exports from current production and stocks shall be available in the first place for payment for such imports.

The above clause will not apply to the equipment and products referred to in paragraphs 4 (a) and 4 (b) of the Reparations Agreement.

III. German separation

  1. Reparation claims of USSR shall be met by removals from the zone of Germany occupied by the USSR, and from appropriate German external assets.

  2. The USSR undertakes to settle the reparation claims of Poland from its own share of reparations.

  3. The reparations claims of the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries entitled to reparations shall be met from the Western Zones and from appropriate German external assets.

  4. In addition to the reparations to be taken by the USSR from its own zone of occupation, the USSR shall receive additionally from the Western Zones:

    (a) 15 percent of such usable and complete industrial capital equipment, in the first place from the metallurgical, chemical and machine manufacturing industries as is unnecessary for the German peace economy and should be removed from the Western Zones of Germany, in exchange for an equivalent value of food, coal, potash, zinc, timber, clay products, petroleum products, and such other commodities as may be agreed upon.

    (b) 10 percent of such industrial capital equipment as is unnecessary for the German peace economy and should be removed from the Western Zones, to be transferred to the Soviet Government on reparations account without payment or exchange of any kind in return.

    Removals of equipment as provided in (a) and (b) above shall be made simultaneously.

  5. The amount of equipment to be removed from the Western Zones on account of reparations must be determined within six months from now at the latest.

  6. Removals of industrial capital equipment shall begin as soon as possible and shall be completed within two years from the determination specified in paragraph 5. The delivery of products covered by 4 (a) above shall begin as soon as possible and shall be made by the USSR in agreed installments within five years of the date hereof. The determination of the amount and character of the industrial capital equipment unnecessary for the German peace economy and therefore available for reparation shall be made by the Control Council under policies fixed by the Allied Commission on Reparations, with the participation of France, subject to the final approval of the Zone Commander in the Zone from which the equipment is to be removed.

  7. Prior to the fixing of the total amount of equipment subject to removal, advance deliveries shall be made in respect to such equipment as will be determined to be eligible for delivery in accordance with the procedure set forth in the last sentence of paragraph 6.

  8. The Soviet Government renounces all claims to shares of German enterprises which are located in the Western Zones of Germany as well as to German foreign assets in all countries except those specified in paragraph 9 below.

  9. The Governments of the U.K. and USA renounce their claims36 to shares of German enterprises which are located in the Eastern Zone of occupation in Germany, as well as to German foreign assets in Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Rumania and Eastern Austria.

  10. The Soviet Government makes no claims to gold captured by the Allied troops in Germany.

IV. Disposal of the German Navy and Merchant Marine

A. The following principles for the distribution of the German Navy were agreed:

  1. The total strength of the German surface navy, excluding ships sunk and those taken over from Allied Nations, but including ships under construction or repair, shall be divided equally among the USSR, U.K., and U.S.

  2. Ships under construction or repair mean those ships whose construction or repair may be completed within three to six months, according to the type of ship. Whether such ships under construction or repair shall be completed or repaired shall be determined by the technical commission appointed by the Three Powers and referred to below, subject to the principle that their completion or repair must be achieved within the time limits above provided, without any increase of skilled employment in the German shipyards and without permitting the reopening of any German ship building or connected industries. Completion date means the date when a ship is able to go out on its first trip, or, under peacetime standards, would refer to the customary date of delivery by shipyard to the Government.

  3. The larger part of the German submarine fleet shall be sunk. Not more than thirty submarines shall be preserved and divided equally between the USSR, U.K. and U.S. for experimental and technical purposes.

  4. All stocks of armament, ammunition and supplies of the German Navy appertaining to the vessels transferred pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (3) hereof shall be handed over to the respective powers receiving such ships.

  5. The Three Governments agree to constitute a tripartite naval commission comprising two representatives for each Government, accompanied by the requisite staff, to submit agreed recommendations to the Three Governments for the allocation of specific German warships and to handle other detailed matters arising out of the agreement between the Three Governments regarding the German fleet. The Commission will hold its first meeting not later than 15th August, 1945, in Berlin, which shall be its headquarters. Each Delegation on the Commission will have the right on the basis of reciprocity to inspect German warships wherever they may be located.

  6. The Three Governments agreed that transfers, including those of ships under construction and repair, shall be completed as soon as possible, but not later than 15th February, 1946. The Commission will submit fortnightly reports, including proposals for the progressive allocation of the vessels when agreed by the Commission.

B. The following principles for the distribution of the German Merchant Marine were agreed:

  1. The German Merchant Marine, surrendered to the Three Powers and wherever located, shall be divided equally among the USSR, the U.K., and the U.S. The actual transfers of the ships to the respective countries shall take place as soon as practicable after the end of the war against Japan. The United Kingdom and the United States will provide out of their shares of the surrendered German merchant ships appropriate amounts for other Allied States whose merchant marines have suffered heavy losses in the common cause against Germany, except that the Soviet Union shall provide out of its share for Poland.

  2. The allocation, manning, and operation of these ships during the Japanese War period shall fall under the cognizance and authority of the Combined Shipping Adjustment Board and the United Maritime Authority.

  3. While actual transfer of the ships shall be delayed until after the end of the war with Japan, a Tripartite Shipping Commission shall inventory and value all available ships and recommend a specific distribution in accordance with paragraph (1).

  4. German inland and coastal ships determined to be necessary to the maintenance of the basic German peace economy by the Allied Control Council of Germany shall not be included in the shipping pool thus divided among the Three Powers.

  5. The Three Governments agree to constitute a tripartite merchant marine commission comprising two representatives for each Government, accompanied by the requisite staff, to submit agreed recommendations to the Three Governments for the allocation of specific German merchant ships and to handle other detailed matters arising out of the agreement between the Three Governments regarding the German merchant ships. The Commission will hold its first meeting not later than September 1st, 1945, in Berlin, which shall be its headquarters. Each delegation on the Commission will have the right on the basis of reciprocity to inspect the German merchant ships wherever they may be located.

VI. City of Koenigsberg and the adjacent area

The Conference examined a proposal by the Soviet Government to the effect that pending the final determination of territorial questions at the peace settlement, the section of the western frontier of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics which is adjacent to the Baltic Sea should pass from a point on the eastern shore of the Bay of Danzig to the east, north of Braunsberg-Goldap, to the meeting point of the frontiers of Lithuania, the Polish Republic and East Prussia.

The Conference has agreed in principle to the proposal of the Soviet Government concerning the ultimate transfer to the Soviet Union of the City of Koenigsberg and the area adjacent to it as described above subject to expert examination of the actual frontier.

The President of the United States and the British Prime Minister have declared that they will support the proposal of the Conference at the forthcoming peace settlement.

529

VII. War crimes

The Three Governments have taken note of the discussions which have been proceeding in recent weeks in London between British, United States, Soviet and French representatives with a view to reaching agreement on the methods of trial of those major war criminals whose crimes under the Moscow Declaration of October, 1943 have no particular geographical localisation. The Three Governments reaffirm their intention to bring these criminals to swift and sure justice. They hope that the negotiations in London will result in speedy agreement being reached for this purpose, and they regard it as a matter of great importance that the trial of these major criminals should begin at the earliest possible date. The first list of defendants will be published before 1st September.

VIII. Austria

The Conference examined a proposal by the Soviet Government on the extension of the authority of the Austrian Provisional Government to all of Austria.

The three Governments agreed that they were prepared to examine this question after the entry of the British and American forces into the city of Vienna.

It was agreed that reparations should not be exacted from Austria.

IX. Poland

A. Declaration
We have taken note with pleasure of the agreement reached among representative Poles from Poland and abroad which has made possible the formation, in accordance with the decisions reached at the Crimea Conference, of a Polish Provisional Government of National Unity recognised by the Three Powers. The establishment by the British and United States Governments of diplomatic relations with the Polish Provisional Government has resulted in the withdrawal of their recognition from the former Polish Government in London, which no longer exists.

The British and U.S. Governments have taken measures to protect the interests of the Polish Provisional Government, as the recognised Government of the Polish State, in the property belonging to the Polish State located in their territories and under their control whatever the form of this property may be. They have further taken measures to prevent alienation to third parties of such property. All proper facilities will be given to the Polish Provisional Government for the exercise of the ordinary legal remedies for the recovery of any property belonging to the Polish State which may have been wrongfully alienated.

The Three Powers are anxious to assist the Polish Provisional Government56 in facilitating the return to Poland as soon as practicable of all Poles abroad who wish to go, including members of the Polish armed forces and the merchant marine. They expect that those Poles who return home shall be accorded personal rights and property rights on the same basis as all Polish citizens.

The Three Powers note that the Polish Provisional Government in accordance with the decisions of the Crimea Conference has agreed to the holding of free and unfettered elections as soon as possible on the basis of universal suffrage and secret ballot in which all democratic and anti-Nazi parties shall have the right to take part and to put forward candidates; and that representatives of the Allied Press shall enjoy full freedom to report to the world upon developments in Poland before and during the elections.

B. Western Frontier of Poland
In conformity with the agreement on Poland reached at the Crimea Conference the three Heads of Government have sought the opinion of the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity in regard to the accession of territory in the north and west which Poland should receive. The President of the National Council of Poland and members of the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity have been received at the Conference and have fully presented their views. The three Heads of Government reaffirm their opinion that the final delimitation of the western frontier of Poland should await the peace settlement.

The three Heads of Government agree that, pending the final determination of Poland’s western frontier, the former German territories east of a line running from the Baltic Sea immediately west [of] Swinemunde, and thence along the Oder River to the confluence of the western Neisse River and along the western Neisse to the Czechoslovak frontier, including that portion of East Prussia not placed under the administration of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in accordance with the understanding reached at this conference and including the area of the former free city of Danzig, shall be under the administration of the Polish State and for such purposes should not be considered as part of the Soviet zone of occupation in Germany.

X. Conclusion of peace treaties and admission to the United Nations Organisation

The Three Governments consider it desirable that the present anomalous position of Italy, Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary and Roumania should be terminated by the conclusion of Peace Treaties. They trust that the other interested Allied Governments will share these views.

For their part the Three Governments have included the preparation of a Peace Treaty with Italy as the first among the immediate important tasks to be undertaken by the new Council of Foreign Ministers. Italy was the first of the Axis Powers to break with Germany, who [to] whose defeat she has made a material contribution, and has now joined with the Allies in the struggle against Japan. Italy has freed herself from the Fascist regime and is making good progress towards reestablishment of a democratic government and institutions. The conclusion of such a Peace Treaty with a recognised and democratic Italian Government will make it possible for the Three Governments to fulfil their desire to support an application from Italy for membership of the United Nations.

The Three Governments have also charged the Council of Foreign Ministers with the task of preparing Peace Treaties for Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary and Roumania. The conclusion of Peace Treaties with recognised democratic Governments in these States will also enable the Three Governments to support applications from them for membership of the United Nations. The Three Governments agree to examine each separately in the near future, in the light of the conditions then prevailing, the establishment of diplomatic relations with Finland, Roumania, Bulgaria, and Hungary to the extent possible prior to the conclusion of peace treaties with those countries.

The Three Governments have no doubt that in view of the changed conditions resulting from the termination of the war in Europe, representatives of the Allied Press will enjoy full freedom to report to the world upon developments in Roumania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Finland.

As regards the admission of other states into the United Nations Organization, Article 4 of the Charter of the United Nations declared that:

  1. Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving States who accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgment of the organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations;

  2. The admission of any such State to membership in the United Nations will be effected by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.

The Three Governments, so far as they are concerned, will support applications for membership from those States which have remained neutral during the war and which fulfil the qualifications set out above.
The Three Governments feel bound however to make it clear that they for their part would not favour any application for membership put forward by the present Spanish Government, which, having been founded with the support of the Axis Powers, does not, in view of its origins, its nature, its record and its close association with the aggressor States, possess the qualifications necessary to justify such membership.

XI. Territorial trusteeship

The Conference examined a proposal by the Soviet Government on the question of trusteeship territories envisaging those categories of territories as defined in the decision of the Crimea Conference and in the Charter of the United Nations Organisation.

After an exchange of views on this question it was decided that the disposition of any former Italian territories was one to be decided in connection with the preparation of a peace treaty with Italy and that the question of Italian territory would be considered by the September Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

XII. Revised Allied Control Commission procedure in Roumania, Bulgaria and Hungary

The Three Governments have taken76 note that the Soviet Representatives on the Allied Control Commissions in Roumania, Bulgaria and Hungary, have communicated to their United Kingdom and United States colleagues proposals for improving the work of the Control Commissions, now that hostilities in Europe have ceased.

The Three Governments agree that the revision of the procedures of the Allied Control Commissions in these countries will now be undertaken, taking into account the interests and responsibilities of the Three Governments which together presented the terms of armistice to the respective countries, and accepting as a basis, in respect of all three countries, the Soviet Government’s proposals for Hungary as annexed hereto.

Annex

Text of a letter transmitted on July 12 to the representatives of the U.S. and U.K. governments on the Allied Control Commission in Hungary

In view of the changed situation in connection with the termination of the war against Germany, the Soviet Government finds it necessary to establish the following order of work for the Allied Control Commission in Hungary.

  1. During the period up to the conclusion of peace with Hungary the President (or Vice-President) of the ACC will regularly call conferences with the British and American representatives for the purpose of discussing the most important questions relating to the work of the ACC. The conferences will be called once in 10 days, or more frequently in case of need.

    Directives of the ACC on questions of principle will be issued to the Hungarian authorities by the President of the Allied Control Commission after agreement on these directives with the English and American representatives.

  2. The British and American representatives in the ACC will take part in general conferences of heads of divisions and delegates of the ACC, convoked by the President of the ACC, which meetings will be regular in nature. The British and American representatives will also participate personally or through their representatives in appropriate instances in mixed commissions created by the President of the ACC for questions connected with the execution by the ACC of its functions.

  3. Free movement by the American and British representatives in the country will be permitted provided that the ACC is previously informed of the time and route of the journeys.

  4. All questions connected with permission for the entrance and exit of members of the staff of the British and American representatives in Hungary will be decided on the spot by the President of the ACC within a time limit of not more than one week.

  5. The bringing in and sending out by plane of mail, cargoes and diplomatic couriers will be carried out by the British and American representatives on the ACC under arrangements and within time limits established by the ACC, or in special cases by previous coordination with the President of the ACC.

    I consider it necessary to add to the above that in all other points the existing Statutes regarding the ACC in Hungary, which was confirmed on January 20, 1945, shall remain in force in the future.

XIII. Orderly transfer of German populations

The Three Governments, having considered the question in all its aspects, recognise that the transfer to Germany of German populations, or elements thereof, remaining in Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary, will have to be undertaken. They agree that any transfers that take place should be effected in an orderly and humane manner.

Since the influx of a large number of Germans into Germany would increase the burden already resting on the occupying authorities, they consider that the Allied Control Council in Germany should in the first instance examine the problem, with special regard to the question of the equitable distribution of these Germans among the several zones of occupation. They are accordingly instructing their respective representatives on the Control Council to report to their Governments as soon as possible the extent to which such persons have already entered Germany from Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary, and to submit an estimate of the time and rate at which further transfers could be carried out having regard to the present situation in Germany.

The Czechoslovak Government, the Polish Provisional Government and the Control Council in Hungary are at the same time being informed of the above and are being requested meanwhile to suspend further expulsions pending an examination by the Governments concerned of the report from their representatives on the Control Council.

XIV. Oil equipment in Rumania

The Conference agreed to set up two bilateral commissions of experts, one to be composed of United Kingdom and Soviet Members, and one to be composed of United States and Soviet members, to investigate the facts and examine the documents, as a basis for the settlement of questions arising from the removal of oil equipment from Rumania. It was further agreed that these experts shall begin their work within ten days, on the spot.

XV. Iran

It was agreed that Allied troops should be withdrawn immediately from Tehran, and that further stages of the withdrawal of troops from Iran should be considered at the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers to be held in London in September, 1945.

XVI. The Interna[t]ional Zone of Tangier

A proposal by the Soviet Government was examined and the following decisions were reached.
Having examined the question of the Zone of Tangier, the three Governments have agreed that this Zone, which includes the city of Tangier and the area adjacent to it, in view of its special strategic importance shall remain international.

The question of Tangier will be discussed in the near future at a meeting in Paris of representatives of the Governments of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United States of America, the United Kin[g]dom and France.

XVII. The Black Sea Straits

The three Governments recognised the need for revision of the Convention on the Straits concluded at Montreux as failing to meet present-day conditions.

It was agreed that as the next step the matter should be the subject of direct conversations between each of the three Governments and the Turkish Government.

XVIII. International inland waterways

The Conference considered a proposal of the U.S. Delegation on this subject and agreed to refer it for consideration to the forthcoming meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers in London.

XIX. European inland transport conference

The British and U.S. Delegations to the Conference informed the Soviet Delegation of the desire of the British and U.S. Governments to reconvene the European Inland Transport Conference and stated that they would welcome assurance that the Soviet Government would participate in the work of the reconvened conference. The Soviet Government agreed that it would participate in this conference.

XX. Directives to military commanders on Allied Control Council for Germany

The three Governments agreed that each would send a directive to its representative on the Control Council for Germany informing him of all decisions of the Conference affecting matters within the scope of his duties.

XXI. Use of Allied property for satellite reparations or “war trophies”

The proposal presented by the U.S. Delegation was accepted in principle by the Conference, but the drafting of an agreement on the matter was left to be worked out through diplomatic channels.

530

Log of the President’s Trip to the Berlin Conference

Wednesday, August 1:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The President spent the forenoon working on his mail and studying reports on subjects due to come up for discussion in the afternoon session of the conference.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1445: The President left the Little White House for Cecilienhof, where he arrived at 1455. Shortly after his arrival at the Palace, the President and other members of the Big Three, together with their Foreign Secretaries and Admiral Leahy, posed for newsreel and still pictures.

1530: The twelfth meeting of the Big Three was convened. The meeting adjourned at 1750, when it was announced that a final session had been called for 2100 tonight.

The President left Cecilienhof at 1800 and returned to the Little White House.

1900: Captain Ross and First Lieutenant McDonald were dinner guests at the Little White House this evening.

2145: The President and party left the Little White House for Cecilienhof. The 2100 meeting was delayed until 2200 to permit the various delegations more time to complete drafts of the communiqué to be considered at tonight’s meeting of the conference. The President and Secretary Byrnes arrived at Cecilienhof at 2155 and devoted the next 30 minutes to the study of our proposed draft of the conference communiqué.

2230: The thirteenth meeting of the Berlin Conference convened. This session was devoted almost entirely to the study of, and approval of, the final tripartite communiqué. The communiqué was agreed on shortly after midnight. Release time was agreed for 1730 (local time) tomorrow in Washington and concurrently in London and Moscow. A copy of the communiqué is appended hereto. At 0030 (August 2, 1945) the Berlin Conference formally adjourned. The delegates spent the next few minutes saying goodbyes. The President and his party then, at 0040, left the Palace to return to the Little White House.

531

The Syonan Shimbun (August 2, 1945)

Potsdam confab issues most complicated

LISBON (Domei, August 1) – With the issuance of the final communiqué on the Potsdam Conference expected within the next 24 hours, Sylvain Mangeot, Reuters diplomatic correspondent, today reported in a dispatch from Potsdam that the forthcoming communiqué will deal chiefly with five issues which have come to the front since the holding of the Yalta Conference in February this year.

These are briefly, firstly, the occupation and control of Germany; secondly, repatriation; thirdly, organization of future world security; fourthly, Yugoslavia; and, fifthly, Poland, he forecasts. He considered the forthcoming Potsdam communiqué as a comprehensive outline of a “three-power” policy in the first phase of European peace, as the Yalta communiqué was for the last phase of the European war.

Mangeot said the Germans are waiting with deep concern and anxiety at the expected decisions affecting the future of the Reich, the definition of the new Western boundary of Poland and also a statement of official policy regarding the fate of German nationals whose homes are in territories to be ceded by Germany to Poland.

532

L’Aube (August 2, 1945)

La conférence de Potsdam est terminée

mais le « blackout » continue

…

533

The Pittsburgh Press (August 2, 1945)

TRUMAN SAILS FOR U.S.
Big Three report due tonight

President and Byrnes guests of King George at cruiser luncheon

‘Good old ‘arry!’ Truman greeted

PLYMOUTH, England (UP) – While President Truman was being driven through Plymouth today, a man shouted: “Good old ‘arry!”

The President laughed and waved in return.

map.poland.080245.up
What Poland wants in the way of territory is shown on this map. Under a plan reportedly submitted to the Big Three conference at Potsdam by Polish Vice Premier Stanislas Mikolajczyk, Poland wants to take over all of Germany east of the Oder and Neisse Rivers. If approved, Poland’s western frontier would include all of the German provinces of Pomerania and Silesia and parts of Brandenburg, Saxony and East Prussia. Poland would also get the Danzig zone, Stettin, the great Baltic port, and the key cities of Breslau, Kuestrin and Liegnitz.

PLYMOUTH, England (UP) – President Truman sailed for home aboard the cruiser USS Augusta today after a brief state visit with King George VI aboard the British battlecruiser HMS Renown.

Mr. Truman was hurrying home to report to the nation on the Big Three conference concluded early today at Potsdam. A communiqué on the conference will be issued tonight simultaneously in Washington, London, Moscow and Berlin.

The President and his ranking advisors flew from Berlin for the historic meeting with King George. The King received Mr. Truman for luncheon aboard the HMS Renown and traveled later to the USS Augusta, where he spent half an hour. They were together two and a half hours.

The USS Augusta started pulling out of Plymouth at 3:55 p.m. (10:55 a.m. ET). King George had left the USS Augusta at 3:35 p.m.

When the King boarded the USS Augusta, the President said, “I am pleased to see you again.” King George had welcomed the President aboard the HMS Renown with “Welcome to my country, Mr. President.”

Honor Guard meets King

On the USS Augusta, a Marine Guard of Honor met the King, and a Navy band played “God Save the King” as he came aboard. Then the President and King met and talked in the admiral’s cabin in which President Roosevelt and former Prime Minister Churchill had composed the Atlantic Charter.

At the luncheon on the HMS Renown, Secretary of State James F. Byrnes, the Earl of Halifax, British Ambassador to the United States; Sir Alan Lascelles, the King’s private secretary, and Adm. Sir Ralph Leatham ate with the President and His Majesty.

Mr. Truman left Victory Wharf at Plymouth Harbor for the anchored Renown at 11:10 a.m., after motoring through the bomb ruins of Plymouth from nearby Yelverton Airport.

Six planes used

Mr. Truman and members of the American delegation arrived at Yelverton at 9:45 a.m. in six planes – three Skymasters, two Dakotas and a Flying Fortress.

A London dispatch said the President’s plane was reported to have made an emergency landing at another airport in England because of weather conditions before proceeding to Yelverton.

King George already was waiting aboard the HMS Renown to greet his luncheon guest. He had preceded the President to Plymouth by special train from London during the night.

King in full uniform

The King was in full naval uniform as an admiral of the fleet in contrast to the plain business suit worn by Mr. Truman. Because Britain is still at war, no gun salutes were fired.

Prime Minister Attlee also returned by plane from Potsdam this morning. He landed at Northhold Airdrome outside London. Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin returned later after making a sightseeing tour of Berlin.

Yelverton Airport was virtually surrounded by U.S. Secret Service Agents and British police officials in preparation for the President’s arrival.

Extensive precautions taken

The precautions to safeguard the President were so extensive that one newsman said it was “Potsdam all over again.”

Shortly after Mr. Truman’s Skymaster landed, John G. Winant, American Ambassador to Britain, and two high-ranking U.S. Army officers arrived aboard a Dakota and joined the motorcade to the harbor.

Big Three agrees on control plan

POTSDAM, Germany (UP) – A British spokesman said the Big Three agreed on the machinery for the control of Occupied Germany at the Potsdam Conference. The conference ended early today.

William Ridsdale, head of the British Foreign Office Press Section, said the Polish and Balkan questions were discussed at the meeting of the American, British and Russian leaders.

Mr. Ridsdale disclosed no details of the agreement on control of Germany and the discussion of Poland and the Balkans.

Communiqué approved

President Truman, Premier Stalin and Prime Minister Attlee, at their final meeting, approved a communiqué on the 17-day meeting in the former German Crown Prince’s Cecilienhof Palace on Wansee Lake. The communiqué will be issued in the Allied capitals within a few hours.

Although the Big Three was known to have discussed the Pacific War, it was understood the communiqué would not mention it because of Russia’s neutrality in the eastern conflict.

Mr. Truman and Mr. Attlee left Berlin in separate planes for England this morning. Stalin’s plans for departure were not disclosed.

The Big Three wound up the Potsdam conference at 12:30 a.m. in an exchange of compliments and an atmosphere of good fellowship.

Two sessions held

Two sessions were held yesterday, with the communiqué the final order of business. The first session was held in the afternoon and the second lasted from 10:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

After disposal of the main items on the agenda, Mr. Truman asked if there were further business. None developed and he adjourned the conference.

Mr. Attlee made a short speech thanking Stalin for completing preliminary physical arrangements for the conference and complimenting Mr. Truman on his conduct as chairman.

Tributes acknowledged

Both Mr. Truman and Stalin acknowledged the tributes briefly. Stalin praised the foreign secretaries and other members of the three delegations for their work. He also mentioned former Prime Minister Winston Churchill and former Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden.

Mr. Truman enlarged on Stalin’s compliments for the lesser members of the delegations, and a warm exchange of handshakes followed.

Big Three message sent to Churchill

LONDON, England (UP) – The Big Three sent a message of thanks to Winston Churchill and Anthony Eden for their contribution at Potsdam, No. 10 Downing Street announced today.

The message to Mr. Churchill said that:

President Truman, Premier Stalin and Prime Minister Attlee, assembled with the final session of the Berlin conference, desire to send a message of greetings to Mr. Winston Churchill.

They wish to thank him for all his work in the first part of the Berlin conference which helped greatly to lay the foundations of its successful conclusion.

They remember with gratitude the untiring efforts and unconquerable spirit with which at earlier conferences and throughout the war he served our common cause of victory and enduring peace. The whole world knows the greatness of his work and it will never be forgotten.

A similar message went to Mr. Eden.

534

Editorial: News blackout

The Potsdam Conference has ended as it began – in secrecy. The ban on news coverage of the negotiations exceeded all reason.

Nothing is more alarming in the post-war European trend than the continued news blackout over large areas. There is no justification for this whatever, except when military considerations are involved.

Russia is responsible. Wherever she controls there is no free flow of information. This is true not only in her own territory, but in the vast regions occupied by her armies or governed by her puppets.

Explanation is not altogether clear. The natural conclusion is that many things are occurring which Russia has reason to conceal. There is some evidence to support this in underground and indirect reports of purges, deportations and other violent measures. It is possible, however, that such reports are exaggerated, and that the main reason for the blackout is simply long Russian habit.

Whatever the explanation, this is undermining European reconstruction, Allied unity, and American confidence.

Our government is well aware of this. Therefore, for many weeks Washington has exerted continuous pressure on Moscow to live up to the Yalta agreement, under which the United State and Britain were to have equal and joint control with Russia over the liberated areas. This demand – including freedom of the press in those walled-off countries – was high on the list President Truman took to Berlin.

The Potsdam agreement, to be announced tomorrow, should be judged largely on whether it ends this vicious news blackout over most of central and eastern Europe. The small pledges and high-sounding phrases about democracy for the liberated peoples, which sugarcoated the Yalta communique, must be tested this time by facts on the spot as observed by American officials and correspondents.

535

Pre-Potsdam selling drives stocks lower

Decline irregular on increased volume

NEW YORK (UP) – Selling by cautious traders in advance of the issuance of the Potsdam conference communiqué today sent stocks down irregularly on slightly increased volume.

Traders anticipated a favorable announcement. There was talk in the Street of possible alignments that would hasten the end of the war and plunge the nation into reconversion difficulties.

In a few instances, losses ranged to more than a point. A break of more than 7 points in Standard Oil of Ohio preferred was attributed to the fact the stock has been called for redemption at a price below the current market price.

Moderate amounts of selective buying went ahead in special issues which registered gains running to 3 points in Curtis Publishing preferred. Houston Lighting & Power ran up nearly 3 to a new high. Gains of a point or more were noted in Coca-Cola, Midland Steel Products, and U.S. Smelting.

Graham-Paige led in turnover and registered a small net loss. Other auto stocks receded small fractions. Steels held steady to easier with the Crucible Steel issues off more than a point. U.S. Rubber lost more than a point.” Douglas and Bell were off more than a point each. Rails turned easy. Oils and utilities were mixed. Johns-Manville rose 2. Airlines held about steady. Liquors were irregular.

536

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (August 2, 1945)

Eliot: Russia expected to take stand on Jap war

By Maj. George Fielding Eliot

…

537

U.S. State Department (August 2, 1945)

Report on the Tripartite Conference of Berlin

[Babelsberg,] August 2, 1945

I.

On July 17, 1945, the President of the United States of America, Harry S. Truman, the Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Generalissimo J. V. Stalin, and the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston S. Churchill, together with Mr. Clement R. Attlee, met in the Tripartite Conference of Berlin. They were accompanied by the foreign secretaries of the three Governments, Mr. James F. Byrnes, Mr. V. M. Molotov, and Mr. Anthony Eden, the Chiefs of Staff, and other advisers.

There were nine meetings between July 17 and July 25. The Conference was then interrupted for two days while the results of the British general election were being declared.

On July 28 Mr. Attlee returned to the Conference as Prime Minister, accompanied by the new Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ernest Bevin. Four days of further discussion then took place. During the course of the Conference there were regular meetings of the Heads of the Three Governments accompanied by the foreign secretaries, and also of the Foreign Secretaries alone. Committees appointed by the Foreign Secretaries for preliminary consideration of questions before the Conference also met daily.

The meetings of the Conference were held at the Cecilienhof near Potsdam. The Conference ended on August 2, 1945.

Important decisions and agreements were reached. Views were exchanged on a number of other questions and consideration of these matters will be continued by the Council of Foreign Ministers established by the Conference.

President Truman, Generalissimo Stalin and Prime Minister Attlee leave this Conference, which has strengthened the ties between the three governments and extended the scope of their collaboration and understanding, with renewed confidence that their governments and peoples, together with the other United Nations, will ensure the creation of a just and enduring peace.

II. Establishment of a Council of Foreign Ministers

The Conference reached an agreement for the establishment of a Council of Foreign Ministers representing the five principal Powers to continue the necessary preparatory work for the peace settlements and to take up other matters which from time to time may be referred to the Council by agreement of the governments participating in the Council.

The text of the agreement for the establishment of the Council of Foreign Ministers is as follows:

  1. There shall be established a Council composed of the Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, China, France and the United States.

  2. (i) The Council shall normally meet in London, which shall be the permanent seat of the joint Secretariat which the Council will form. Each of the Foreign Ministers will be accompanied by a high-ranking Deputy, duly authorized to carry on the work of the Council in the absence of his Foreign Minister, and by a small staff of technical advisers.

    (ii) The first meeting of the Council shall be held in London not later than September 1st 1945. Meetings may be held by common agreement in other capitals as may be agreed from time to time.

  3. (i) As its immediate important task, the Council shall be authorized to draw up, with a view to their submission to the United Nations, treaties of peace with Italy, Rumania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Finland, and to propose settlements of territorial questions outstanding on the termination of the war in Europe. The Council shall be utilized for the preparation of a peace settlement for Germany to be accepted by the Government of Germany when a government adequate for the purpose is established.

    (ii) For the discharge of each of these tasks the Council will be composed of the Members representing those States which were signatory to the terms of surrender imposed upon the enemy State concerned. For the purposes of the peace settlement for Italy, France shall be regarded as a signatory to the terms of surrender for Italy. Other Members will be invited to participate when matters directly concerning them are under discussion.

    (iii) Other matters may from time to time be referred to the Council by agreement between the Member Governments.

  4. (i) Whenever the Council is considering a question of direct interest to a State not represented thereon, such State should be invited to send representatives to participate in the discussion and study of that question.

    (ii) The Council may adapt its procedure to the particular problem under consideration. In some cases it may hold its own preliminary discussions prior to the participation of other interested States. In other cases, the Council may convoke a formal conference of the State[s] chiefly interested in seeking a solution of the particular problem.

In accordance with the decision of the Conference the three Governments have each addressed an identical invitation to the Governments of China and France to adopt this text and to join in establishing the Council.

The establishment of the Council of Foreign Ministers for the specific purposes named in the text will be without prejudice to the agreement of the Crimea Conference that there should be periodic consultation among the Foreign Secretaries of the United States, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United Kingdom.

The Conference also considered the position of the European Advisory Commission in the light of the agreement to establish the Council of Foreign Ministers. It was noted with satisfaction that the Commission had ably discharged its principal tasks by the recommendations that it had furnished for the terms of Germany’s unconditional surrender, for the zones of occupation in Germany and Austria, and for the inter-Allied control machinery in those countries. It was felt that further work of a detailed character for the coordination of Allied policy for the control of Germany and Austria would in future fall within the competence of the Allied Control Council at Berlin and the Allied Commission at Vienna. Accordingly, it was agreed to recommend that the European Advisory Commission be dissolved.

III. Germany

The Allied armies are in occupation of the whole of Germany and the German people have begun to atone for the terrible crimes committed under the leadership of those whom, in the hour of their success, they openly approved and blindly obeyed.

Agreement has been reached at this Conference on the political and economic principles of a coordinated Allied policy toward defeated Germany during the period of Allied control.

The purpose of this agreement is to carry out the Crimea declaration on Germany. German militarism and Nazism will be extirpated and the Allies will take in agreement together, now and in the future, the other measures necessary to assure that Germany never again will threaten her neighbors or the peace of the world.

It is not the intention of the Allies to destroy or enslave the German people. It is the intention of the Allies that the German people be given the opportunity to prepare for the eventual reconstruction of their life on a democratic and peaceful basis. If their own efforts are steadily directed to this end, it will be possible for them in due course to take their place among the free and peaceful peoples of the world.

The text of the agreement is as follows:

The Political and Economic Principles to Govern the Treatment of Germany in the Initial Control Period

A. Political Principles

  1. In accordance with the Agreement on Control Machinery in Germany, supreme authority in Germany is exercised on instructions from their respective Governments, by the Commanders-in-Chief of the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the French Republic, each in his own zone of occupation, and also jointly, in matters affecting Germany as a whole, in their capacity as members of the Control Council.

  2. So far as is practicable, there shall be uniformity of treatment of the German population throughout Germany.

  3. The purposes of the occupation of Germany by which the Control Council shall be guided are:
    (i) The complete disarmament and demilitarization of Germany and the elimination or control of all German industry that could be used for military production. To these ends:

    • (a) All German land, naval and air forces, the SS, SA, SD and Gestapo, with all their organizations, staffs and institutions, including the General Staff, the Officers’ Corps, Reserve Corps, military schools, war veterans’ organizations and all other military and quasi-military organization[s], together with all clubs and associations which serve to keep alive the military tradition in Germany, shall be completely and finally abolished in such manner as permanently to prevent the revival or reorganization of German militarism and Nazism;

    • (b) All arms, ammunition and implements of war and all specialized facilities for their production shall be held at the disposal of the Allies or destroyed. The maintenance and production of all aircraft and all arms, ammunition and implements of war shall be prevented.

    (ii) To convince the German people that they have suffered a total military defeat and that they cannot escape responsibility for what they have brought upon themselves, since their own ruthless warfare and the fanatical Nazi resistance have destroyed German economy and made chaos and suffering inevitable.

    (iii) To destroy the National Socialist Party and its affiliated and supervised organizations, to dissolve all Nazi institutions, to ensure that they are not revived in any form, and to prevent all Nazi and militarist activity or propaganda.

    (iv) To prepare for the eventual reconstruction of German political life on a democratic basis and for eventual peaceful cooperation in international life by Germany.

  4. All Nazi laws which provided the basis of the Hitler regime or established discrimination on grounds of race, creed, or political opinion shall be abolished. No such discriminations, whether legal, administrative or otherwise, shall be tolerated.

  5. War criminals and those who have participated in planning or carrying out Nazi enterprises involving or resulting in atrocities or war crimes shall be arrested and brought to judgment. Nazi leaders, influential Nazi supporters and high officials of Nazi organizations and institutions and any other persons dangerous to the occupation or its objectives shall be arrested and interned.

  6. All members of the Nazi Party who have been more than nominal participants in its activities and all other persons hostile to Allied purposes shall be removed from public and semi-public office, and from positions of responsibility in important private undertakings. Such persons shall be replaced by persons who, by their political and moral qualities, are deemed capable of assisting in developing genuine democratic institutions in Germany.

  7. German education shall be so controlled as completely to eliminate Nazi and militarist doctrines and to make possible the successful development of democratic ideas.

  8. The judicial system will be reorganized in accordance with the principles of democracy, of justice under law, and of equal rights for all citizens without distinction of race, nationality or religion.

  9. The administration of affairs in Germany should be directed towards the decentralization of the political structure and the development of local responsibility. To this end:

    (i) local self-government shall be restored throughout Germany on democratic principles and in particular through elective councils as rapidly as is consistent with military security and the purposes of military occupation;

    (ii) all democratic political parties with rights of assembly and of public discussion shall be allowed and encouraged throughout Germany;

    (iii) representative and elective principles shall be introduced into regional, provincial and state (Land) administration as rapidly as may be justified by the successful application of these principles in local self-government;

    (iv) for the time being no central German government shall be established. Notwithstanding this, however, certain essential central German administrative departments, headed by State Secretaries, shall be established, particularly in the fields of finance, transport, communications, foreign trade and industry. Such departments will act under the direction of the Control Council.

  10. Subject to the necessity for maintaining military security, freedom of speech, press and religion shall be permitted, and religious institutions shall be respected. Subject likewise to the maintenance of military security, the formation of free trade unions shall be permitted.

B. Economic Principles

  1. In order to eliminate Germany’s war potential, the production of arms, ammunition and implements of war as well as all types of aircraft and sea-going ships shall be prohibited and prevented. Production of metals, chemicals, machinery and other items that are directly necessary to a war economy shall be rigidly controlled and restricted to Germany’s approved post-war peacetime needs to meet the objectives stated in Paragraph 15. Productive capacity not needed for permitted production shall be removed in accordance with the reparations plan recommended by the Allied Commission on Reparations and approved by the Governments concerned or if not removed shall be destroyed.

  2. At the earliest practicable date, the German economy shall be decentralized for the purpose of eliminating the present excessive concentration of economic power as exemplified in particular by cartels, syndicates, trusts and other monopolistic arrangements.

  3. In organizing the German economy, primary emphasis shall be given to the development of agriculture and peaceful domestic industries.

  4. During the period of occupation Germany shall be treated as a single economic unit. To this end common policies shall be established in regard to:
    (a) mining and industrial production and allocation;
    (b) agriculture, forestry and fishing;
    (c) wages, prices and rationing;
    (d) import and export programs for Germany as a whole;
    (e) currency and banking, central taxation and customs;
    (f) reparation and removal of industrial war potential;
    (g) transportation and communications.

    In applying these policies account shall be taken, where appropriate, of varying local conditions.

  5. Allied controls shall be imposed upon the German economy but only to the extent necessary:
    (a) to carry out programs of industrial disarmament and demilitarization, of reparations, and of approved exports and imports.

    (b) to assure the production and maintenance of goods and services required to meet the needs of the occupying forces and displaced persons in Germany and essential to maintain in Germany average living standards not exceeding the average of the standards of living of European countries. (European countries means all European countries excluding the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.)

    (c) to ensure in the manner determined by the Control Council the equitable distribution of essential commodities between the several zones so as to produce a balanced economy throughout Germany and reduce the need for imports.

    (d) to control German industry and all economic and financial international transactions, including exports and imports, with the aim of preventing Germany from developing a war potential tial and of achieving the other objectives named herein.

    (e) to control all German public or private scientific bodies, research and experimental institutions, laboratories, et cetera, connected with economic activities.

  6. In the imposition and maintenance of economic controls established by the Control Council, German administrative machinery shall be created and the German authorities shall be required to the fullest extent practicable to proclaim and assume administration of such controls. Thus it should be brought home to the German people that the responsibility for the administration of such controls and any breakdown in these controls will rest with themselves. Any German controls which may run counter to the objectives of occupation will be prohibited.

  7. Measures shall be promptly taken:
    (a) to effect essential repair of transport;
    (b) to enlarge coal production;
    (c) to maximize agricultural output; and
    (d) to effect emergency repair of housing and essential utilities.

  8. Appropriate steps shall be taken by the Control Council to exercise control and the power of disposition over German-owned external assets not already under the control of United Nations which have taken part in the war against Germany.

  9. Payment of Reparations should leave enough resources to enable the German people to subsist without external assistance. In working out the economic balance of Germany the necessary means must be provided to pay for imports approved by the Control Council in Germany. The proceeds of exports from current production and stocks shall be available in the first place for payment for such imports.

The above clause will not apply to the equipment and products referred to in paragraphs 4 (a) and 4 (b) of the Reparations Agreement.

IV. Reparations from Germany

In accordance with the Crimea decision that Germany be compelled to compensate to the greatest possible extent for the loss and suffering that she has caused to the United Nations and for which the German people cannot escape responsibility, the following agreement on reparations was reached:

  1. Reparation claims of the USSR shall be met by removals from the zone of Germany occupied by the USSR and from appropriate German external assets.

  2. The USSR undertakes to settle the reparation claims of Poland from its own share of reparations.

  3. The reparation claims of the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries entitled to reparations shall be met from the Western Zones and from appropriate German external assets.

  4. In addition to the reparations to be taken by the USSR from its own zone of occupation, the USSR shall receive additionally from the Western Zones:

    (a) 15 percent of such usable and complete industrial capital equipment, in the first place from the metallurgical, chemical and machine manufacturing industries, as is unnecessary for the German peace economy and should be removed from the Western Zones of Germany, in exchange for an equivalent value of food, coal, potash, zinc, timber, clay products, petroleum products, and such other commodities as may be agreed upon.

    (b) 10 percent of such industrial capital equipment as is unnecessary for the German peace economy and should be removed from the Western Zones, to be transferred to the Soviet Government on reparations account without payment or exchange of any kind in return.

    Removals of equipment as provided in (a) and (b) above shall be made simultaneously.

  5. The amount of equipment to be removed from the Western Zones on account of reparations must be determined within six months from now at the latest.

  6. Removals of industrial capital equipment shall begin as soon as possible and shall be completed within two years from the determination specified in paragraph 5. The delivery of products covered by 4 (a) above shall begin as soon as possible and shall be made by the USSR in agreed installments within five years of the date hereof. The determination of the amount and character of the industrial capital equipment unnecessary for the German peace economy and therefore available for reparations shall be made by the Control Council under policies fixed by the Allied Commission on Reparations, with the participation of France, subject to the final approval of the Zone Commander in the Zone from which the equipment is to be removed.

  7. Prior to the fixing of the total amount of equipment subject to removal, advance deliveries shall be made in respect of such equipment as will be determined to be eligible for delivery in accordance with the procedure set forth in the last sentence of paragraph 6.

  8. The Soviet Government renounces all claims in respect of reparations to shares of German enterprises which are located in the Western Zones of occupation in3 Germany as well as to German foreign assets in all countries except those specified in paragraph 9 below.

  9. The Governments of the U.K. and the USA renounce their claims in respect of reparations to shares of German enterprises which are located in the Eastern Zone of occupation in Germany, as well as to German foreign assets in Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Rumania and Eastern Austria.

  10. The Soviet Government makes no claims to gold captured by the Allied troops in Germany.

V. Disposal of the German Navy and Merchant Marine

The Conference agreed in principle upon arrangements for the use and disposal of the surrendered German fleet and merchant ships. It was decided that the Three Governments would appoint experts to work out together detailed plans to give effect to the agreed principles. A further joint statement will be published simultaneously by the Three Governments in due course.

VI. City of Koenigsberg and the adjacent area

The Conference examined a proposal by the Soviet Government that pending the final determination of territorial questions at the peace settlement, the section of the western frontier of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics which is adjacent to the Baltic Sea should pass from a point on the eastern shore of the Bay of Danzig to the east, north of Braunsberg-Goldap, to the meeting point of the frontiers of Lithuania, the Polish Republic and East Prussia.

The Conference has agreed in principle to the proposal of the Soviet Government concerning the ultimate transfer to the Soviet Union of the City of Koenigsberg and the area adjacent to it as described above subject to expert examination of the actual frontier.

The President of the United States and the British Prime Minister have declared that they will support the proposal of the Conference at the forthcoming peace settlement.

VII. War criminals

The Three Governments have taken note of the discussions which have been proceeding in recent weeks in London between British, United States, Soviet and French representatives with a view to reaching agreement on the methods of trial of those major war criminals whose crimes under the Moscow Declaration of October 1943 have no particular geographical localization. The Three Governments reaffirm their intention to bring those criminals to swift and sure justice. They hope that the negotiations in London will result in speedy agreement being reached for this purpose, and they regard it as a matter of great importance that the trial of those major criminals should begin at the earliest possible date. The first list of defendants will be published before September 1.

538

VIII. Austria

The Conference examined a proposal by the Soviet Government on the extension of the authority of the Austrian Provisional Government to all of Austria.

The three Governments agreed that they were prepared to examine this question after the entry of the British and American forces into the city of Vienna.

IX. Poland

The Conference considered questions relating to the Polish Provisional Government and the western boundary of Poland.

On the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity, they defined their attitude in the following statement:

A-- We have taken note with pleasure of the agreement reached among representative Poles from Poland and abroad which has made possible the formation, in accordance with the decisions reached at the Crimea Conference, of a Polish Provisional Government of National Unity recognized by the Three Powers. The establishment by the British and United States Governments of diplomatic relations with the Polish Provisional Government has resulted in the withdrawal of their recognition from the former Polish Government in London, which no longer exists.

The British and United States Governments have taken measures to protect the interest of the Polish Provisional Government as the recognized government of the Polish State in the property belonging to the Polish State located in their territories and under their control, whatever the form of this property may be. They have further taken measures to prevent alienation to third parties of such property. All proper facilities will be given to the Polish Provisional Government for the exercise of the ordinary legal remedies for the recovery of any property belonging to the Polish State which may have been wrongfully alienated.

The three Powers are anxious to assist the Polish Provisional Government in facilitating the return to Poland as soon as practicable of all Poles abroad who wish to go, including members of the Polish Armed Forces and the Merchant Marine. They expect that those Poles who return home shall be accorded personal and property rights on the same basis as all Polish citizens.

The three Powers note that the Polish Provisional Government in accordance with the decisions of the Crimea Conference has agreed to the holding of free and unfettered elections as soon as possible on the basis of universal suffrage and secret ballot in which all democratic and anti-Nazi parties shall have the right to take part and to put forward candidates, and that representatives of the Allied press shall enjoy full freedom to report to the world upon developments in Poland before and during the elections.

B-- The following agreement was reached on the western frontier of Poland:

In conformity with the agreement on Poland reached at the Crimea Conference the three Heads of Government have sought the opinion of the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity in regard to the accession of territory in the north and west which Poland should receive. The President of the National Council of Poland and members of the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity have been received at the Conference and have fully presented their views. The three Heads of Government reaffirm their opinion that the final delimitation of the western frontier of Poland should await the peace settlement.

The three Heads of Government agree that, pending the final determination of Poland’s western frontier, the former German territories east of a line running from the Baltic Sea immediately west of Swinemunde, and thence along the Oder River to the confluence of the western Neisse River and along the western Neisse to the Czechoslovak frontier, including that portion of East Prussia not placed under the administration of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in accordance with the understanding reached at this conference and including the area of the former free city of Danzig, shall be under the administration of the Polish State and for such purposes should not be considered as part of the Soviet zone of occupation in Germany.

X. Conclusion of peace treaties and admission to the United Nations Organization

The Conference agreed upon the following statement of common policy for establishing, as soon as possible, the conditions of lasting peace after victory in Europe:

The Three Governments consider it desirable that the present anomalous position of Italy, Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary and Rumania should be terminated by the conclusion of Peace Treaties. They trust that the other interested Allied Governments will share these views.

For their part the Three Governments have included the preparation of a Peace Treaty for Italy as the first among the immediate important tasks to be undertaken by the new Council of Foreign Ministers. Italy was the first of the Axis Powers to break with Germany, to whose defeat she has made a material contribution, and has now joined with the Allies in the struggle against Japan. Italy has freed herself from the Fascist regime and is making good progress towards the reestablishment of a democratic government and institutions. The conclusion of such a Peace Treaty with a recognized and democratic Italian Government will make it possible for the Three Governments to fulfill their desire to support an application from Italy for membership of The United Nations.

The Three Governments have also charged the Council of Foreign Ministers with the task of preparing Peace Treaties for Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary and Rumania. The conclusion of Peace Treaties with recognized democratic Governments in these States will also enable the three Governments to support applications from them for membership of the United Nations. The three Governments agree to examine each separately in the near future, in the light of the conditions then prevailing, the establishment of diplomatic relations with Finland, Rumania, Bulgaria, and Hungary to the extent possible prior to the conclusion of peace treaties with those countries.

The three Governments have no doubt that in view of the changed conditions resulting from the termination of the war in Europe, representatives of the Allied press will enjoy full freedom to report to the world upon developments in Rumania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Finland.

As regards the admission of other states into the United Nations Organization, Article 4 of the Charter of the United Nations declares that:

  1. Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving States who accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgment of the organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations;

  2. the admission of any such State to membership in the United Nations will be effected by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.

The Three Governments, so far as they are concerned, will support applications for membership from those States which have remained neutral during the war and which fulfill the qualifications set out above.

The Three Governments feel bound however to make it clear that they for their part would not favor any application for membership put forward by the present Spanish Government, which, having been founded with the support of the Axis Powers, does not, in view of its origins, its nature, its record and its close association with the aggressor States, possess the qualifications necessary to justify such membership.

XI. Territorial trusteeships

The Conference examined a proposal by the Soviet Government concerning trusteeship territories as defined in the decision of the Crimea Conference and in the Charter of the United Nations Organization.
After an exchange of views on this question it was decided that the disposition of any former Italian territories was one to be decided in connection with the preparation of a peace treaty for Italy and that the question of Italian territory would be considered by the September Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

XII. Revised Allied Control Commission procedure in Rumania, Bulgaria, and Hungary

The Three Governments took note that the Soviet Representatives on the Allied Control Commissions in Rumania, Bulgaria and Hungary, have communicated to their United Kingdom and United States colleagues proposals for improving the work of the Control Commission, now that hostilities in Europe have ceased.

The Three Governments agreed that the revision of the procedures of the Allied Control Commissions in these countries would now be undertaken, taking into account the interests and responsibilities of the Three Governments which together presented the terms of armistice to the respective countries, and accepting as a basis the agreed proposals.

XIII. Orderly transfers of German populations

The Conference reached the following agreement on the removal of Germans from Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary:

The Three Governments, having considered the question in all its aspects, recognize that the transfer to Germany of German populations, or elements thereof, remaining in Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary, will have to be undertaken. They agree that any transfers that take place should be effected in an orderly and humane manner.

Since the influx of a large number of Germans into Germany would increase the burden already resting on the occupying authorities, they consider that the Allied Control Council in Germany should in the first instance examine the problem with special regard to the question of the equitable distribution of these Germans among the several zones of occupation. They are accordingly instructing their respective representatives on the Control Council to report to their Governments as soon as possible the extent to which such persons have already entered Germany from Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary, and to submit an estimate of the time and rate at which further transfers could be carried out, having regard to the present situation in Germany.

The Czechoslovak Government, the Polish Provisional Government and the Control Council in Hungary are at the same time being informed of the above, and are being requested meanwhile to suspend further expulsions pending the examination by the Governments concerned of the report from their representatives on the Control Council.

XIV. Military talks

During the Conference there were meetings between the Chiefs of Staff of the three Governments on military matters of common interest.

Approved:
J. V. STALIN
HARRY S. TRUMAN
C. R. ATTLEE

List of delegations

For the United States

  • The President:
    Harry S. Truman

  • The Secretary of State:
    James F. Byrnes

  • Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, USN, Chief of Staff to the President

  • Joseph E. Davies, Special Ambassador

  • Edwin Pauley, Special Ambassador

  • W. Averell Harriman, Ambassador to the USSR

  • General of the Army, George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff, United States Army

  • Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King, USN, Chief of Naval Operations and Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet

  • General of the Army, H. H. Arnold, U.S. Army Air Forces

  • Lieutenant General Brehon B. Somervell, Commanding General, Army Service Forces

  • Vice Admiral Emory S. Land, War Shipping Administrator

  • William L. Clayton, Assistant Secretary of State

  • James C. Dunn, Assistant Secretary of State

  • Ben Cohen, Special Assistant to the Secretary of State

  • H. Freeman Matthews, Director of European Affairs, Department of State

  • Charles E. Bohlen, Assistant to the Secretary,

  • (together with political, military and technical advisers).

For the United Kingdom

  • The Prime Minister:
    Mr. Winston S. Churchill, MP
    Mr. C. R. Attlee, MP

  • The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs:
    Mr. Anthony Eden, MP
    Mr. Ernest Bevin, MP

  • Lord Leathers, Minister of War Transport

  • Sir Alexander Cadogan, Permanent Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs

  • Sir Archibald Clark Kerr, H.M. Ambassador at Moscow

  • Sir Walter Monckton, Head of the U.K. Delegation to Moscow Reparations Commission

  • Sir William Strang, Political Adviser to the Commander-in-Chief, British Zone in Germany

  • Sir Edward Bridges, Secretary of the Cabinet

  • Field Marshal Sir Alan Brooke, Chief of the Imperial General Staff

  • Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Sir Charles Portal, Chief of the Air Staff

  • Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham, First Sea Lord

  • General Sir Hastings Ismay, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence

  • Field Marshal Sir Harold Alexander, Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theatre

  • Field Marshal Sir Henry Maitland Wilson, Head of the British Joint Staff Mission at Washington

  • and other advisers

[For the Soviet Union]

  • [The Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars:
    J. V. Stalin

  • People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs:
    V. M. Molotov

  • Fleet Admiral N. G. Kuznetsov, People’s Commissar, the Naval Fleet of the USSR

  • A. I. Antonov, Chief of Staff of the Red Army

  • A. Ya Vyshinski, Deputy People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs

  • S. I. Kavtaradze, Assistant People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs

  • I. M. Maisky, Assistant People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs

  • Admiral S. G. Kucherov, Chief of Staff of the Naval Fleet

  • F. T. Gusev, Ambassador of the Soviet Union in Great Britain

  • A. A. Gromyko, Ambassador of the Soviet Union in the United States of America

  • K. V. Novikov, Member of the Collegium of the Commissariat for Foreign Affairs, Director of the Second European Division

  • S. K. Tsarapkin, Member of the Collegium of the Commissariat for Foreign Affairs, Director of the United States Division

  • S. P. Kozyrev, Director of the First European Division of the Commissariat for Foreign Affairs

  • A. A. Lavrishchev, Director of the Division of Balkan Countries, Commissariat for Foreign Affairs

  • A. A. Sobolev, Chief of the Political Section of the Soviet Military Administration in Germany

  • I. [M.] Z. Saburov, Assistant to the Chief of the Soviet Military Administration in Germany

  • A. [S.] A. Golunsky, Expert consultant of the Commissariat for Foreign Affairs

  • and also political, military, and technical assistants.]

539

Log of the President’s Trip to the Berlin Conference

Thursday, August 2:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The President and his party left the Little White House at 0715 by motor car for Gatow Airfield. We arrived at the airfield at 0740. All hands immediately embarked in their respective planes. Ambassador Harriman and General Parks were among those on hand to see the President off. By special request of the President, no honors were rendered him at the airport.

At 0755 Plane No. 2 (a C-54, Major Jesse Hayes pilot) departed for St. Mawgan Airport in Southwest England. The principal passenger was Secretary Byrnes. With him were: Mr. Ross, Mr. Matthews, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Russell, Mr. Brown, Lt-Colonel McIntire, Major Mitchell, Lt. Elsey, Lt. Edelstein, Captain Graham, Lt. Rigdon, CWO Stoner, CWO Caldwell, Sgt. Philler, Agents Holmes, Haman, Campion, Waters, Spicer, Kearney and Gilliam, and Mr. Romagna.

Plane No. 1 (a C-54, Lt-Col. H. T. Myers pilot) departed Gatow at 0805 for St. Mawgan. Passengers were: The President, Admiral Leahy, Judge Rosenman, General Vaughan, Captain McMahon, Mr. Maloney, Mr. Drescher and Mr. Hipsley.

0815: Plane No. 3 (C-54) with all other members of our party departed Gatow for England. Lieut. McCarthy returned to Plymouth with us in this plane.

Our route from Gatow was via Magdeburg, Kassel, Brussels, Cape Gris Nez, Newhaven, over the Isle of Wight and Portland.…

Our plans to land at St. Mawgan, where an official welcoming committee (including Ambassador Winant and Admirals Stark and McCann and General Lee and British civic officials) awaited us, were thwarted by the weather. When our planes were over Harrowbeer – about 10 miles outside Plymouth – we received word that the airport at St. Mawgan was closed at the moment because of fog. Observing that Harrowbeer was clear, the President decided to take no chance on the weather and instructed his pilot to set his plane down there. Plane No. 1 landed at Harrowbeer at 0940. Planes No. 2 and No. 3 followed in shortly afterwards in that order. (Distance traveled, Berlin to Harrowbeer, approximately 800 miles.)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Transportation was soon assembled and the President left Harrowbeer at approximately 1020 for the drive to Plymouth.…

The President arrived at Mill Dock, Plymouth, at 1105. He was met here by Admiral Sir John [Ralph] Leatham, Commander in Chief, Plymouth. The President, Secretary Byrnes, Admiral Leahy and Admiral Leatham embarked in Admiral Leatham’s barge and left immediately for the Augusta, then at anchor in Plymouth Roads. They arrived on board the Augusta at 1120.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

At 1131 Ambassador Winant, Admiral Stark, General Lee and Admiral McCann arrived on board the Augusta and called on the President. They had been at St. Mawgan awaiting us, but on learning of the President’s landing at Harrowbeer, had hurried on to Plymouth.

The British battle cruiser Renown and the USS Philadelphia were at anchor in Plymouth Roads with the Augusta. King George VI was in the Renown. He had come down from London by train this forenoon especially to welcome the President to England.

At 1235 the President, Secretary Byrnes and Admiral Leahy left the Augusta for the Renown to call upon the King. They lunched with the King on board the Renown. Other guests were Lord [Sir Alan] Lascelles, Viscount [the Earl of] Halifax, Admiral Leatham and Captain Campbell.…

1400: Lieut. McCarthy was dispatched to Washington via air with White House mail.

At 1504, King George VI, accompanied by the Earl of Halifax, Sir Alan Lascelles, Admiral Leatham and Captain Campbell, came on board the Augusta to call on the President.…

The King was greeted on the quarterdeck by the President, Secretary Byrnes, Admiral Leahy and Captain Foskett. He inspected the Marine Guard and made a brief tour of inspection of personnel on the weather decks forward. The party then retired to the President’s cabin.

The visit concluded, the King and his party left the ship at 1534, at which time full honors were again rendered. After the King had left the Augusta the British White Ensign was hauled down.

The Augusta got underway at 1549 and stood out of the harbor. The Philadelphia got underway at 1555 and followed in column astern.…

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The President met with the members of the press (White House Correspondents Smith, Nixon, Vacarro and Beatty) shortly after our clearing the harbor and discussed the conference with them.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

540

The Syonan Shimbun (August 3, 1945)

Potsdam parties issue 7,000-word report

LISBON (Domei, Aug. 2) – A 7,000-word report was issued by the conferees on the conclusion of the Potsdam Conference which came to a formal end at half an hour past midnight last night after a session lasting a fortnight, according to a Berlin dispatch.

A communique, which was simultaneously released in London, Washington, Moscow and Berlin, announced agreed plans for the complete and final destruction of the Nazi creed, the German general staff and the entire range of Germany’s war-manufacturing potential.

It also announced the formation of a Council of Foreign Ministers of Britain, Russia, Chungking, France and the United States, with a permanent secretariat in London, to prepare peace treaties with Italy and other former Axis countries, and plan further settlement with Germany.

The communique disclosed that Poland’s future frontiers will await peace settlement and in the meantime Poland will administer territory east of the river Oder and Nisse.

The report offers membership of the United Nations to qualified neutral countries with the sole specific exception of the Spanish government, which it says lacks the necessary qualification owing to its previous association with Germany.

No mention of the Far East was made in the communique.