March–May 1959: Preparations for the Conference


246. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 560, CF 1235. Confidential. Drafted by McBride and approved by Herter on April 20. A summary of this conversation was transmitted to Paris in telegram 3645, March 31 at 8:23 p.m. (Ibid., Central Files, 762.00/3–3159) During the meeting Herter and Couve de Murville also discussed Spanish membership in NATO, tripartite talks, Algeria, SEATO, and East-West trade. Memoranda of these conversations are ibid., Conference Files: Lot 64 D 560, CF 1226.


247. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 560, CF 1226. Secret. Drafted by Dale and approved by Herter on April 13. Also discussed were the draft report to NATO and a U.S. high altitude flight to Berlin. Memoranda of these conversations are ibid.


248. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 560, CF 1235. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by McFarland and approved by Herter on April 15. The meeting was held at the Department of State. A summary of this conversation was transmitted to Bonn in telegram 2307, April 1. (Ibid., CF 1226)


249. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 560, CF 1235. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Lampson and approved by Herter on April 15, The meeting was held at the Department of State. A summary of this conversation was transmitted to Bonn in telegram 2297, April 1. (Ibid., CF 1226) For another account of the four Foreign Ministers discussion of the Working Group report and particularly the German position, see Grewe, Rückblenden, pp. 396–399.


250. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 560, CF 1227. Secret. Drafted by Vigderman and approved by Herter. A summary of this conversation was transmitted to Bonn in telegram 2308 at 11:31 p.m. on April 1. (Ibid., Central Files, 396.1–GE/4–159)


251. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 560, CF 1227. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by McFarland and approved by Herter on April 15. A summary of the conversation was transmitted to Bonn in telegram 2310, April 2. (Ibid., Central Files, 396.1–WA/4–259)


252. Circular Telegram From the Delegation to the North Atlantic Council Ministerial Meeting to Certain Diplomatic Missions

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–WA/4–459. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Nolting on April 3 and cleared by Timmons and Merchant. Transmitted to all NATO capitals except London, Bonn, and Paris, which were informed by separate cable on April 2. (Topol 3313 to Paris, repeated to Bonn, London, Berlin, and Moscow; ibid., 396.1–WA/4–259)


253. Circular Telegram From the Delegation to the North Atlantic Council Ministerial Meeting to Certain Embassies

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–WA/4–359. Secret; Limited Distribution. Drafted and approved by Hillenbrand and cleared by Fessenden. Sent to all NATO capitals and Berlin, Moscow, and CINCPAC POLAD.


254. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 560, CF 1238. Secret. Drafted by Hillenbrand and approved by Herter on April 13. A similar but much briefer account of this conversation is ibid., Bruce Diaries: Lot 64 D 327. A summary of the conversation was transmitted to Bonn in telegram 2345 at 4:39 p.m. on April 4. (Ibid., Central Files, 396.1–WA/4–459)


255. Paper Prepared in the Department of State

Source: Department of State, EUR/SOV Files: Lot 64 D 291, Germany. Secret. A note on the first page indicates that this paper was an agreed tripartite plan evolving from the U.S. aide-mémoire of December 11, 1958 (see Document 98), and subsequent tripartite discussions culminating in the meeting on March 31. Copies of this paper were transmitted to Bonn, London, Paris, Moscow, and Berlin on April 6 (Circular airgram CA–8581; Department of State, Central Files, 762.00/4–659) and to the White House on April 7.


256. Paper Prepared in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research

Source: Department of State, INR–NIE Files. Secret; Noforn.


257. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762.00/4–959. Secret. Transmitted in two sections and repeated to London, Paris, Bonn, and Berlin.


258. Telegram From the Mission at Berlin to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762.00/4–1059. Confidential. Also sent to Bonn and repeated to Moscow, Paris, and London.


259. Notes of Discussion

Source: Eisenhower Library, NSC Staff Records, Executive Secretary Subject Files, Berlin Contingency Planning. Top Secret. The meeting was held in the Conference Room at the White House.


260. Telegram From the Embassy in Germany to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762A.13/4–1159. Secret; Priority; Noforn. Transmitted in three sections and repeated to London, Paris, Moscow, Rome, Berlin, and Vienna.


261. Telegram From Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–GE/4–1459. Secret. Repeated to Paris, Bonn, Moscow, Berlin, and USUN.


262. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762.00/4–1559. Secret. Repeated to Berlin, Bonn, Moscow, and Paris.


263. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762.00/4–1559. Secret. Drafted by Brown and initialed by Murphy.


264. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762.00/4–1649. Secret. Drafted by Vigderman and approved by Herter on April 21.


265. Memorandum From Acting Secretary of State Murphy to President Eisenhower

[Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Administration Series. Top Secret. 3-page memorandum and 47 attached pages not declassified.]


266. Telegram From the Embassy in Germany to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762B.5411/4–1959. Secret. Drafted by Bruce and Tyler.


267. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762B.5411/4–2059. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Bonn and Berlin.


268. Memorandum of the Discussion at a Special Meeting of the National Security Council

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret. Prepared by Gleason. The time of the meeting is from the President’s Daily Appointment Book. (Ibid.) A copy of a much briefer memorandum of this discussion is in Department of State, PPS Files: Lot 67 D 548, Germany.


269. Memorandum of Conference With President Eisenhower

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Secret.


271. Report of the Four-Power Working Group

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762.00/4–2359. Secret. The complete text including the papers cited below comprise 43 pages. Only the summary is printed here. Regarding the deliberations of the Working Group, see Document 270.


272. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762.00/4–2559, Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated to Paris, Bonn, Moscow, and Berlin.


273. Telegram From the Embassy in Germany to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.62A/4–2659. Secret; Priority; Noforn. Transmitted in two sections.


275. Telegram From the Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and European Regional Organizations to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762.00/4–2859. Secret; Priority. Repeated to London, Bonn, Moscow, and Berlin and pouched to other NATO capitals.