25 Telegram from Sir H. Caccia (Washington) to the Foreign Office1 Tel. No. 1960 Emergency Secret
WASHINGTON, 17 August 1961 D: 18 August 1961, 1.52 a.m. R: 18 August 1961, 2.15 a.m.
Repeated for information to Bonn, Berlin, Paris, UKDEL NATO, Moscow and Berlin. Mr Rusk summoned me and my French and German colleagues this evening to tell us that at his meeting with the President this afternoon the following action had been decided in order to reassure the West Berliners: (a) the President was sending a message to the Prime Minister and General de Gaulle suggesting that they should jointly issue a statement, the draft of which is attached to the message, reaffirming their Berlin commitments. The message to the Prime Minister is being transmitted through the United States Embassy in London. Mr Rusk hoped the Prime Minister’s reply would be available tomorrow so that the text of the tripartite statement could be finally agreed and issued as soon as possible, either tomorrow, Friday afternoon, or Saturday, (b) the United States Government have decided to reinforce their Berlin garrison by a battle group (1,500 to 1,800 men) drawn from their existing forces in Germany. It will move up the Autobahn. Mr Rusk hoped that Her Majesty’s Government and the French Government would take comparable action. I reminded Mr Rusk of the reinforcements which we had already decided to send to Berlin tomorrow night but he hoped that we would consider sending a further unit—perhaps a reinforced battalion. (c) the Vice-President, probably accompanied by General Clay, will go to Berlin this weekend to deliver personally the President’s reply to Herr Brandt’s message. The Vice-President will also pay a call on Chancellor Adenauer.
1
DBPO Ser. 3 Vol. 6 No. 302, CG 10113/40.
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