Ask the Scholar

{
    "localId": "245256643",
    "label": "Memorandum from Rear Admiral R. H. Hillenkoetter to President Harry S. Truman, with Related Material",
    "core": "doc",
    "dtoType": "document",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/245256643"
}

{
    "id": "245256643",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/245256643",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Memorandum from Rear Admiral R. H. Hillenkoetter to President Harry S. Truman, with Related Material",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/245256643",
    "collections": [
        "President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)",
        "Intelligence Files"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875429/875429-026-001.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875429/875429-026-001.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875429/875429-026-001.jpg",
    "imageCount": 5,
    "hasImages": true,
    "source": "import",
    "hasTranscription": false
}

{
    "url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/245256643",
    "naId": 245256643,
    "levelOfDescription": "item",
    "productionDates": [
        {
            "day": 16,
            "logicalDate": "1948-03-16",
            "month": 3,
            "year": 1948
        }
    ],
    "recordType": "description",
    "ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}

{
    "seq": 3,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875429/875429-026-003.jpg",
    "mediaId": "a0daa3fc9c2ea32b",
    "ocrText": "ER 8564\nSECRET\nCENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY\nWASHINGTON 25, D. C.\n16 March 1948\nMEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT\nUnder date of 22 December 1947, CIA reported that there was a\npossibility of steps being taken in Berlin by the Soviet authorities\nto force the other occupying powers to remove from Berlin. Delay in\nthe formation of a separate Eastern German Government and in Soviet\nattempts to force the Western Powers from Berlin has probably been\ncaused in large measure by the firm attitude of US officials in\nBerlin. While no further reports have been received indicating that\nthe USSR has decided to force the Western Powers from Berlin, the\nrecent US, UK, France, Benelux discussions in London concerning the\nformation of a West German State to be included in a Western European\nUnion invite some form of Soviet response stronger than the mere\nprotests received so far.\nSoviet response will be timed to follow overt allied implementa-\ntion of the London decisions, and will consist of the announcement of\nplans, such as a plebiscite, for an Eastern Zone \"all German state\",\nclaiming to represent the whole German people. Announcement of such\nplans would be followed by an intensified Soviet campaign to oust the\nWestern Powers from Berlin. The most urgent dangers are: (1)\n\"incidents\" arising from the presence in Berlin of young, undisciplined\ntroops; (2) aggravation of the situation by such German malcontents as\nwant an East-West war; (3) any tendency towards war hysteria or lack\nof firmness and patience on the part of US officials in Berlin.\nR. H. Hillenkoetter\nRear Admiral, USN\nDirector of Central Intelligence\nEncl:\nCopy, Memo for President,\n12/22/47\nTRUNAR\nthe\nDECLASSIFIED\na ways\nSERVICE\"\nAuthority\nNLT-\nthe\n77-79\nBy WC NLT Date 1.34.79\nSECRET"
}