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J. 333305-M O N -State
Galley 292
UNCORRECTED GALLEY PROOF
responsibilities in connection with the maintenance of peace. The
vital interest of France in the solution of the German problem and
the importance of the part she should and will inevitably play in
maintaining the future peace in Europe were publicly acknowledged
by this Government on November 11, 1944 when France was invited
to accept full membership in the European Advisory Commission.
It
is recognized that the French Provisional Government and the
French people are at present unduly preoccupied, as a result of the
military defeat of 1940 and the subsequent occupation of their country
by the enemy, with questions of national prestige. They have
consequently from time to time put forward requests which are out
of all proportion to their present strength. It is believed that it is
in the interest of the United States to take full account of this psy-
chological factor in the French mind and to treat France in all respects
on the basis of her potential power and influence rather than on the
basis of her present strength.
(2) Zone of Occupation in Germany
The United States, United Kingdom, and the U. S. S. R. have
agreed that any nation which takes part in military operations against
Germany may contribute troops for the occupation. It has been
further agreed that Great Britain shall have the right to use "auxiliary
contingents" from the other United Nations under British command.
This special provision was not to prejudge the more extensive par-
ticipation by other nations and it was clear from the outset that
France would never be satisfied with such a position. In this con-
nection Foreign Minister Bidault declared on October 16 that France
should be given a voice in deciding the methods and policies to be
followed in occupied Germany, and not merely representation in the
forces of occupation.
The French have now proposed the following in the European
Advisory Commission:¹
1 See ante, p. -
(1) French participation in the Supreme authority for Germany.
(2) French participation in signing the instrument of surrender
for Germany.
(3) Allocation to the French Army of a zone of occupation in
Germany and a part of Greater Berlin.
(4) Substitution of quadripartite for tripartite agencies in the
agreement on control machinery.
(5) Preparation of a French text of the instrument of surrender to
be equally authentic with the Russian and English texts.
These proposals have been approved in principle by the President.
So far the French have given no indication concerning the boundaries
of the zone of occupation which they would like to have, although they
have suggested that they would be satisfied with a small zone at the
outset with provision for increasing its size at a later date. It is likely
that they will eventually ask for the entire area bounded by the west
bank of the Rhine. If granted, long standing French ambitions in this
area may lead to more or less open efforts to favor separatism, as was
done in 1919. There is no official indication that France at this time
desires to annex German territory, and official spokesmen have made
the point that the French do not wish to take on an added problem of
assimilating large numbers of Germans. Present indications are that
French official thought now envisages at least a long military occupa-
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"ocrText": "J. 333305-M O N -State\nGalley 292\nUNCORRECTED GALLEY PROOF\nresponsibilities in connection with the maintenance of peace. The\nvital interest of France in the solution of the German problem and\nthe importance of the part she should and will inevitably play in\nmaintaining the future peace in Europe were publicly acknowledged\nby this Government on November 11, 1944 when France was invited\nto accept full membership in the European Advisory Commission.\nIt\nis recognized that the French Provisional Government and the\nFrench people are at present unduly preoccupied, as a result of the\nmilitary defeat of 1940 and the subsequent occupation of their country\nby the enemy, with questions of national prestige. They have\nconsequently from time to time put forward requests which are out\nof all proportion to their present strength. It is believed that it is\nin the interest of the United States to take full account of this psy-\nchological factor in the French mind and to treat France in all respects\non the basis of her potential power and influence rather than on the\nbasis of her present strength.\n(2) Zone of Occupation in Germany\nThe United States, United Kingdom, and the U. S. S. R. have\nagreed that any nation which takes part in military operations against\nGermany may contribute troops for the occupation. It has been\nfurther agreed that Great Britain shall have the right to use \"auxiliary\ncontingents\" from the other United Nations under British command.\nThis special provision was not to prejudge the more extensive par-\nticipation by other nations and it was clear from the outset that\nFrance would never be satisfied with such a position. In this con-\nnection Foreign Minister Bidault declared on October 16 that France\nshould be given a voice in deciding the methods and policies to be\nfollowed in occupied Germany, and not merely representation in the\nforces of occupation.\nThe French have now proposed the following in the European\nAdvisory Commission:¹\n1 See ante, p. -\n(1) French participation in the Supreme authority for Germany.\n(2) French participation in signing the instrument of surrender\nfor Germany.\n(3) Allocation to the French Army of a zone of occupation in\nGermany and a part of Greater Berlin.\n(4) Substitution of quadripartite for tripartite agencies in the\nagreement on control machinery.\n(5) Preparation of a French text of the instrument of surrender to\nbe equally authentic with the Russian and English texts.\nThese proposals have been approved in principle by the President.\nSo far the French have given no indication concerning the boundaries\nof the zone of occupation which they would like to have, although they\nhave suggested that they would be satisfied with a small zone at the\noutset with provision for increasing its size at a later date. It is likely\nthat they will eventually ask for the entire area bounded by the west\nbank of the Rhine. If granted, long standing French ambitions in this\narea may lead to more or less open efforts to favor separatism, as was\ndone in 1919. There is no official indication that France at this time\ndesires to annex German territory, and official spokesmen have made\nthe point that the French do not wish to take on an added problem of\nassimilating large numbers of Germans. Present indications are that\nFrench official thought now envisages at least a long military occupa-"
}