Memorandum of Telephone Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson and General Omar Bradley

NLT P21 44 TOP SECRET 345 December 6, 1950 The Secretary telephoned General Bradley at 1:45 to get his concurrence or non-currence that the line which the Secretary proposed to take at the 3:30 meeting with the British this afternoon was in accordance with the views of the JCS, at which meeting the question of European defense would come up. The Secretary said that, as the General would remember, we had had a telegram from Ambassador Bruce, asking that we send, in a telegram, the text of a letter which could go from the Secretary to Schuman, which the latter could use in the French Cabinet meeting which had been scheduled for 2:30 today. The letter would say that if the French would agree to separating the question of now raising German contingents from the long-range problems of European army and political integration, and not make the latter a condition of the first, we would help them on the long-range matters. The British asked us to hold this up for 24 hours, and this afternoon they are going to object. The Secretary said he thought we should take the attitude that we cannot compromise; we must get started; and we will send the telegram. This will bring up the question of the Su- preme Commander. The British will want to know what we are going to do. The Secretary asked General Bradley if his understanding was correct that the JCS were prepared to appoint the Commander TRUMAN if we could solve the problems with the French and not walt until 5° ARCHIVES RECORDS AND "NATIONAL the German contingents were raised; that we thought the Supreme SERVICE" Commander could be of use with the Germans. General Bradley replied that that was correct. Mr. Acheson had stated It more clearly than the memorandum, but it had been their view all along that we were ready to appoint a Supreme Commander If we got together on the principle of German participation, General Bradley said it was hia under- standing that Secretaries Acheson and Marshall had agreed that the Supreme Commander should wait untll the German DECLASSIFIED STATE DEPT. MCHO A.1.14 Project NLT f2-4 TOP SECREL By NLT- He NARS, Date f.11-fy