T H I S DOCUMENT I S THE PROPERTY OP H I S BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S
GOVERNMENT)
S E C R E T
C.P.(U9)
15U
15TH J U L Y ,
COPY NO.
19U-9
CABINET
THE B E R L I N A I R L I F T
Memorandum b y t h e S e c r e t a r y o f
for Foreign Affairs
The
State
Problem.
When i t b e c a m e a p p a r e n t a t t h e r e c e n t C o n f e r e n c e o f
F o r e i g n M i n i s t e r s t h a t a l i m i t e d agreement would be concluded,
p r o v i d i n g f o r t h e m a i n t e n a n c e o f t h e New Y o r k A g r e e m e n t a n d
an improvement in t h e l a n d communications between B e r l i n and
t h e Western z o n e s , I gave c a r e f u l c o n s i d e r a t i o n t o t h e f u t u r e ^
of t h e B e r l i n a i r l i f t .
I t s e e m e d t o me t h a t i t w o u l d b e
imprudent t o l i q u i d a t e the o r g a n i s a t i o n u n t i l the s i t u a t i o n
w a s c l e a r e r a n d u n t i l we h a d a c c u m u l a t e d i n B e r l i n
sufficient
s t o c k s t o s e e u s s a f e l y over t h e w i n t e r i n t h e e v e n t of t h e
r e i m p o s i t i o n of t h e b l o c k a d e .
I calculated that for this
s t o c k s would be r e q u i r e d ( i . e . t o c o v e r
purpose five months
t h e p e r i o d f r o m 1st N o v e m b e r , 1949, t o 1st A p r i l , 1950), a n d
I i n s t r u c t e d t h e M i l i t a r y Governor t o p r e p a r e an e s t i m a t e
showing what t a r g e t f i g u r e would be r e q u i r e d f o r t h i s purpose.
G e n e r a l R o b e r t s o n r e p l i e d t h a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1,100,000 t o n s of
s t o c k s r e p r e s e n t e d about f i v e m o n t h s ' s u p p l i e s f o r t h e c i t y of
Berlin.
I accordingly approached the United States Secretary
o f S t a t e a n d s e c u r e d h i s a g r e e m e n t t o t h e c o n t i n u a n c e of t h e
a i r l i f t on a s u f f i c i e n t s c a l e t o e n s u r e s t o c k p i l i n g of 1,100,000
t o n s of s u p p l i e s i n B e r l i n b e f o r e 1st November.
I t was
e s t i m a t e d a t t h e t i m e t h a t a n a i r l i f t o f a b o u t 50 p e r c e n t o f
t h e maximum c a p a c i t y w o u l d b e s u f f i c i e n t t o a t t a i n o u r e n d s ,
b u t a f t e r f u r t h e r d i s c u s s i o n i t was f e l t t h a t i t would be more
p r a c t i c a l and more economical i n t h e long run t o t a k e advantage
o f t h e f i n e summer w e a t h e r t o m a i n t a i n a maximum a i r l i f t a n d s o
t o b r i n g s t o c k s up t o t h e r e q u i r e d l e v e l b e f o r e t h e t a r g e t d a t e
of 1st November,
In accordance w i t h t h i s p o l i c y t h e
airlift
h a s b e e n i m p o r t i n g a b o u t 8,000 t o n s a day i n t o B e r l i n d u r i n g t h e
l a s t month, and s t o c k s have a l r e a d y r i s e n t o a p p r o x i m a t e l y
1
600,000
tons.
2.
I n t h e s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s t h e B r i t i s h and U n i t e d S t a t e s
M i l i t a r y G o v e r n o r s have r e v i e w e d t h e s i t u a t i o n , and I a n n e x
t h r e e t e l e g r a m s f r o m G e n e r a l R o b e r t s o n , i n w h i c h he e s t i m a t e s
t h a t t h e t a r g e t stock p i l e w i l l be b u i l t up w i t h i n a p p r o x i m a t e l y
35 d a y s , a n d r e c o m m e n d s t h a t i m m e d i a t e o r d e r s s h o u l d b e g i v e n
f o r t h e r e d u c t i o n of t h e a i r l i f t b y p h a s e s , and t h e r e - d e p l o y m e n t
o f t h e a i r f o r c e s on a p r o p o r t i o n a t e b a s i s .
He a l s o r e c o m m e n d s ,
t h a t two T r o o p C a r r i e r Groups of t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s A i r F o r c e ,
a n d t w o H e a v y T r a n s p o r t S q u a d r o n s o f t h e R. A . F . , s h o u l d r e m a i n
i n Germany, and t h a t t h e U n i t e d Kingdom and U n i t e d S t a t e s
Governments should t a k e s t e p s t o ensure t h a t the a i r l i f t can be
b u i l t up a g a i n so as t o a t t a i n t h e f u l l s c a l e w i t h i n a p e r i o d
o f 90 d a y s .
To t h i s e n d e a c h A i r F o r c e i n Germany s h o u l d
ensure that i n s t a l l a t i o n s within i t s control are maintained
s u f f i c i e n t l y t o e n s u r e t h a t t h e a i r l i f t c a n be b u i l t up a g a i n
within this period.
Recommendation.
3*
that
The
his
I recommend t h a t G e n e r a l
proposals are approved.
Robertson
should be
informed
Considerations.
k*
As G e n e r a l R o b e r t s o n p o i n t s o u t , t h e r e i s a l i m i t
t o t h e amount which can p h y s i c a l l y o r e c o n o m i c a l l y b e s t o c k e d
in Berlin.
I regard a five months' stock a s i s a t i s f a c t o r y
f o r o u r p u r p o s e s , on t h e a s s u m p t i o n t h a t s t o c k s a r e w e l l ­
balanced.
The e x i s t e n c e of s u c h s t o c k s i n B e r l i n w i l l n o t
only tend to discourage t h e Russians from i n t e r f e r i n g w i t h
our communications,, but i t w i l l g i v e t h e i n h a b i t a n t s of B e r l i n
a sense of s e c u r i t y and w i l l enable us t o p r e p a r e in good time
f o r t h e r e s u m p t i o n of t h e a i r l i f t i n t h e u n l i k e l y e v e n t of t h e
r e i m p o s i t i o n of t h e b l o c k a d e .
On t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e c o n ­
tinuance^ of t h e a i r l i f t f o r a day l o n g e r t h a n i s n e c e s s a r y
could not be j u s t i f i e d .
Not o n l y d o e s i t impose a s e r i o u s
f i n a n c i a l a n d e c o n o m i c b u r d e n on t h i s c o u n t r y a n d t i e u p a
l a r g e p r o p o r t i o n of o u r c a r r y i n g c a p a c i t y , b u t a l s o i t
increases
c o n s i d e r a b l y t h e f i n a n c i a l a n d e c o n o m i c d i f f i c u l t i e s of t h e
German a d m i n i s t r a t i o n s b o t h i n B e r l i n a n d t h e W e s t e r n z o n e s ,
p a r t i c u l a r l y as r e g a r d s r e q u i s i t i o n i n g of s e r v i c e s , b i l l e t s ,
etc.
There is therefore a strong case for reducing the scale
of t h e a i r l i f t as s p e e d i l y as p o s s i b l e , p r o v i d e d a l w a y s t h a t
an a d e q u a t e margin i s l e f t t o c o v e r o u r b a s i c s e c u r i t y r e q u i r e ­
m e n t s a n d t o e n s u r e t h a t t h e s u c c e s s f u l s t a n d w h i c h we h a v e ,
t h a n k s t o t h e a i r l i f t , been a b l e t o make i n B e r l i n i s n o t
imperilled.
5.
I t w i l l be seen from t h e c a l c u l a t i o n s s e t out in
G e n e r a l R o b e r t s o n * s t e l e g r a m s t h a t we s h a l l h a v e d u r i n g
September and O c t o b e r a r e s e r v e c a r r y i n g c a p a c i t y , b o t h by
r a i l and b a r g e and, i f n e c e s s a r y , i n t h e a i r , w h i c h should
s u f f i c e t o c o v e r a n y a d d i t i o n a l r e q u i r e m e n t s w h i c h may a r i s e .
No a l l o w a n c e h a s b e e n made f o r t h e c a r r i a g e o f r a w m a t e r i a l s
f o r i n d u s t r y nor for m i s c e l l a n e o u s consumer goods which are
l a r g e l y brought in by road.
Road t r a n s p o r t d o e s , however,
f u r n i s h an a d d i t i o n a l r e s e r v e c a p a c i t y i n c a s e of n e e d , b u t
it
has been excluded from the p r e s e n t c a l c u l a t i o n s .
The two
M i l i t a r y Governors intend to observe t h e p o s i t i o n
carefully
f r o m week t o week i n o r d e r t o make a n y n e c e s s a r y
adjustments
i f d e l i v e r i e s f a i l t o come u p t o e x p e c t a t i o n s .
They w i l l a l s o
d e c i d e how b e s t t o e m p l o y a n y r e s e r v e c a r r y i n g c a p a c i t y w h i c h
may become a v a i l a b l e .
6.
A l t h o u g h I should hope t h a t t h e a r r a n g e m e n t s
for
b u i l d i n g up and m a i n t a i n i n g t h e s t o c k - p i l e i n B e r l i n , w h i c h
have been recommended b y t h e B r i t i s h and U n i t e d S t a t e s M i l i t a r y
G o v e r n o r s , w o u l d be s u f f i c i e n t t o d e t e r t h e R u s s i a n s from,
a t t e m p t i n g t o r e - i m p o s e t h e b l o c k a d e , we must c l e a r l y t a k e
s t e p s t o s e e t h a t t h e r e i s an a d e q u a t e o r g a n i s a t i o n l e f t
on
t h e g r o u n d i n Germany t o e n a b l e t h e a i r l i f t t o b e b u i l t up
again swiftly if the need should arise.
To t h i s end t h e two
M i l i t a r y Governors have i n p a r t i c u l a r recommended t h a t two
T r o o p C a r r i e r G r o u p s o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s Air
Force and two
h e a v y T r a n s p o r t s q u a d r o n s o f t h e R. A, P . s h o u l d r e m a i n i n
Germany.
I strongly support t h i s recommendation, which
a p p e a r s t o be a modest and r e a s o n a b l e i n s u r a n c e a g a i n s t
further
trouble.
From t h e g e n e r a l p o l i t i c a l p o i n t of v i e w I a t t a c h
g r e a t i m p o r t a n c e t o t h e r e t e n t i o n by t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s Govern­
m e n t of some of t h e i r h e a v y a i r c r a f t i n G e r m a n y .
This can
o n l y b e e n s u r e d i f we p l a y o u r p a r t .
If, t h e r e f o r e ,
the
U n i t e d S t a t e s Government a r e p r e p a r e d t o keep two C a r r i e r
G r o u p s , I s t r o n g l y r e c o m m e n d t h a t we s h o u l d c o n t r i b u t e t w o
Transport squadrons.
76
7.
I f t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s made b y G e n e r a l R o b e r t s o n
a r e a p p r o v e d t h e r e w i l l b e a n u m b e r of c o n s e q u e n t i a l m a t t e r s
which w i l l r e q u i r e t o be s e t t l e d , such as t h e
respective
r a t e s o f r e d u c t i o n b e t w e e n R. A . P . m a c h i n e s a n d c i v i l i a n
aircraft.
I r e c o m m e n d t o my c o l l e a g u e s t h a t t h e s e m a t t e r s
should be l e f t t o be s e t t l e d b y t h e e x i s t i n g
interDepartmental machinery.
E. B. Foreign
Office,
15TH JULY,
S.W. 1 .
1949.
ANNEX
1 .
Telegram from B e r l i n ( M i l i t a r y Governor)
O f f i c e . No. 1 0 1 1 , d a t e d 1 k t h J u l y , 19U9.
to
'
Foreign
In a c c o r d a n c e w i t h i n s t r u c t i o n s r e c e i v e d from t h e i r Governments t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s and U n i t e d Kingdom M i l i t a r y G o v e r n o r s w i t h t h e i r A i r F o r c e Commanders d i s c u s s e d t o d a y t h e f u t u r e of t h e B e r l i n
airlift. 2.
In t h e i r i n s t r u c t i o n s t h e M i l i t a r y Governors have
b e e n t o l d t o p l a n f o r a s t o c k p i l e i n B e r l i n o f ii- t o 5 m o n t h s
estimated at 1,100,000 metric tons.
The q u e s t i o n a s t o
w h e t h e r t h i s f i g u r e of 1 , 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 m e t r i c t o n s a c t u a l l y r e p r e s e n t s
s t o c k depends upon t h e b a s e s of c a l c u l a t i o n
U to 5 months
a s s u m e d f o r c o n s u m p t i o n of v a r i o u s c o m m o d i t i e s .
F o r example
an i m p o r t a n t d i f f e r e n c e would be i n t r o d u c e d b y v a r y i n g t h e
q u a n t i t y of d o m e s t i c f u e l t o be a l l o w e d d u r i n g t h e w i n t e r .
However t h e M i l i t a r y Governors a r e a g r e e d t h a t a f i g u r e of t h e
m a g n i t u d e of 1 , 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 m e t r i c t o n s can b e - r e g a r d e d a s t h e
maximum t h a t i s p r a c t i c a b l e f r o m t h e p o i n t of v i e w of s t o r a g e
and f i n a n c e ,
1
3.
Stocks in Berlin today are approximately 600,000
metric tons.
The i n t a k e b y a l l means of t r a n s p o r t e x c e p t r o a d
i s approximately 19,000 tons.
Consumption i s 5,000 t o n s .
Therefore t h e r e i s a d a i l y gain of approximately 1k,000 t o n s .
At t h i s r a t e t h e t a r g e t s t o c k p i l e w i l l b e b u i l t up w i t h i n
a p p r o x i m a t e l y 35 d a y s ,
h*
The M i l i t a r y Governors t h e r e f o r e c o n s i d e r t h a t
immediate steps t o reduce the a i r l i f t by phases are necessary.
A c c o r d i n g t o the a d v i c e given them by t h e i r A i r F o r c e
Commanders t h e f a s t e s t p r a c t i c a b l e r a t e of p h a s e - o u t w o u l d have
t h e e f f e c t of r e d u c i n g t h e a v a i l a b l e a i r l i f t t o 5*000 m e t r i c
t o n s f o r one m o n t h , 3 , 0 0 0 m e t r i c t o n s d u r i n g t h e s e c o n d month
and 1,800 m e t r i c t o n s t h e r e a f t e r .
T h i s shows t h e n e e d f o r an
u r g e n t d e c i s i o n f o r r e - d e p l o y m e n t of t h e a i r f o r c e s .
5.
The M i l i t a r y G o v e r n o r s t h e r e f o r e recommend t h a t
orders
for re-deployment should be given f o r t h w i t h in accordance w i t h
t h e maximum p r a c t i c a b l e r a t e a s p r o p o s e d b y t h e A i r F o r c e
Commanders g i v e n i n p a r a g r a p h k a b o v e .
They c a l c u l a t e t h a t
if
t h e s e o r d e r s become e f f e c t i v e from 1 s t August t h e t a r g e t
stock
p i l e w i l l have been a c h i e v e d by 31st August and i t w i l l be
u n n e c e s s a r y t o make u s e of t h e a i r l i f t d u r i n g t h e s e c o n d p h a s e
of r e - d e p l o y m e n t .
However t h e y u n d e r t a k e t o o b s e r v e t h e
p o s i t i o n c a r e f u l l y f r o m week t o week i n o r d e r t o make a n y
a d j u s t m e n t s t h a t may b e n e c e s s a r y d u e t o t h e f o r e c a s t of
d e l i v e r i e s n o t coming up t o e x p e c t a t i o n .
6.
In t h e a b o v e c a l c u l a t i o n s no a l l o w a n c e h a s b e e n made
f o r t h e c a r r i a g e of raw m a t e r i a l s f o r i n d u s t r y n o r f o r consumer
goods.
On t h e o t h e r h a n d n o c r e d i t h a s b e e n t a k e n f o r r o a d
t r a n s p o r t and i t i s b y t h i s means t h a t most of t h e s e commodities
a r e r e a c h i n g B e r l i n a t t h e moment.
Nor h a s any c r e d i t b e e n
taken for supplies being received d i r e c t i n t o B e r l i n from the
E a s t e r n Zone.
Moreover the f i g u r e assumed f o r tonnage by r a i l
e x c l u d e s two r a i l p a t h s which a r e b e i n g used f o r e x p r e s s f r e i g h t
t r a i n s for non-stock-piles items.
7*
The M i l i t a r y G o v e r n o r s recommend t h a t
re-deployment
s h o u l d a f f e c t t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s A i r F o r c e a n d t h e R.A. F.
p r o p o r t i o n a t e l y , d e t a i l s t o be worked out between t h e A i r
Force Commanders.
8.
When t h e s t o c k p i l e h a s b e e n c o m p l e t e d t h e r e w i ? : $
s t i l l be a s u r p l u s of i n t a k e c a p a c i t y b y r a i l and b a r g e o v e r
r e q u i r e m e n t s o f some 6,000 t o n s d a i l y . .
The u t i l i s a t i o n of
t h i s s u r p l u s w i l l depend p r i m a r i l y upon t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s of
finance.
Towards t h e end of t h e y e a r t h e s u r p l u s w i l l b e
g r e a t l y r e d u c e d t h r o u g h i n c r e a s e d w i n t e r consumption and
c e s s a t i o n of b a r g e t r a f f i c d u e t o f r e e z i n g of c a n a l s .
9,
With r e g a r d t o t h e q u e s t i o n of t h e p o s s i b l e r e s u m p t i o n
of t h e a i r l i f t i n t h e e v e n t of t h e r e i m p o s i t i o n of t h e b l o c k a d e
t h e M i l i t a r y Governors have the following recommendations t o
make:
(A)
transport
That two t r o o p c a r r i e r g r o u p s U.S.A.P.
s q u a d r o n s R. A. F . r e m a i n i n G e r m a n y .
a n d two
heavy
(b)
T h a t t h e i r G o v e r n m e n t s make a p p r o p r i a t e a r r a n g e m e n t s
t o e n s u r e t h a t t h e a i r l i f t can be b u i l t up a g a i n s o a s t o
a t t a i n f u l l s c a l e w i t h i n a p e r i o d o f 90 d a y s .
(0)
That e a c h A i r F o r c e i n Germany s h a l l e n s u r e t h a t
i n s t a l l a t i o n s within i t s control are maintained
sufficiently
t o e n s u r e t h a t t h e a i r l i f t can be b u i l t up a g a i n a t t h e r a t e
given in ( B ) above.
10.
The M i l i t a r y G o v e r n o r s ask-.for a v e r y e a r l y d e c i s i o n
of t h e above r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s .
They a r e a l s o of t h e opinion
t h a t when a p p r o v a l h a s b e e n r e c e i v e d t h e y s h o u l d make a j o i n t
statement t o t h e p r e s s of t h e i r i n t e n t i o n s regarding the f u t u r e
of t h e a i r l i f t w i t h o u t g o i n g i n t o much d e t a i l .
2,
Telegram from B e r l i n ( M i l i t a r y Governor)
O f f i c e . No. 1 0 1 2 , d a t e d 1 4 t h J u l y . 1949.
to
Foreign
My t e l e g r a m N o . 1 0 1 1 i s a n a g r e e d t e l e g r a m w i t h
G e n e r a l Hays who i s d e s p a t c h i n g a n i d e n t i c a l t e l e g r a m t o h i s
Government.
2.
T h e r e i s some a r g u m e n t b e t w e e n o u r s t a f f s a b o u t t h e
f i g u r e s i n p a r a g r a p h 3 p a r t i c u l a r l y a s r e g a r d s t h e maximum
q u a n t i t y of c o a l t h a t can be r e c e i v e d and h a n d l e d i n B e r l i n .
This argument does not a f f e c t t h e c o n c l u s i o n of t h e telegram
v i z . t h a t t h e a i r f o r c e s s h o u l d now b e r e - d e p l o y e d a t t h e
fastest practicable rate.
3"
We w i l l w a t c h t h e s t o c k p o s i t i o n c a r e f u l l y a n d h a v e
p l e n t y of margin f o r s a f e t y in t h e f a c t t h a t t h e r e w i l l b e an
a v a i l a b l e a i r - l i f t d u r i n g t h e second p h a s e s of r e - d e p l o y m e n t
o f 3 , 0 0 0 t o n s p e r d a y w h i c h we a r e n o t e x p e c t i n g t o r e q u i r e .
4.
Liquid fuel stocks
r e q u i r e m e n t s t o March, 1950.
for
separately.
3 .
are already adequate t o cover
A l l i e d requirements are catered
Telegram from B e r l i n ( M i l i t a r y Governor) t o
O f f i c e . Ho. 1 0 1 4 . d a t e d 1 U t h J u l y . 1949.
Foreign
My t e l e g r a m 1 0 1 1 .
U n i t e d S t a t e s / U n i t e d Kingdom
M i l i t a r y G o v e r n o r s ' r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s on t h e f u t u r e o f t h e
airlift.
2.
I f t h e r e d u c t i o n s i n l i f t recommended i n t h a t
signal
a r e a c c e p t e d , a p r o g r e s s i v e r e d u c t i o n in numbers of B r i t i s h a i r ­
c r a f t w i l l be p o s s i b l e .
Air Officer Commander-in-Chief i s in
c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h t h e A i r M i n i s t r y on t h i s p o i n t , w i t h p a r t i c u l a r !
r e f e r e n c e a s t o w h i c h t y p e s of a i r c r a f t s h o u l d b e r e l e a s e d .
It
i s r e q u e s t e d t h a t you w i l l d i s c u s s t h e q u e s t i o n of r e l e a s e of
c i v i l dry f r e i g h t e r s w i t h Air Ministry, as i t i s understood t h e y
may w i s h f o r t h e e a r l y r e l e a s e of c e r t a i n R . A . F . m a c h i n e s .
- 5 ­