47.03.14X (630w)
SUMMARY OF MARSHALL’S REPORTS ON CONFERENCE MEETINGS 1-11
March 10–21, 1947
Moscow, USSR
(page numbers indicate the location of Marshall’s meeting
summary message in Foreign Relations, 1947, vol. 2)
10 March—#1
Molotov presiding; pp. 239-40
Organization and agenda items. Molotov asks
information reports on each nation’s fulfillment of
promises re China; end of Prussia as a German state
approved.
11 March—#2
Marshall presiding; pp. 242–44
Discussion of China reports and occupation troop
limits suspended; demilitarization of Germany.
12 March—/#3
Bidault presiding; pp. 244–45
Meeting “relatively ineffective...propaganda for home
consumption.” Bevin responds to Molotov on German
demilitarization and criticizes Soviet actions.
13 March—#4
Bevin presiding; pp. 249–51
Denazification and disarmament. “The exchange between
Molotov and Bevin [on demilitarization and political
procedures], again, as yesterday, was well
interspersed with propaganda for home consumption.”
14 March—#5
Molotov presiding; pp. 251–53
Marshall: “My initial attempt to expedite action of
CFM by presenting my views in writing prior to the
meeting and thus avoid tiresome reading and two timeconsuming translations resulted in a confused
discussion among the other three delegates.” Marshall
reads a statement on democracy and Germany (see above,
pp. 000–00). Charges and counter-charges re
denazification, demilitarization, and democratization.
15 March—#6
Marshall presiding; pp. 253–55
Displaced persons. Bidault expresses concern with
increasing German population because of DP influx.
Bevin notes cost of Poles in UK. Soviet Deputy Foreign
Minister Vyshinsky asks investigation of DP camp
conditions in western zone; accuses western zone
2
commanders of attempting unilaterally to federalize
Germany.
17 March—#7
Bidault presiding; pp. 255–57
Bevin urges German economic unity, raises level of
industry plan. Molotov objects to economic unity of
US-UK zones, attacks western occupiers re reparations
and deplores monopoly capitalists in US-UK zones.
Marshall: “charges and countercharges get us nowhere
except to develop greater differences”; indicates
American sympathy for Soviet war losses; asserts that
economic unity of Germany is the key to success of
occupation and future peace.
18 March—#8
Bevin presiding; pp. 262–63
Bidault’s views on German economy, occupation costs,
and reparations resumption; need to integrate Saar
into French economic system; need for international
agency to control use of German coal. Molotov-Bevin
“rather heated exchange on reparations.” Marshall
reaffirms US position that Potsdam Conference
reparations agreements supersede preliminary agreement
at Yalta.
19 March—#9
Molotov presiding; pp. 263–65
Bidault discusses German economic unity, reparations,
level of industry. Molotov: economic unity and
reparations are inseparable; failure of western zones
to pay reparations is the reason for unilateral action
taken by eastern zone military authorities. Marshall:
rapidly changing Soviet views on increasing German
steel production highlights the danger of paying
reparations from current production. “We must avoid at
all costs establishing conditions in Germany similar
to those after the first World War, when in an
incredibly short period of time, Germany, through
increased production for reparations and foreign
loans, was able to build up her internal economy
geared for war. At the same time, under no conditions
should we set her economy so low that a democratic way
of life could not hope to survive in Germany.” (p.
265)
20 March—#10
Marshall presiding; pp. 265–66
Bidault: Ruhr should be under international control,
France should get the coal she needs before any
discussion of economic unity; German steel production
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should be limited more than US-UK desire. Bevin
rejects French views on coal, economic unity. Report
on progress made by deputy foreign ministers re German
peace treaty preparations.
21 March—#11
Bidault presiding; pp. 270–71
Progress report of the Deputies for Austria.
Discussion of the provisional German government.
Marshall: time has come to authorize the Germans to
establish a provisional government to deal with
matters of nationwide concern that the states cannot
adequately handle; proposes three-stage approach. *