1s 1949 1,100,00 approximatel 1,100,00e stock pilin0 g...
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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OP HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT) SECRET C.P.(U9) 15U COPY NO. 15TH JULY, 19U-9 CABINET THE BERLIN AIRLIFT Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs The Problem. When it became apparent at the recent Conference of Foreign Ministers that a limited agreement would be concluded, providing for the maintenance of the New York Agreement and an improvement in the land communications between Berlin and the Western zones, I gave careful consideration to the future^ of the Berlin airlift. It seemed to me t h a t it would be imprudent to liquidate the organisation until the situation was clearer and until w e h a d accumulated in Berlin sufficient stocks to see us safely over the winter in the event of the reimposition of the blockade. I calculated that for this purpose five months 1 stocks would be required (i.e. to cover the period from 1st November, 1949, to 1st April, 1950), and I instructed the Military Governor to prepare an estimate showing what target figure would be required for this purpose. General Robertson replied that approximately 1,100,000 tons of stocks represented about five months' supplies for the city of Berlin. I accordingly approached the United States Secretary of State and secured his agreement to the continuance of the airlift on a sufficient scale to ensure stock piling of 1,100,000 tons of supplies in Berlin before 1st November. It was estimated at the time that an airlift of about 50 per cent of the maximum capacity would be sufficient to attain our ends, but after further discussion it was felt that it would be more practical and more economical in the long run to take advantage of the fine summer weather to maintain a maximum airlift and so to bring stocks up to the required level before the target date of 1 st November, In accordance with this policy the airlift has been importing about 8 ,000 tons a day into Berlin during the last month, and stocks have already risen to approximately 600,000 tons. 2. In these circumstances the British a n d U n i t e d States Military Governors have reviewed the situation, and I annex three telegrams from General Robertson, in which he estimates that the target stock pile will be built up within approximately 35 days, and recommends that immediate orders should be given for the reduction of the airlift b y p h a s e s , a n d t h e re-deployment of the air forces on a proportionate basis. He also recommends, that t w o T r o o p Carrier Groups of the United States Air Force, and two Heavy Transport Squadrons of the R. A . F . , should remain in Germany, and that the U n i t e d K i n g d o m and United States Governments should take steps to ensure that the airlift can be built up again so as to attain the full scale within a period of 90 days. To t h i s end each Air Force in Germany should ensure that installations within its control are maintained sufficiently to ensure that the airlift can be built up again within this period.
Transcript of 1s 1949 1,100,00 approximatel 1,100,00e stock pilin0 g...
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 . ( U 9 ) 15U COPY NO.
15TH J U L Y , 19U-9
CABINET
THE BERLIN A I R L I F T
M e m o r a n d u m b y t h e S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e f o r F o r e i g n A f f a i r s
T h e P r o b l e m .
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 a g r e e m e n t w o u l d b e c o n c l u d e d , 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 a n i m p r o v e m e n t i n t h e l a n d c o m m u n i c a t i o n s b e t w e e 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 , I g a v e 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 ^ o f 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 i m p r u d e n t t o l i q u i d a t e t h e o r g a n i s a t i o n u n t i l t h e 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 s u f f i c i e n t s t o c k s t o s e e u s s a f e l y o v e r t h e w i n t e r i n t h e e v e n t o f t h e r e i m p o s i t i o n o f t h e b l o c k a d e . I c a l c u l a t e d t h a t f o r t h i s p u r p o s e f i v e m o n t h s 1 s t o c k s w o u l d b e r e q u i r e d ( i . e . t o c o v e r t h e p e r i o d f r o m 1 s t 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 G o v e r n o r t o p r e p a r e a n e s t i m a t e s h o w i n g w h a t t a r g e t f i g u r e w o u l d b e r e q u i r e d f o r t h i s p u r p o s e . 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 o f s t o c k s r e p r e s e n t e d a b o u t 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 o f B e r l i n . I a c c o r d i n g l y a p p r o a c h e d t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s S e c r e t a r y 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 o f t h e a i r l i f t o n 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 o f 1 ,100 ,000 t o n s o f s u p p l i e s i n B e r l i n b e f o r e 1 s t N o v e m b e r . I t w a s 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 w a s f e l t t h a t i t w o u l d b e m o r e p r a c t i c a l a n d m o r e e c o n o m i c a l i n t h e l o n g r u n t o t a k e a d v a n t a g e o f t h e f i n e s u m m e r 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 u p 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 o f 1 s t N o v e m b e r , I n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h i s p o l i c y t h e a i r l i f t h a s b e e n i m p o r t i n g a b o u t 8 , 0 0 0 t o n s a d a y i n t o B e r l i n d u r i n g t h e l a s t m o n t h , a n d s t o c k s h a v e 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 600,000 t o n s .
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 a n d 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 h a v e r e v i e w e d t h e s i t u a t i o n , a n d 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 h e e s t i m a t e s t h a t 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 u p 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 o f t h e a i r l i f t b y p h a s e s , a n d 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 t w o 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 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 G e r m a n y , a n d t h a t t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m a n d U n i t e d S t a t e s G o v e r n m e n t s s h o u l d t a k e s t e p s 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 b e b u i l t u p a g a i n s o a s 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 G e r m a n y s h o u l d e n s u r e t h a t i n s t a l l a t i o n s w i t h i n i t s c o n t r o l a r e m a i n t a i n e d 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 b e b u i l t u p a g a i n w i t h i n t h i s p e r i o d .
R e c o m m e n d a t i o n .
i n B e r l i n . I r e g a r d f i v e m o n t h s ' s t o c k a s i s a t i s f a c t o r y
3* I r e c o m m e n d t h a t G e n e r a l R o b e r t s o n s h o u l d b e i n f o r m e d t h a t h i s p r o p o s a l s a r e a p p r o v e d .
T h e C o n s i d e r a t i o n s .
k*t o t h e
As G e n e r a l R o b e r t s o n p o i n t s a m o u n t w h i c h c a n p h y s i c a l l y o r
o u t , t h e r e i s a e c o n o m i c a l l y b e
l i m i t s t o c k e d
af o r o u r p u r p o s e s , o n 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 b a l a n c e d . T h e e x i s t e n c e o f 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 o n l y t e n d t o d i s c o u r a g e t h e R u s s i a n s f r o m i n t e r f e r i n g w i t h o u r c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , , b u t i t w i l l g i v e t h e i n h a b i t a n t s o f B e r l i n a s e n s e o f s e c u r i t y a n d w i l l e n a b l e u s t o p r e p a r e i n g o o d t i m e f o r t h e r e s u m p t i o n o f 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 o f t h e r e i m p o s i t i o n o f 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 t i n u a n c e ^ o f t h e a i r l i f t f o r a d a y l o n g e r t h a n i s n e c e s s a r y c o u l d n o t b e j u s t i f i e d . N o t o n l y d o e s i t i m p o s e 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 o n 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 o f 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 i n c r e a s e s 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 o f t h e G e r m a n 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 a s r e g a r d s r e q u i s i t i o n i n g o f s e r v i c e s , b i l l e t s , e t c . T h e r e i s t h e r e f o r e a s t r o n g c a s e f o r r e d u c i n g t h e s c a l e o f t h e a i r l i f t a s s p e e d i l y a s 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 a n a d e q u a t e m a r g i n 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 , b e e n a b l e t o m a k e i n B e r l i n i s n o t i m p e r i l l e d .
5. I t w i l l b e s e e n f r o m t h e c a l c u l a t i o n s s e t o u t i n 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 S e p t e m b e r a n d 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 b y r a i l a n d b a r g e a n d , i f n e c e s s a r y , i n t h e a i r , w h i c h s h o u l d 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 m a y 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 n o r f o r m i s c e l l a n e o u s c o n s u m e r g o o d s w h i c h a r e l a r g e l y b r o u g h t i n b y r o a d . R o a d t r a n s p o r t d o e s , h o w e v e r , f u r n i s h a n 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 o f n e e d , b u t i t h a s b e e n e x c l u d e d f r o m t h e p r e s e n t c a l c u l a t i o n s . T h e t w o M i l i t a r y G o v e r n o r s i n t e n d 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 w e e k t o w e e k i n o r d e r t o m a k e a n y n e c e s s a r y a d j u s t m e n t s 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 . T h e y 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 m a y b e c o m e a v a i l a b l e .
6. A l t h o u g h I s h o u l d h o p e t h a t t h e a r r a n g e m e n t s f o r b u i l d i n g u p a n d 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 h a v e b e e n r e c o m m e n d e d b y t h e B r i t i s h a n d 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 b e 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 f r o m , 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 , w e m u s t 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 a n a d e q u a t e o r g a n i s a t i o n l e f t o n t h e g r o u n d i n G e r m a n y 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 u p a g a i n s w i f t l y i f t h e n e e d s h o u l d a r i s e . T o t h i s e n d t h e t w o M i l i t a r y G o v e r n o r s h a v e i n p a r t i c u l a r r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t t w o 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 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, P . s h o u l d r e m a i n i n G e r m a n y . I s t r o n g l y s u p p o r t t h i s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n , w h i c h a p p e a r s t o b e a m o d e s t a n d 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 f u r t h e r t r o u b l e . F r o m t h e g e n e r a l p o l i t i c a l p o i n t o f 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 b y t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s G o v e r n m e n t o f s o m e o f 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 . T h i s c a n 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 . I f , t h e r e f o r e , t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s G o v e r n m e n t a r e p r e p a r e d t o k e e p t w o 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 T r a n s p o r t s q u a d r o n s .
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7 . I f t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s m a d e 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 o f c o n s e q u e n t i a l m a t t e r s w h i c h w i l l r e q u i r e t o b e s e t t l e d , s u c h a s t h e r e s p e c t i v e 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 a i r c r a f t . 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 s h o u l d b e l e f t t o b e s e t t l e d b y t h e e x i s t i n g i n t e r -D e p a r t m e n t a l m a c h i n e r y .
E . B .
F o r e i g n O f f i c e , S.W. 1 .
15TH J U L Y , 1949.
ANNEX
1 . T e l e g r a m f r o m B e r l i n ( M i l i t a r y G o v e r n o r ) t o F o r e i g n O f f i c e . N o . 1 0 1 1 , d a t e d 1 k t h J u l y , 1 9 U 9 . '
I n 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 f r o m t h e i r G o v e r n m e n t s t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a n d U n i t e d K i n g d o m 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 C o m m a n d e r s d i s c u s s e d t o d a y t h e f u t u r e o f t h e B e r l i n a i r l i f t .
2 . I n 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 G o v e r n o r s h a v e 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 e s t i m a t e d a t 1 , 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 m e t r i c t o n s . T h e 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 o f 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 U t o 5 m o n t h s 1 s t o c k d e p e n d s u p o n t h e b a s e s o f c a l c u l a t i o n a s s u m e d f o r c o n s u m p t i o n o f v a r i o u s c o m m o d i t i e s . F o r e x a m p l e a n i m p o r t a n t d i f f e r e n c e w o u l d b e 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 o f d o m e s t i c f u e l t o b e a l l o w e d d u r i n g t h e w i n t e r . H o w e v e r t h e M i l i t a r y G o v e r n o r s a r e a g r e e d t h a t a f i g u r e o f t h e m a g n i t u d e o f 1 , 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 m e t r i c t o n s c a n b e - r e g a r d e d a s t h e m a x i m u m 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 o f v i e w o f s t o r a g e a n d f i n a n c e ,
3. S t o c k s i n B e r l i n t o d a y a r e a p p r o x i m a t e l y 6 0 0 , 0 0 0 m e t r i c t o n s . T h e i n t a k e b y a l l m e a n s o f t r a n s p o r t e x c e p t r o a d i s a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 9 , 0 0 0 t o n s . C o n s u m p t i o n i s 5 , 0 0 0 t o n s . T h e r e f o r e t h e r e i s a d a i l y g a i n o f a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 k , 0 0 0 t o n s . A t 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 u p 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* T h e 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 c o n s i d e r t h a t i m m e d i a t e s t e p s t o r e d u c e t h e a i r l i f t b y p h a s e s a r e n e c e s s a r y . A c c o r d i n g t o t h e a d v i c e g i v e n t h e m b y t h e i r A i r F o r c e C o m m a n d e r s 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 o f p h a s e - o u t w o u l d h a v e t h e e f f e c t o f 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 * 0 0 0 m e t r i c t o n s f o r o n e 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 m o n t h a n d 1 , 8 0 0 m e t r i c t o n s t h e r e a f t e r . T h i s s h o w s t h e n e e d f o r a n 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 o f t h e a i r f o r c e s .
5. T h e 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 r e c o m m e n d t h a t o r d e r s f o r r e - d e p l o y m e n t s h o u l d b e g i v e n f o r t h w i t h i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e max imum 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 C o m m a n d e r s g i v e n i n p a r a g r a p h k a b o v e . T h e y c a l c u l a t e t h a t i f t h e s e o r d e r s b e c o m e e f f e c t i v e f r o m 1 s t A u g u s t t h e t a r g e t s t o c k p i l e w i l l h a v e b e e n a c h i e v e d b y 3 1 s t A u g u s t a n d i t w i l l b e u n n e c e s s a r y t o m a k e u s e o f 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 o f r e - d e p l o y m e n t . H o w e v e r 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 w e e k t o w e e k i n o r d e r t o m a k e 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 o f d e l i v e r i e s n o t c o m i n g u p t o e x p e c t a t i o n .
6 . I n t h e a b o v e c a l c u l a t i o n s n o a l l o w a n c e h a s b e e n m a d e 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 n o r f o r c o n s u m e r g o o d s . 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 a n d i t i s b y t h i s m e a n s t h a t m o s t o f t h e s e c o m m o d i t i e s a r e r e a c h i n g B e r l i n a t t h e m o m e n t . N o r h a s a n y c r e d i t b e e n t a k e n f o r s u p p l i e s b e i n g r e c e i v e d d i r e c t i n t o B e r l i n f r o m t h e E a s t e r n Z o n e . M o r e o v e r t h e f i g u r e a s s u m e d f o r t o n n a g e b y r a i l e x c l u d e s t w o r a i l p a t h s w h i c h a r e b e i n g u s e d f o r e x p r e s s f r e i g h t t r a i n s f o r n o n - s t o c k - p i l e s i t e m s .
7* T h e 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 t h a t r e - d e p l o y m e n t 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 b e w o r k e d o u t b e t w e e n t h e A i r F o r c e C o m m a n d e r s .
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 b e a s u r p l u s o f i n t a k e c a p a c i t y b y r a i l a n d 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 . . T h e u t i l i s a t i o n o f t h i s s u r p l u s w i l l d e p e n d p r i m a r i l y u p o n t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f f i n a n c e . T o w a r d s t h e e n d o f 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 c o n s u m p t i o n a n d c e s s a t i o n o f 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 o f c a n a l s .
9, W i t h r e g a r d t o t h e q u e s t i o n o f t h e p o s s i b l e r e s u m p t i o n o f t h e a i r l i f t i n t h e e v e n t o f t h e r e i m p o s i t i o n o f t h e b l o c k a d e t h e M i l i t a r y G o v e r n o r s h a v e t h e f o l l o w i n g r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s t o m a k e :
( A ) T h a t t w o t r o o p c a r r i e r g r o u p s U . S . A . P . a n d two h e a v y t r a n s p o r t 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 .
( b ) T h a t t h e i r G o v e r n m e n t s m a k e 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 c a n b e b u i l t u p 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) T h a t e a c h A i r F o r c e i n G e r m a n y 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 w i t h i n i t s c o n t r o l a r e m a i n t a i n e d 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 b e b u i l t u p a g a i n a t t h e r a t e g i v e n i n ( B ) a b o v e .
10. T h e M i l i t a r y G o v e r n o r s a s k - . f o r a v e r y e a r l y d e c i s i o n o f t h e a b o v e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s . T h e y a r e a l s o o f t h e o p i n i o n t h a t w h e n 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 m a k e a j o i n t s t a t e m e n t t o t h e p r e s s o f t h e i r i n t e n t i o n s r e g a r d i n g t h e f u t u r e o f 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 m u c h d e t a i l .
2 , T e l e g r a m f r o m B e r l i n ( M i l i t a r y G o v e r n o r ) t o F o r e i g n O f f i c e . N o . 1 0 1 2 , d a t e d 1 4 t h J u l y . 1 9 4 9 .
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 H a y s w h o 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 G o v e r n m e n t .
2 . T h e r e i s s o m e 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 max imum q u a n t i t y o f c o a l t h a t c a n b e r e c e i v e d a n d h a n d l e d i n B e r l i n . T h i s a r g u m e n t d o e s n o t a f f e c t t h e c o n c l u s i o n o f t h e t e l e g r a m 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 n o w b e r e - d e p l o y e d a t 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 .
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 o f m a r g i n f o r s a f e t y i n t h e f a c t t h a t t h e r e w i l l b e a n 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 s e c o n d p h a s e s o f 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 . L i q u i d f u e l s t o c k s a r e a l r e a d y a d e q u a t e t o c o v e r r e q u i r e m e n t s t o M a r c h , 1 9 5 0 . A l l i e d r e q u i r e m e n t s a r e c a t e r e d f o r s e p a r a t e l y .
3 . T e l e g r a m f r o m B e r l i n ( M i l i t a r y G o v e r n o r ) t o F o r e i g n O f f i c e . H o . 1 0 1 4 . d a t e d 1 U t h J u l y . 1 9 4 9 .
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 K i n g d o m 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 a i r l i f t .
2 . I f t h e r e d u c t i o n s i n l i f t r e c o m m e n d e d i n t h a t s i g n a l 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 i n n u m b e r s o f B r i t i s h a i r c r a f t w i l l b e p o s s i b l e . A i r O f f i c e r C o m m a n d e r - i n - C h i e f i s i n 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 o n 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 o f a i r c r a f t s h o u l d b e r e l e a s e d . I t i s r e q u e s t e d t h a t y o u w i l l d i s c u s s t h e q u e s t i o n o f r e l e a s e o f c i v i l d r y f r e i g h t e r s w i t h A i r M i n i s t r y , a s i t i s u n d e r s t o o d t h e y m a y w i s h f o r t h e e a r l y r e l e a s e o f c e r t a i n R . A . F . m a c h i n e s .
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