Memorandum Discussing Joint Military Organization

SECRET

MEMORANDUM:

On June 20 in a conversation between Marshal Stalin and the American Ambassador the necessity was discussed for close collaboration between the Red Army in the East and the Allied forces in the West when their attack converged on Germany. Mr. Harriman explained that General Marshall and General Eisenhower felt that the need for collaboration was not at that time immediate, but that as the Soviet and Allied forces came closer together the necessity would become more and more urgent. Marshal Stalin agreed that collaboration between these armed forces would be necessary and stated that a small group or staff should be set up at the proper time through which collaboration could be effected. The American Ambassador reported this conversation to the President and the United States Chiefs of Staff.

The United States Chiefs of Staff have now directed General Deane to propose the immediate establishment of a tripartite committee in Moscow which would not as a consultive [sic] and advisory body for their respective Chiefs of Staff. For membership, they propose a high-running member of the Red Army General Staff and the Chiefs of the British and United States Military Missions in Moscow. They emphasize that the committee should of course have no independent powers of decision but should discuss in detail all strategical and operational matters of mutual concern and submit recommendations to their respective Chiefs of Staff. They further emphasize that the committee should not impinge on matters now being handled by the European Advisory Committee, such as civil affairs and so forth.

General Deane is submitting the proposal to the Red Army General Staff in accordance with his instructions, and the Head of the British Military Mission has had instructions from his Chiefs of Staff to submit a similar proposal.

It is hoped that a procedure along the lines of the above can be established in the very near future.

September 19, 1944.