The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-07-16
Eisenho1uerSho En-
By JOSEPH C. HARSCH


We heard recently what we believe to be
the real story of what happened when General
Eisenhower and Field Marshal Montgomery
made their first trip to Berlin guests of the
Russians. 1t comes from an official member
OF the Eisenhower party and we think it is
worth repeating because it throws some light
on that old question Of how one does does
not get on with the Russians
You may recall that at the time there were
General Eisenhower was reported to have gone
off in bit of huff, or whatever one goes
off in when things don't 90 quite the way they
are supposed to-
Anyway, here is the story:
General Eisenhower had good reasons for
wanting to get back to his own headquarters
the same day. The weather was expected to
be bad the next day. He had lot of work
waiting for him. So he planned it as a one
day trip and informed the Russians in ad-
vance that he would be in Berlin just that
one day and would leave by a set schedule
that evening to fly back.
Well, when the party reached Berlin the
Russians invited them to stay on for the usual
Russian festive banquet. They were quite firm
about it. Pretty soon it became obvious that
this was to be bit of a test 1t was partly
hospitality, but also partly game to see who
would have his way.
The Russians chose, as their device for per-
suading General Eisenhower to change his
schedule to make fuss over one word in the
document to be signed. 1t was not very
important point But they enlarged on it and
made quite an issue, not to mention several
long speeches. When they were through they
acted as though they had erected an impossible
barrier to the original Eisenhower travel
schedule.
But the Allied Commander declined to enter
into any argument. He just said: well if
you don't like that word strike it out. It's of
no importance"
Marshal Zhukov looked quite surprised and
asked: do you mean to say that you have
the authority to cancel a word in that docu-
ment' without consulting your political SUI
periors?"
To which General Eisenhower replied "Of
course. If they didn't have confidence in me
to decide things like this wouldn't be here"
That was the end Of the incident. The Eisen-
observation-disclosures party went back to their
own headquarters according to their original
schedule-on the dot. The French chose to ac-
cept the invitation and stay on for the dinner.
From that moment on, General Eisenhower
was treated with considerably more respect
by the Russians. Obviously, they were quite
impressed, both by his show of determination
to do as he had planned and by his authority
incidentally, during the course of the meet
ing in Berlin, Marshall Zhukov informed Cen
eral Eisenhower that he was to receive the
very highest decoration the Soviet Govern
ment could bestow on foreigner. But it was
explained that the actual paper authorizing
the bestoWal had not yet arrived from Mos
cow so the ceremony would have to be de-
ferred to another time. Even Marshal Zhukov
could not beStoW a decoration which had been
awarded, in advance of arrival of the formal
document!
Another recent incident about papers
seemed rather significant. When the advance
parties of British and Americans started NOV
ing in to Berlin, there was considerable trouble
whenever the membership of party did not
| accord with the list of names set in advance.
The Russian outposts had the lists. Most of
the parties had extra man or two or some
substitutes. If the party checked with the list
it went through without hitch. If it disagreed
with the list it had to be made to agree before
it could pass.
Russians go "by the book Those on the
lower levels don't take many chances on their
own authority. If everything has been ar
ranged through MoscoW-well and good. If it
hasn't, you don't do business
The difficulty over who is going to feed what
part of Berlin has similar basis. The Euro
pean Advisory Commission long ago reached
vs. IAot 1S4 4lldIy way W NC d uil1I 81
far as food and transportation are concerned.
But this was only an agreement in principle.
1t had not been applied in detail to Berlin
at the time the British and American troops
moved in. So the Russian officials in Berlin
had no specific authority from Moscow to allow
goods from the Russian zone to move to the
British and American zones. It's like the pro-
verbal Chinese laundry. If you have your
ticket, you get your shirt But someone has to
get the ticket in Moscow, first Christian
| Science Monitor.