Triumph and Tragedy (The Second World War) (144 page)

16 Apr. 45

of State for Air and C.A.S.

I never understood why all this British Commonwealth Air Training Plan in Canada was broken up so
abruptly. Many people have been distressed thereby.

The nucleus should have been preserved. I have
Triumph and Tragedy

899

however agreed to your various telegrams, but please
press me no further.

Prime Minister to Minister of

23 Apr. 45

Works

I saw a paragraph in Saturday’s newspapers that no
preferential treatment of any kind would be given to the
repairs at Buckingham Palace, and that the King and
Queen would be treated exactly like ordinary persons. I
deprecate this kind of propaganda, and do not consider
it expresses the feelings of the people of this loyal
country.

Moreover, the Royal palaces are conserved to the
nation and serve public purposes. It may well be that in
the next six months many of the principal personages in
Europe may have to be received and entertained in
Buckingham Palace or St. James’s, and the public
service would suffer if these were not kept in a
reasonable state of repair.

Prime Minister to Foreign

23 Apr. 45

Office

I do not consider that names that have been familiar
for generations in England should be altered to study
the whims of foreigners living in those parts. Where the
name has not particular significance the local custom
should be followed. However, Constantinople should
never be abandoned, though for stupid people Istanbul
may be written in brackets after it. As for Angora, long
familiar with us through the Angora cats, I will resist to
the utmost of my power its degradation to Ankara.

2 You should note, by the way. the bad luck which
always pursues peoples who change the names of their
cities. Fortune is rightly malignant to those who break
with the traditions and customs of the past. As long as I
have a word to say in the matter Ankara is banned,
unless in brackets afterwards. If we do not make a
stand we shall in a few weeks be asked to call Leghorn
Livorno, and the B.B.C. will be pronouncing Paris

“Paree.” Foreign names were made for Englishmen, not
Triumph and Tragedy

900

Englishmen for foreign names. I date this minute from
St. George’s Day.

Prime Minister to C.I.G.S.

25 Apr. 45

What does the Intelligence Department of the War
Office think the casualties inflicted by the Russians on
the Germans actually amount to? Is it possible that they
could have killed or captured ten million Germans
leaving a few to us and the Americans? Personally I
think about half would meet the case.
5

Prime Minister to Sir H.

26 Apr. 45

Knatchbull-Hugessen

(Brussels)

It is no part of the policy of His Majesty’s Government to hunt down the Archduke Otto of Hapsburg or to
treat as if it were a criminal organisation the loyalty
which many Austrians friendly to Britain cherish for their
ancient monarchy. We should not actively intervene on
their behalf, being at all times resolved that in any case
where we are faced for the time being to depart from
the ideal of non-intervention our guide is the will of the
people, expressed by the vote of a free, unfettered,
secret ballot, universal suffrage election. The principle
of a constitutional monarchy, provided it is based on the
will of the people, is not, oddly enough, abhorrent to the
British mind.

2. Personally, having lived through all these
European disturbances and studied carefully their
causes, I am of opinion that it the Allies at the peace
table at Versailles had not imagined that the sweeping
away of long-established dynasties was a form of
progress, and if they had allowed a Hohenzollern, a
Wittelsbach, and a Hapsburg to return to their thrones,
there would have been no Hitler. To Germany a
symbolic point on which the loyalties of the military
classes could centre would have been found, and a
democratic basis of society might have been preserved
by a crowned Weimar in contact with the victorious
Triumph and Tragedy

901

Allies. This is a personal view, but perhaps you would
meditate upon it.

Prime Minister to Sir

30 Apr. 45

Edward Bridges

Ministers are entitled to keep all telegrams, minutes,
or documents circulated to the Cabinet which they
wrote and signed themselves. Many of the Ministers
have copies of these documents, of which usually a
good many were struck. These must be regarded as
their personal property, except that they will be bound
by the rules governing the use of official papers, which
are well established. To these should be added, in the
case of the Prime Minister, correspondence with heads
of Governments. All other papers should be available to
the departmental Ministers concerned, and they should
have free access to them, although they must be
deposited in the Government strong room.

With regard to the use of Cabinet or other papers in
controversial disputes, this is strictly prohibited by the
Privy Counsellors’ oath, which requires the consent of
the Crown for any use or misuse for controversial
purposes of work for which all the Ministers must take
collective responsibility. Ministers below Cabinet rank
must return all their papers. Quotations by the Ministers
of a future Government from any of the documents
used in the Coalition Government must be settled by
the party leaders concerned, with final reference by the
Prime Minister of the day to the King. It may be
observed that the use by one side may necessitate use
by the other, if the public interest is to be served….

Prime Minister to Secretary

30 Apr. 45

of State for War

You should let me see your estimate of casualties
on the assumption that peace is reached in Europe by
May 31, and also your man-power requirements for the
occupation of Germany in a simple form, showing the
broad basis you have taken and the system upon which
it is proposed to act. I have not yet given a final
Triumph and Tragedy

902

decision on any of these points while the war was going
on.2. I have some ideas which have occurred to me
which I should like tested. First, the conversion of a
large number of our occupying force into mobile military
police with armoured cars, jeeps, etc. Second, the
formation of mobile columns capable of street warfare,
with flame-throwers and artillery, including mortars,
suitable to this particular task. Third, the movement to
Germany at a very early stage of all the young troops
training in this country in order that they may continue
their training and relieve older men. Fourth, the definite
transference to our zone in Germany of a certain
number of our training establishments in this country, if
suitable buildings can be found. Fifth, the Air Force
proposals which must be linked with these. I have no
doubt the Air Force proposals will be most excessive
and will need most careful scrutiny. Any ideas you may
have on these points I should welcome, as I am
proposing to write I more lengthy paper after having
made various inquiries.

Of course we must make the Germans govern
themselves and face their own future, instead of lying
down and being fondled by us and the United States.

Prime Minister to Minister of

30 Apr. 45

Fuel and Power

Last Friday the War Cabinet took certain decisions
on the release of miners from the forces. I should be
grateful if you would report to me what this means in
terms of coal, and to what extent the proposals made
will meet the deficit. We must make quite sure that
there is no coal shortage next winter.

MAY

Prime Minister to Secretary

2 May 45

of State for War

Can anything be done with military bands during the
celebrations [for VE-Day], when they occur, in London
and the country?

Triumph and Tragedy

903

Prime Minister to General

8 May 45

Ismay

I should be quite ready to address a minute to Lord
Leathers if I saw the slightest sign in military quarters of
curtailing their vast and unbridled use of our limited
available shipping. Here is the real evil we have to face

— the whole world being strangled in its development
by demands for the war on Japan which have
absolutely no relation to the number of warships or
troops or aircraft which can be engaged there. The idea
that everyone is going to suffer without the military
departments making any real effort to search their own
pools is one which cannot be preserved. Before I sign
any minute I must have a very full statement showing
stringent treatment by the three fighting Services of
their own problems.

Prime Minister to Monsieur

4 May 25

Herriot (France)

I am delighted to learn that you and Madame Herriot
have escaped safe and sound from the long ordeal
which you have faced so courageously. Please accept
my warm congratulations.

Prime Minister to Field-

6 May 45

Marshal Montgomery

(Germany)

The formidable mass of helpless [German civilians]

and wounded in this area must be a great problem to
you. Do not hesitate to address me direct if ordinary
channels work too slowly.

2. Why is it necessary to put the commanding
generals into prisoners of war cages? Have we no
facilities for observing the ordinary distinctions of
military rank pending any war charges that may be
afterwards formulated against individuals?

Prime Minister to M.

9 May 45

Reynaud, M. Daladier, and

M. Blum (France)

Triumph and Tragedy

904

I send you my warmest congratulations on your
liberation. I need not tell you how often my thoughts
were with you during the long years of your captivity,
nor how glad I am to be able to rejoice with you on this
day of victory.

Prime Minister to Foreign

14 May 45

Office

It is of high importance that the surrender of the
German people should be completed through agencies
which have authority over them. I neither know nor care
about Doenitz. He may be a war criminal. He used
submarines to sink ships, though with nothing like the
success of the First Sea Lord or Admiral King. The
question for us is, has he any power to get the
Germans to lay down their arms and hand them over
quickly without any more loss of life? We cannot go
running round into every German slum and argue with
every German that it is his duty to surrender or we will
shoot him. There must be some kind of force which will
give orders which they will obey. Once they obey, we
can do what we like to carry through unconditional
surrender.

2. I deprecate the raising of these grave constitutional issues at a time when the only question is to avoid
sheer chaos. You seem startled at General Busch
giving orders. The orders seem to be to get the
Germans to do exactly what we want them to do. We
will never be able to rule Germany apart from the
Germans unless you are prepared to let every
miserable little German schoolchild lay its weary head
upon your already overburdened lap. Sometimes there
are great advantages in letting things slide for a while.

In a few days when we have arrived at solutions to the
more important questions requiring action and possibly
gunfire, we will find a great many things will settle
down. We can then lay down the great principles
applicable to the qualities of vast communities.