tov in an effort, as reported later by the Prime Minister, to prevent misunderstandings and contrary policies. With respect to the issues that were arising among the United Nations, Foreign Minister Eden declared in the House of Commons on December 1 that "the fundamental truth remains that if we four can stand together until victory is won, and afterward, there is no problem which we cannot solve. If we ... fall apart, I do not care how good the international organization we build, or how perfect the machinery, it is not going to work at all." 8 The foregoing is but a brief sketch of the circumstances of the time bearing on postwar policy, but it suffices to indicate the environment of difficulties in which consideration was undertaken of the means to conduct the remaining preparation on postwar security, political, and territorial problems. That consideration began both at staff and higher levels during the period of the last two weeks of the Dumbarton Oaks Conversations. It was well under way during November 1944, as over-all Departmental reorganization came under study. At this point, when the extraordinary organization for postwar preparation had accomplished the bulk of the work originally projected for it, changes occurred in regard to the superior policy committees and the leadership of the Department. The Post-War Programs Committee held its final meeting November 17, 1944. The Policy Committee's last meeting was twelve days later. Illness compelled Secretary Hull to submit his resignation November 21. His letter to the President of that date expressed "utmost regret" that, at a time when "complex and difficult conditions and problems must be dealt with in the months and years immediately ahead," he could no longer make his full contribution. He wrote specifically in this regard of "the creation of the post-war peace organization," and the President, in his reply of the same date, commented that Cordell Hull had earned the title, "Father of the United Nations." 10 Mr. Stettinius was nominated on November 27 and took oath of office as Secretary of State on December 1, 1944. Coincident with these developments, a specific decision was made to establish the State-War-Navy Coordinating Committee. This decision grew directly from the need for some such arrangement felt in the postwar policy preparation since the termination of Mr. Davis' Subcommittee on Security Problems the preceding year. It also reflected emerging operational requirements. The United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and France. 10 Department of State Bulletin, XI, 649. Following informal discussion among members of the three Departments during and after the Dumbarton Oaks Conversations, a proposal for a committee of wide scope was agreed upon at a meeting of representatives of these Departments. Mr. Stettinius, still Acting Secretary of State, then formally proposed to Secretaries Henry L. Stimson and James V. Forrestal on November 29, 1944, the appointment of a committee to represent the three Secretaries and to be charged with the formulation of recommendations to the Secretary of State "on questions having both military and political aspects" and with "coordinating the views" of the three Departments in matters of common interest. This proposal was accepted December 1. James C. Dunn, then Director of the Office of European Affairs, was named the member for the Department of State and the Chairman. John J. McCloy, Assistant Secretary of War, and Artemus L. Gates, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air, were the other members. The Committee began its meetings on December 19, when its interdepartmental secretariat had been organized." The advisers and deputies who began on that date to attend its meetings were Vice Admiral Russell Willson, Maj. Gen. John H. Hilldring, Col. R. A. Cutter, and John D. Hickerson, then Deputy Director of the Office of European Affairs of the Department of State. This high ranking committee immediately turned its attention to the postwar problems remaining in the stage of preparation in connection with the treatment of Germany, Austria, and Japan and with the forthcoming conference of the American republics at Mexico City. DEPARTMENTAL REORGANIZATION, DECEMBER 1944 MR. STETTINIUS, upon becoming Secretary, immediately instructed that a reorganization plan, designed to increase the Department's effectiveness, be drafted. The projected structure was developed over approximately the next two weeks. During this time, Joseph C. Grew was confirmed as Under Secretary, and, to fill vacancies left by the resignations of Mr. Berle, Mr. Long, and Mr. Shaw, three new Assistant Secretaries were placed in office. These were William L. Clayton for economic affairs; Nelson A. Rockefeller for relations with the other American republics; and Archibald MacLeish to take charge of public and cultural relations. Mr. Acheson continued as Assistant Secretary but now assumed responsibility for relations between the Department and the Congress and for international conferences. By "The Committee continued, under the name of the State-Army-Navy-Air Force Coordinating Committee, through June 30, 1949. The original secretariat consisted of Fletcher Warren, Harold W. Moseley, Col. Wallace E. Whitson, Col. Charles W. McCarthy, and Keith Kane. virtue of legislative authorization of two additional Assistant Secretaries, Mr. Dunn was named to supervise European, Far Eastern, and Near Eastern and African Affairs, and Brig. Gen. Julius C. Holmes was placed in charge of administration. All these officials, with the exception of the last named, had taken part in one or another aspect of the postwar preparation. The new Secretary and Under Secretary had been members of the Post-War Programs Committee and of the American Group at the Dumbarton Oaks Conversations. Mr. Acheson had shared responsibility in all economic work. Mr. MacLeish had served on the Political Subcommittee of the Advisory Committee, Mr. Rockefeller on the Taylor Committee, and Mr. Clayton on a special committee under the Taylor Committee. Mr. Dunn had been especially active in the political, territorial, and security preparatory work. The Senate confirmed these appointments December 19, 1944. Only limited changes were made in other positions at the superior level. Mr. Hackworth remained as Legal Adviser and engaged actively in the further postwar preparation. Mr. Pasvolsky continued as Special Assistant to the Secretary of State for International Organization and Security Affairs, in charge of "the work of preparing for a United Nations Conference to establish an International Security Organization." Both of these officials were designated as having rank equivalent to that of assistant secretary. Mr. Bohlen became Assistant to the Secretary of State and liaison officer with the White House and also participated in this preparation. Several new positions were created. However, most of these additions or changes of personnel, while concerned in varying degree with matters still postwar in character, were not primarily related to the remaining postwar preparation." The Policy and Post-War Programs Committees were transformed rather than abolished. The Secretary's Staff Committee, now instituted, in effect replaced both when it was charged with assisting the Secretary "in determining current and long-range foreign policy." This Committee accordingly considered the major policy problems of a postwar character of concern here. Its membership included, under the Secretary as Chairman, the Under Secretary, Assistant Secretaries, Legal Adviser, and the Special Assistant to the Secretary for International Organization and Security Affairs. The new Coordinating Committee established at this time was responsible to the Under Secretary, who was its Chairman. Its membership was constituted of the Directors of Offices and Mr. McDermott as the Special Assistant to the Secretary for Press Relations. This body 12 The reorganization was effectuated by Departmental order 1301 and Departmental designation 106, both on Dec. 20, 1944. Department of State Bulletin, XI, 777-813. dealt especially with matters of policy or action arising in daily operations and questions of interoffice relations. A small Committee on International Conferences at the Assistant Secretary level was also ✓ appointed at this time for the scheduling, organization, and conduct of conferences.13 Its membership was constituted of Mr. Acheson as Chairman, Mr. Pasvolsky, and the Assistant Secretary in whose field any given conference was projected. A Joint Secretariat succeeded the former separate secretariats of the Policy and Post-War Programs Committees. That of the latter provided the principal model for the new Secretariat and thereby constituted a direct link with the secretariat activities that had been initiated by the research staff for the Advisory Committee in 1942. Mr. Yost and Mr. Rothwell were named the Executive Secretaries of the new body. The Secretariat, with minor modifications in designation, has continued to the present day, and the concept of superior Staff and Coordination Committees has been kept alive in certain current arrangements within the Department. As noted, the substantive preparation for a general international organization continued under the charge of Mr. Pasvolsky, Special Assistant to the Secretary. Mr. Bowman continued as Special Adviser to the Secretary of State, concentrating chiefly on postwar problems and especially on the general international organization. Henry P. Fletcher was also named to continue as Special Adviser on these and related problems, but was unable to serve.1 By a related appointment effective December 29, 1944, Hamilton Fish Armstrong became Special Adviser to the Secretary of State to advise on international political questions,15 his work likewise centering chiefly on general international organization. The staff work in that regard remained in the Office of Special Political Affairs, of which Ambassador Edwin C. Wilson continued as Director. Under the new arrangements, however, general supervision of this Office was not continued under Mr. Dunn but was now vested in Mr. Pasvolsky, working directly with Secretary Stettinius, who maintained close touch with the administration of the Office and with its activities bearing upon international organization. Several changes were made affecting the research staff and its work on the postwar preparation. The Departmental announcement of December 20, after commenting that "prior to... .. January 15, 1944, the work of preparing for the peace and establishment of an inter "Mr. Acheson was relieved of this responsibility by Feb. 27, 1945, when individual superior officials were made responsible for the conferences in their respective fields. national security organization was organized on a study basis," stated that "the work of preparing for a United Nations Conference to establish an International Security Organization" would be continued by the divisions of the Office of Special Political Affairs. These divisions, however, were considerably altered. For some time changes had been developing. The Chief of the Division of International Security and Organization, Mr. Notter, had become Adviser serving under the Director of the Office, Mr. Wilson, shortly after the Dumbarton Oaks Conversations. In addition, also in connection with the new forms and conditions of work represented by the negotiations at Dumbarton Oaks, adaptation of this Division with its wide-ranging fields of activity to the last stage of preparation had been pressed by the Division itself, partly to anticipate the needs of final preparation and partly to complete the necessary staff adjustments before the time for operations was reached. Accordingly, the Division was now abolished, and its principal sections were made divisions all within the Office of Special Political Affairs. There were three successor divisions, each charged with formulation and coordination of policy and action on the matters within its field. The Division of International Organization Affairs, with Durward V. Sandifer as Chief, was made responsible for matters regarding the establishment of the proposed United Nations organization, relations with that organization, and relations between it and specialized or regional agencies and organizations. The Division of International Security Affairs, with Joseph E. Johnson as Acting Chief and Donald C. Blaisdell as Associate Chief, was given responsibility for matters regarding the security phases of the proposed United Nations organization, including relations between it and regional security systems or arrangements, relations with the organization on security matters, and the relevant security aspects of United States foreign policy generally. The Division of Dependent Area Affairs, with Benjamin Gerig as Chief, was charged with responsibility for the matters concerning the activities of the proposed United Nations organization affecting dependent areas and peoples and the conduct of relations on such matters with the organization when established. The Division of Territorial Studies, with David Harris as Acting Chief and Philip W. Ireland as Assistant Chief, was retained unchanged, but this was a temporary expedient pending completion of arrangements already begun for integration of its sections with the geographic offices and divisions and, to a lesser extent, with the economic offices and divisions. Its work by this date was conducted almost wholly in conjunction with these offices and divisions. Until its integration with them was accomplished in the course of the next two months, the preparatory papers of this Division for the most |