The Unwritten Alliance by Churchill Winston S.;

Author:Churchill, Winston S.; [Churchill, Winston S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 5693046
Publisher: RosettaBooks
Published: 2014-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

says the communiqué—

convinced that the Bonn and Paris Treaties provide the best way.

Nobody can call that a platitude. It is a grave decision but not a new decision. It is a policy which has been steadfastly pursued by successive British Governments. The need for a German contribution to Western defence was recognized by all the members of N.A.T.O. as long ago as December, 1950. There have, of course, been differences about how this contribution should be made. There has been no difference that it must be made.

It was the French Government which put forward this idea of a European Defence Community instead of an army based—as I had myself somewhat conceived—on the principles of a Grand Alliance. This French plan offered a means of associating Germany politically as well as militarily with the West, and of creating a partnership of nations in place of the rivalries and hatreds which have torn Europe for so many centuries.

After long negotiations the E.D.C. Treaty was signed in May, 1952. It has been ratified by four of the six signatory States. Her Majesty’s Government and the United States Government have given the most solemn and far-reaching pledges of their practical support and intimate partnership with the Defence Community. They have substantial armies now standing on what we must call the Eastern front, both of which, in the event of war, would serve in a single line of battle with the E.D.C. under the supreme N.A.T.O. commander. But although France was the author of the plan the French Chamber has so far been unable to ratify it. It is not easy to foresee, nor would it at this moment be wise to forecast, the consequences of this deadlock should it continue.

We have both in Britain and the United States to consider the position of Germany. Under the Bonn Treaty the Federal Government will not regain her sovereignty until the E.D.C. Treaty comes into force. At present she remains in law a State under military occupation. The Federal Republic of Germany is willing and anxious to co-operate with the Western world, and it is right that she should do so on a footing of equality. Germany under Dr Adenauer has shown a very high degree of patience during the last two years when we have all been hoping, almost from month to month, that the French Chamber would ratify the Treaties signed by the representatives of France and supported by her Allies in the war. It would indeed be a tragedy if this opportunity were lost of bringing Germany back into the European family while also at the same time preventing the re-creation of a German national army. Dr Adenauer in his wisdom has made it clear that he much prefers an international army. To me, the bulk of whose public life has been spent in war or preparation for war with Germany, it seems little less than madness to leave that active and virile nation with no choice but to raise an independent national army—[HON. MEMBERS: ‘Oh!’]—and to reject associations with her in the Western world.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.