COPY
 
January 23, 1945
 
 
                                                            
                MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT                
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
                         Subject:                           
             Protection of our Prisoners of War             
                                                            
 
 
The British Government has expressed through its Embassy concern lest
chaotic conditions resulting from German collapse or deliberate threats
by Hitler and his associates to murder Allied prisoners of war as a
last resort may place our prisoners of war in peril.  It has therefore
proposed that the American, British, and Soviet Governments prepare a
joint warning that individual commandants and guards, no less than the
German military authorities, will be held responsible for the saftey of
the prisoners of war in their charge.  The British propse that this
warning not be issued until either (1) organized German resistance has
ceased, or (2) Hitler has issued a threat to murder prisoners of war or
a clear indication of such an intention has reached the Allied
Governments.  A copy of the text of the proposed warning is attached.
 
 
While the Joint Chiefs of Staff concur that it would be advisable to
issue a statement, they have drawn up two alternative statements which
they suggest be substituted for the British proposal.  Copies of these
statements are attached.
 
 
Although there are certain merits to the Joint Chiefs' of Staff
proposal, it is felt that the threat to retain a thousand German
prisoners to be employed in the interest of the Allied nations for each
American prisoner murdered carries with it definite political
implications which it would be best to avoid.  For this reason it is
recommended that we should agree to accept the British approach.
 
 
It is the view of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that such statements would
be issued only after it had been determined on a governmental level
that there is concrete evidence of German purpose to take action
against Allied prisoners.  The Joint Chiefs suggest, however, that it
might be appropriate to communicate these statements at the present
time to the British and Soviet Governments with