Armageddon_ A Novel of Berlin - Leon Uris [203]
Popov tried to interrupt.
“I haven’t finished yet. The Soviet Union on its own has seized German lands with a tax valuation of twelve billion dollars. It has taken land from Poland with a tax valuation of two billion dollars. The question is ... how many times and in how many different ways are you going to try to collect the same ten billion dollars?”
Popov could hold still no longer. “The Soviet Union will continue to be guided by policies that prevent the enslavement of the German working class. We know all about the concentration camps in the British Zone of Germany. We know about the Hitler-like campaign preventing the Communist Party from delivering the workers in the American Zone. It is you who are intolerant of democracy.”
“I appreciate your rhetoric,” Hansen answered, “but you haven’t answered my questions.”
“It is the Soviet Union who suffered at the hands of the Hitler aggressors and the Soviet Union leading the German people to peace!”
“Will you or will you not give us an accounting of what you have taken out of Germany?”
“I see no sense in continuing this meeting.” Without further ado, Marshal Popov and his staff walked out.
Marshal Popov’s performance was duplicated on the other side of the city by Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov, who insisted American money was pouring into Germany for the war of revenge and enslavement of the German working class.
After Molotov’s walkout, even the conciliatory French had had enough.
The Berlin Conference ended with the United States, Britain, France, Holland, Luxembourg, and Belgium jointly declaring that the three Western Zones of Germany should coordinate economic policies, and further, that steps be taken to draft a constitution for a German Republic.
Europe was weary. The horrible winter of 1946–47 had brought a final collapse of industry and agriculture. People were undernourished and machines were destroyed or obsolete. The skilled labor force had been depleted. The farms lay in ruins; the mines did not run; the will of the people to survive was failing.
Although the Truman Doctrine did much to stop the impetus of armed Communist take-overs, something more was needed. For in this filth, fear, and hunger, the cancer of communism grew fat in Italy and France.
A monumental program of aid to Europe was envisioned by a wise old soldier who had ascended to Secretary of State and knew that guns were not enough.
The question now was to get the European Recovery Act/The Marshall Plan through the Congress before it was too late.
America was coming of age. The price to rebuild Europe meant acceptance of American leadership. And for America, the age of her seclusion was done.
The tired nations of Europe were asked to convene in Paris and make their needs known as the machinery of Congress worked toward enactment of the law.
Chapter Thirty-three
THE NOTICE READ:
The new library in Amerika Haus will be formally dedicated this Thursday. Special Services has arranged a concert by the eminent pianist, Sergeant William James.
This library, which will eventually hold 50,000 volumes, is a gift of the American people through donations to the German-American Friendship League. It would be appropriate on this occasion that personnel who wish to attend invite German guests.
A formal invitation read:
Colonel and Mrs. Neal Hazzard request the pleasure of your company at a cocktail party at the Dahlem Press Club directly after the concert of Sergeant James.
Sean had the invitation on his desk for a week. A number of times he had stared at it, pondered it, reread it, doodled on a scratch pad next to it ... two days till the concert.
He picked up the phone and asked the board for an outside number.
“Hello.”
“Fraulein Falkenstein?”
“Speaking.”
“This is Lieutenant Colonel O’Sullivan.”
“Oh yes, Colonel.”
“There is to be a dedication of a library at the Amerika Haus. I wonder if you and your uncle would