LETTER TO W. L. HAMBERGER, ESQ. FROM JAMES FORRESTAL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01731R003100010074-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2003
• Sequence Number: 74
• Publication Date: March 17, 1948
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Rose 2003/05/23: CIA-RDP80R0173110100010074-0
COPY
ER 8630
My dear Mr. Hamberger:
I thank you for your letter of March 15th
which I am sending to someone in the government,
who, I think, will be interested to read it.
I appreciate your offer of service
and will have it in mind.
Very sincerely yours,
STAT
MEMO FOR RECORD:
Forwarded to DCI with note MI would like to speak to you
about this letter. J.F.s dated 17 March.
ot'j -b - er, proved For Release 2003/05/23 : CIA-RDP80R01731 R003100010074-0
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ER 8630
LIFE
LOVE STAT
HEALTH
HAPPINESS
March 15, 1948
My dear Mr. Secretary of Defense:
You may know who I am after stating that I married
Marie E. Briggs of Beacon, N.Y. (Matteawan at that time).
You attended Dartmouth or Princeton and during
vacations stopped in at Maple street occasionally.
History has been made since, much has changed
and happened, two great wars have been fought, won and lost.
The final treaties of the second war are not signed and
preparations are being made for the third.
You were selected to head the most important
department of our government. Your responsibilities are great,
grave and extremely important. You, no doubt, have all the
physical assistance possible. There are other factors which
an outsider may supply. I followed both wars carefully, studied
motives, causes and effects. Circumstances and facts do look
different when seen from other angles.
When the late General Patton crossed the Rhine I
felt that American forces would be fighting the Russians in
Germany before any treaty is signed with Germany. You know
better than anyone else how right or wrong I may be.
The recent public releases of German Russian
secret treaties made prior to Germany's invasion of Russia, need
no further mention. You knew about them many months earlier. It
is only a matter of time; time is in favor of Russia.
I am not a military man nor a politician nor looking
for a job, but ready and willing to help in any way I can.
The Marshall plan is good in theory, but tends to
prolong the agony. To be sure, money will help, there are other
things money can not buy. Human emotion, equation and public opinion are
of importance. Fundamental thoughts of mine may interest you.
Respectfully and sincerely,
Hon. James V. Forrestal
Secretary of Defense
Washington, D. C.
cy: Director, CIAL- ---
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'8630
23 March 1948
STAT
L. H a:aberger
Dear Yr. Hamberger:
The Secretary of Gefensa, Mr.
James V. porreatel, has ,riven me your letter of 15
March for reply. He Is quite intarested,as are we all,
In your thoughts about the Marshall Plan and about your
ideas concerning the present world situation. If you
should care to comaunicatetohen to me, I can assure
you that they will be carefully studied.
be q to be,
Thanking you for your interest, I
Vry sincerely yours,
s/ RHH' - Disp 3/24
R, H. Hillenkoetter
K our Admiral, USN
Director of Central
Intelligence
D
Distribution:
/Director
Central Records
Approved For Release 2003/05/23 CIA:RDP80R01731R00310Q010074-0