<--PREV Doc #194  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #196 Document #195; May 18, 1953 To Alfred Maximilian Gruenther Series: EM, AWF, Administration Series ; Category: Personal and confidential The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XIV - The Presidency: The Middle Way Part II: Settling into "the long pull"; May 1953 to August 1953 Chapter 3: "A time for continued vigilance"   Dear Al: Thanks for your letter. I am looking forward to seeing you in early June.1 I agree that it would have been fine to have your Chief of Staff from some other nationality, but I realize that in Valluy the language difficulty would have been insurmountable. I cannot think of anyone else to recommend.2 In any event, Bradley tells me today that you have cabled in asking for Schuyler. I approve--in spite of my disappointment. I admire him, and he will be, of course, tremendously helpful to you.3 Charlie Wilson talked some of setting up Handy's successor in a more independent status.4 I told him that under no circumstances could he trifle with your position as the highest American military authority in the region. There must be no American military commander in Europe who does not definitely know that his occupancy of his post is with your consent--in fact, on your recommendation. I repeat that this must be the very minimum authority you must have over the man who is designated to succeed Handy. Grace's decision not to move conforms to Mamie's opinion. I was certain that the two of you would want to go down to enjoy the lovely gardens and surroundings in the other villa.5 As is so often the case, I was wrong. Love to her, and all the best to yourself. As ever 1 In a handwritten note of May 14 Gruenther had expressed gratitude for his appointment as Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR) (see no. 103), and reported that the French had reacted with enthusiasm (AWF/A). Gruenther in closing had spoken expectantly of a bridge game at the White House on June 4 (see the Chronology and no. 186). 2 As a "complication," Gruenther noted that a Paris newspaper had predicted that he would choose French General Valluy as his new Chief of Staff. 3 On June 22 Eisenhower would nominate Cortlandt van Rensselaer Schuyler, promoted to lieutenant general, to be Gruenther's Chief of Staff. The Senate would approve in early July (New York Times, June 18, 23, July 3, 1953). 4 On General Thomas Troy Handy's assignment as Deputy SACEUR for Logistics and on the organizational changes taking place in the U.S. command structure during the summer of 1952 see Galambos, NATO and the Campaign of 1952, no. 836; on Handy's retirement see no. 769. 5 Gruenther had reported that his wife Grace, although happy over the new assignment, regretted having to leave their quarters. She liked her house better than the official SACEUR residence and had spent a large sum on a flower garden. On the Eisenhowers' former home see Galambos, NATO and the Campaign of 1952, no. 18. Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. Personal and confidential To Alfred Maximilian Gruenther, 18 May 1953. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 195. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/first-term/documents/195.cfm <--PREV Doc #194  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #196

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