You Two Are the Most Insubordinate Officers in the Whole Damn Army

Robert R. Bowie

Don McLean and I served together as special assistants to General Lucius D. Clay when he was Deputy Military Governor for Occupied Germany. Both of us had worked previously under Clay in the War Department in Washington in different capacities. I had been in the Legal Office for Procurement and then went as an assistant to Clay when he was shifted over to the White House as a deputy to James Byrnes, Head of the Office of War Mobilization about November 1944. Don had been in another division of the War Department.

Our designation came early in 1945, just after Clay himself was named Deputy Military Governor under General Eisenhower. We had about a month in Washington to familiarize ourselves with the relevant directives (especially JCS 1067 which had just been approved by President Roosevelt), before going abroad about the same time as Clay in April 1945. Since Clay was not to assume his duties until the war ended in Europe, we went first to Versailles, outside of Paris, using the time to educate ourselves on Germany, largely on the basis of excellent materials prepared by the British agencies planning for the occupation.

In Versailles we were billeted with General Clay in a small modern villa which had been built by a French industrialist for his mistress. A young captain from Arkansas, who was Clay’s aide, arranged for the meals. After about a week of pork chops and black-eyed peas, Clay asked the aide whether that was all the commissary had. “Oh, no,” he replied, “but I couldn’t imagine anything better.”

Shortly before the war ended on May 8^th, we had moved forward to headquarters prepared in Hoechst where many more of those assigned to Military Government assembled. Clay’s personal household was expanded to include General William Draper, who was to be in charge of economic affairs in the occupation.

Somehow or other, on the day of surrender, Don and I managed to get to Rheims and walk around the outside of the school-house (I think) where it was taking place. Thereafter, we made our way to Paris and joined with the enormous crowds surging along the Champs-Elysees. The French mood was curious - happy and relieved that the war was over, but somewhat muted as well, perhaps reflecting the French humiliation and defeat during its course.

Not long after, the Western allies finally arranged for their forces to take over the agree-upon occupation zones and for their Military Government authorities to move to Berlin which was an enclave in the Soviet Zone. In Berlin, Don and I joined General Draper in a house in the Wansee suburb of Berlin which was largely undamaged. General Clay explained to Don and me that while he was used to working from 7:30 am to 8 pm, Draper’s habit of pursuing unfinished business after dinner was too taxing - and led Clay to opt for living alone.

As assistants to General Clay, Don and I had a unique position in the staff. We had no formal title, no clearly defined duties, and no authority of our own. We worked directly with Clay, and simply did whatever he asked us to do. In general, we looked into specific matters that concerned him, prepared reports for him, checked for him on how the various Directorates were handling their tasks. The range of topics was as wide as Clay’s responsibilities, and required Don and me to inject ourselves into other peoples’ bailiwicks in getting information or checking for Clay. Don was especially good at this role: he was able to be persistent without being abrasive or creating undue friction.

Clay was extremely stimulating to work for. He had a remarkably sharp mind, was a rapid reader, and could absorb information very quickly. When given a report, he could almost scan it and identify the aspects worth discussing. He loved to debate issues and was aggressive and penetrating in such debate. Indeed his manner almost paralyzed some of his subordinates. Actually, however, he was eager for candid expression of views and conclusions, and expected us to argue strongly for the decisions we thought correct. With our background as lawyers, Don and I relished such give-and-take and took full advantage of the opportunity. Indeed once, as sort of a backhanded complement to our candor, Clay said to Don and me: “You two are the most insubordinate officers in the whole damn army.”

One of our first assignments after our arrival in Berlin was to plan and organize a two or three day program for the Military Government officers regarding the objectives and policy guidelines which were to govern the occupation during its initial phase. Clay thought it essential to have a common staff understanding of the basic purposes and policies in view of the inevitability wide desecration in carrying them out.

He gave Don and me a free hand in planning the program. For presentation we divided the directives among among for main aims - which we called the four D’s - to denazify, to demilitarize, to deconcentrate, and to democratize. Don located somewhere in the headquarters a small graphics team which prepared large posters illustrating each aim by cartoons. To involve the chiefs of the various divisions, we had each of them give the talks on their own area of responsibility. By requiring advance texts, and editing them with the speakers, we had a chance to go over with them the governing documents, including JCS 1067, the Potsdam Agreement, and other directives.

The year in Germany was a rewarding experience in many ways. Not the least was the association with Don and the chance to get to know him, and to become a firm friend. The challenge there displayed so many of his abilities and fine qualities. He was able to tackle unfamiliar subjects with confidence and to get to the heart of issues. He was flexible and innovative in proposing how to handle difficult or novel problems. By his integrity he won the trust and confidence of those he worked with. Beyond that he was an enjoyable companion, with a good sense of humor and a hearty and infectious laugh. He saw through pretense and hypocrisy without being cynical. Above all he had an unusual capacity for warm and loyal friendship.

Robert R. Bowie, Washington, DC, was Special Assistant to Gen. Lucius D Clay, Deputy Military Governor for Germany. A lawyer, he has combined several faculty positions at Harvard Law school and as the Director of the Center for international Affairs, with federal service as General Counsel for High Commissioner John J. McCloy (Germany), in the Department of State and the CIA.