Military Liaison Missions
Encyclopedia
The Military Liaison Missions arose from reciprocal agreements formed immediately after the Second World War
between the Western allied nations (U.S., UK and France) and the USSR. The missions were active from 1946 until 1990.
The agreements between the allied nations and the Soviet Union permitted the deployment of small numbers of military intelligence
personnel — together with associated support staff — in each other's territory in Germany, ostensibly for the purposes of monitoring and furthering better relationships between the Soviet and Western occupation forces. The British, French and American missions matched the size of the counterpart Soviet missions into West Germany (the nominal post-war British, French and American zones of occupations). The MLMs also played an intelligence-gathering role. The MLM teams were based in West Berlin but started their "tours" from the national mission houses in Potsdam in matte-olive-drab heavy cars. The Mission teams on a tour frequently comprised one officer accompanied by an NCO
and a driver.
The missions persisted throughout the Cold War period and ended in 1990 just prior to German reunification
. The missions were
and their reciprocal Soviet missions (SOXMIS/SMLM).
The British-Soviet missions were the first to be established (16 September 1946) under the terms of the Robertson-Malinin Agreement (the respective commanders-in-chief). It also had the largest contingent of personnel with 31 accredited team members. Later agreements with the US (Huebner-Malinin, March 1947) and France (April 1947) had significantly fewer permitted personnel, possibly because those Allied powers did not want large Soviet missions operating in their zones and vice versa.
The Allied liaison missions, having quasi diplomatic status
, were relatively free to roam around East Germany save for specifically designated permanent and temporary restricted areas. They were largely 'untouchable' either by the law or military personnel. However a small number of team members were injured or killed in accidents or 'incidents' which gave rise to significant military and political tensions.
Little is publicly documented about the Soviet missions.
Although not widely known to the general public, the MLMs played a significant intelligence-gathering role during the Cold War
. They also had a significant role in confirming that preparations for offensive action were NOT under way, thus reducing the tension.
Probably the most notable incident involving the American MLM was the death of Major Arthur D. Nicholson
, a U.S. MLM Tour Officer. He was killed on March 23, 1985, shot by a Soviet soldier, and was considered the last American casualty of the Cold War, and the only U.S. MLM Officer to die in the course of duty, though other British and French tour personnel had died earlier. After the Berlin Wall
fell in 1989, Nicholson's death was honored on the floor of both houses of the United States Congress
, with a speech that was read into the official record.
* http://www.coldwarspies.com
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
between the Western allied nations (U.S., UK and France) and the USSR. The missions were active from 1946 until 1990.
The agreements between the allied nations and the Soviet Union permitted the deployment of small numbers of military intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
personnel — together with associated support staff — in each other's territory in Germany, ostensibly for the purposes of monitoring and furthering better relationships between the Soviet and Western occupation forces. The British, French and American missions matched the size of the counterpart Soviet missions into West Germany (the nominal post-war British, French and American zones of occupations). The MLMs also played an intelligence-gathering role. The MLM teams were based in West Berlin but started their "tours" from the national mission houses in Potsdam in matte-olive-drab heavy cars. The Mission teams on a tour frequently comprised one officer accompanied by an NCO
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
and a driver.
The missions persisted throughout the Cold War period and ended in 1990 just prior to German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
. The missions were
- British Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany (BRIXMISBRIXMISThe British Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany was set up on 16 September 1946 under the Robertson-Malinin Agreement between the chiefs of staff of the British and Soviet forces in occupied Germany....
) - La Mission Militaire Francaise de Liaison (FMLM, more properly MMFL in French)
- U.S. Military Liaison Mission (USMLM)
and their reciprocal Soviet missions (SOXMIS/SMLM).
The British-Soviet missions were the first to be established (16 September 1946) under the terms of the Robertson-Malinin Agreement (the respective commanders-in-chief). It also had the largest contingent of personnel with 31 accredited team members. Later agreements with the US (Huebner-Malinin, March 1947) and France (April 1947) had significantly fewer permitted personnel, possibly because those Allied powers did not want large Soviet missions operating in their zones and vice versa.
The Allied liaison missions, having quasi diplomatic status
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, were relatively free to roam around East Germany save for specifically designated permanent and temporary restricted areas. They were largely 'untouchable' either by the law or military personnel. However a small number of team members were injured or killed in accidents or 'incidents' which gave rise to significant military and political tensions.
Little is publicly documented about the Soviet missions.
Although not widely known to the general public, the MLMs played a significant intelligence-gathering role during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. They also had a significant role in confirming that preparations for offensive action were NOT under way, thus reducing the tension.
Probably the most notable incident involving the American MLM was the death of Major Arthur D. Nicholson
Arthur D. Nicholson
Arthur D. Nicholson was a United States Army military intelligence officer shot by a Soviet sentry while engaged in intelligence-gathering activities as part of an authorized Military Liaison Mission which operated under reciprocal U.S. - Soviet authority. Military Liaison Missions were ostensibly...
, a U.S. MLM Tour Officer. He was killed on March 23, 1985, shot by a Soviet soldier, and was considered the last American casualty of the Cold War, and the only U.S. MLM Officer to die in the course of duty, though other British and French tour personnel had died earlier. After the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
fell in 1989, Nicholson's death was honored on the floor of both houses of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, with a speech that was read into the official record.
External links
- Allied MLM @ Parallel History Project
- Allied Museum Berlin
- BRIXMIS Association
- French Forces in Berlin (including MMFL)
- USMLM Association
- USMLM Documents
- Western Allies Berlin site
- USMLM research (honors thesis) by Anya Vodopyanov Part 1
- Watch the new USMLM documentary entitled 'In Plain Sight'
- Report on death of Major Arthur Nicholson (USMLM)
- Ein kleiner Verein der sich mit den Fahrzeugen der Alliierten beschaftigt
* http://www.coldwarspies.com