863.00/1408: Telegram
The Chargé in Austria (Wiley) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 11, 1938—5:47 p.m.]
64. Schuschnigg made radio announcement at 7:45 in substance as follows:
I have to give my Austrian fellow countrymen the details of an eventful day and a grave situation. I declare before the whole world that the German Government today handed to President Miklas an ultimatum with a time limit attached ordering him to nominate as Chancellor a person designated by the German Government who would appoint a government satisfactory to them, otherwise German troops would invade Austria. I have to declare before the world that news launched in Germany concerning disorders created by the workers, the shedding of blood, of a situation which had got out of the control of the Government are lies from A to Z. The President asks me to tell the people of Austria that we have yielded to force since we were not prepared even in this terrible situation to shed blood. We decided to order the troops to offer no serious (the Chancellor corrected himself and said to offer no resistance). The Inspector General of the Army, General Shilharsky [Schilhawsky], has been placed in command of the troops. He will issue further orders to them. So I take leave of the Austrian people with a German word of farewell uttered from the depth of my heart. God protect Austria.