740.0011 European War 1939/9826: Telegram
The Chargé in Hungary (Travers) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 10—9:58 a.m.]
150. The circumstances leading up to the suicide of the Prime Minister still appear substantially as reported save that the Army General Staff presumably reached an agreement with the German General Staff by virtue of which Hungary is promised territorial gains extending to the Adriatic in return for allowing German troops to transit the country using Hungarian transportation facilities if required and to proceed to an adequate strip of Hungarian territory along the Yugoslav border which will serve as a base for military operations, and for the employment of Hungarian troops if requested. It is assumed this agreement was reached with the knowledge and consent of the Regent who appears to have succumbed to family and other intimate influences sympathetic to German policies definitely when he saw his own conceived policy of friendship with Yugoslavia come to naught, but not of the Government which in the person of Teleki made a last minute [Page 304] effort prior to his suicide at least to preclude Hungarian military participation. Mobilization continues and affects adversely industrial and agricultural life which fact it is hoped in wide circles may cause Germany for her own good not to accept Hungarian military support even in a symbolical manner especially as Hungary has been committed to the German cause by the rupture of diplomatic relations with Great Britain.
Hungarian foreign policy now apparently is in the hands of Germany who appears inclined to permit the Government itself to conduct internal affairs but it is possible that she may reject Bárdossy whose health is poor and who in conducting internal affairs must rely greatly on the Minister of the Interior who is not in German favor. The pro-German Minister of Cults and Public Education is seen as a probable successor to the Prime Minister.
Repeat to War Department.