860H.01/573: Telegram
The Ambassador to the Yugoslav Government in Exile (MacVeagh)65 to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:48 p.m.]
124. Greek Series. I have not yet been given the opportunity of presenting my Yugoslav credentials but yesterday I had another long talk with the Premier Mr. Puritch and expect the ceremony this week.
Puritch said that he saw Mr. Eden yesterday morning and asked for the latter’s first reactions on the announced formation of a Partisan government in Yugoslavia. Mr. Eden, he said, was “sweet, nobody could be sweeter” but told him that the British policy would be to continue to recognize the Government and at the same time to continue to support the Partisans. He was exceedingly critical and sceptical on the subject of the British so-called intelligence reports, military and otherwise, from Yugoslavia, particularly as to the exploits of the Partisans and the numbers of their adherents. He said their widely publicized actions cannot be responsible for keeping more than two or three German divisions in the country over and above what would be necessary there in any case. Regarding their setting up of a government he said that in a sense this should prove a good thing since it was demonstrated clearly that the movement is not merely patriotic but essentially political as he has always charged. He described the movement as the “bastard child” of the Russian controlled Tiflis radio calling itself “Free Yugoslavia” and the BBC and complained that the birth of this bastard had been facilitated by the British refusal to allow the recognized Government to have direct communication with its people.
In other ways also he spoke bitterly of the British complaining of their lack of cooperation and consultation with his Government. “I can’t declare war on the British Empire and so I must swallow it.” He said that Yugoslavia has survived many internal troubles and therefore he is not worried about her fate so far as her own action is concerned. “Our main trouble comes from our Allies.” He said he feels most strongly that Allied support to Communist bands will in the [Page 1024] absence of Allied military enterprise in the Balkans, end in driving the conservative elements of the population into the arms of the Germans for protection.
- On November 12, 1943, the Senate confirmed the nomination of Lincoln MacVeagh as American Ambassador to the Yugoslav Government in Exile in Egypt.↩