740.00119 European War 1939/6–2944: Telegram
The Ambassador to the Yugoslav Government in Exile (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2 p.m.]
Yugos 130. My Yugos 123, June 16.69 Being apparently still unwilling to contact the Russians directly, Maniu has sent Stirbey and Visoianu a long telegram outlining his plan “to get Rumania out of the war”. This arrived from Ankara yesterday and a copy was immediately given to Mr. Novikov for transmittal to the Soviet Government, whose reactions are awaited. For the Department’s information, the plan provides the conclusion of the armistice and the change of government shall take place simultaneously with a “massive Soviet offensive”. It also calls for Allied air bombardment of communications in Hungary, Bulgaria and Rumania, and Allied provision of three airborne brigades and 2000 parachute troops inside Rumania. Whether these Allied contingents are to be Anglo-American or Russian is left to the decision of the “Supreme Allied Command”. Finally it proposes that the armistice be signed in Cairo by Maniu’s delegates and the Allied representatives prior to the change of government, and that it come into force at the time of the change, with a proclamation of Rumania[n] withdrawal from the German alliance.
[Page 183]In a concluding paragraph Maniu states that having accepted the armistice terms and submitted “this precise plan of action”, he would like to know what “immediate improvements” the Allies are prepared to accept in the armistice conditions. He says that “definite information exists that so far as Antonescu is concerned modifications were agreed to” and that the groups favorable to the Allies cannot undertake the grave responsibility of action on any terms less favorable than those accorded to him. Needless to say there is no knowledge here of any “modifications” promised to Antonescu.
Repeated to Algiers for Murphy as number 24.
The full text of the above message is being forwarded by airgram.70