Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference), 1945, Volume I

Department of the Army Files: Telegram

No. 317
The Chief of the Military Representation on the Allied Control Commission for Rumania ( Schuyler ) to the War Department ¹

top secret
priority

[ Bucharest ,] 14 July 1945.

Our M 1226. AFHQ pass to AGWar for War OpDiv info to ComGenMed, ACC Bulgaria and ACC Hungary from ACC Rumania signed Schuyler.

Our relations with Soviet Section, ACC in Rumania and particularly with General Susaikov himself continue to be entirely unsatisfactory. In the period which has ensued since the termination of hostilities with Germany, this delegation has participated to an even less extent than formerly in the affairs of the Allied Control Commission. Following are my specific objections to the attitude displayed by Susaikov and other key Russian ACC officials:

1. Susaikov continues to refrain from answering many of my official letters addressed directly to him, in spite of my reminders that such letters are remaining unanswered. Among such letters are:

(a). A number of requests for clearances to enter Rumania both for officers intended as replacements for officers already here, and

(b). Requests for arrangements for field trips by members of this delegation (including a proposed boat trip by myself through the Danube Delta area).

Certain of these letters remain unanswered after three months.

2. Susaikov failed to inform me as to change in Soviet policy reference admission to Rumania of French representative Jean Paul Boncour. Last March in reply to my request, Susaikov stated to me that Boncour’s arrival was not considered desirable at the time. I so informed the War Department and General Eisenhower. Two weeks ago I discovered that Boncour had arrived several days previously by train from Istanbul, having received necessary Russian clearances.

3. Susaikov has refused to furnish me any information on numbers, locations or length of stay of Russian troops in Rumania, despite the fact that he has admitted such troops are being housed and fed by Rumanian Government under Article 10 of the Armistice.²

4. Susaikov has failed to hold regular meetings of all three chief ACC representatives (the last such meeting occurred on the 17th March 1945) and he does not furnish me information on ACC policies and operations. The Rumanian Government continues to receive instructions on ACC matters and also to receive requisitions for food and other items for Russian forces, but this delegation remains in ignorance of the contents of such documents, although they are issued in the name of the ACC.

5. Conferences and informal discussions are continually being held between key Russian ACC officers and Rumanian Government officials relative to Armistice matters without prior notification to this Delegation and without inviting my representative to be present.

6. Without any prior discussion with this Delegation, Susaikov has informed the Rumanian Government in writing that all German held shares in petroleum companies in Rumania must pass to the control of the Soviet Union (see Melbourne’s cable to State Department number 465 of 12th July³). This appears to be a violation of Article 8 of the Armistice which requires Rumania not to permit the export or expropriation of such property.

7. Susaikov has consistently failed to advise me of Russian demands on Rumania under Article 12, which demands now aggregate a sum 75 percent as large as the total reparations indemnity specified under Article 11.

In general, it may be stated that this Delegation is not participating in any way in the work of the Allied Control Commission for Rumania, that such few meetings between us and Russian ACC officials as do occur are arranged only on our specific request and then after long delay, and that at these meetings no information except on a few minor points is vouchsafed by the Russians and our own questions are invariably either evaded entirely or are answered in such general terms as to afford no information of real value concerning the subject discussed.

I have kept the War Department informed of the actions which I have taken at various times to bring this unsatisfactory condition to the attention of the senior Russian representative. In view of the coming high level conference at Berlin, I do not propose to register further objection here at this time since I feel that the result might be the granting of a few minor concessions which would thereafter serve as a possible Russian argument at the Berlin conference against the necessity for a basic change in organization and method of operation of the Control Commission.

In a succeeding message, I propose to set forth what I consider to be the minimum essential changes in the operation of the Commission, which will ensure full opportunity to this representation for observation of the conduct of Armistice affairs, and will in some measure furnish us the means for protecting the rights and prestige of the United States Government and its nationals in Rumania.

1. Sent to the Commanding General, United States Army Forces, Mediterranean Theater of Operations, Caserta, for relay. Received by the United States Delegation to the Berlin Conference on July 15 as a retransmission from the War Department.
2. Executive Agreement Series No. 490; 59 Stat. (2) 1712.
3. Document No. 385.