740.00119 Control (Austria)/5–2945: Telegram
The United States Political Adviser on Austrian Affairs (Erhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 30—6:30 a.m.]
32. Dept’s 1, May 26, 7 p.m. to Vienna [Florence].42 I have discussed with Field Marshal Alexander and Genl. McNarney in Caserta and with Genl. Flory here the matter of having a civilian representative of my staff accompany the mission to Vienna. They are all of the same opinion namely that the inclusion of a civilian representative of the Dept in a military reconnaissance party with the resultant necessity of informing Marshal Tolbukhin of this fact might prejudice the success of the mission by arousing Soviet suspicions and affording a pretext to the [apparent omission]. After many false starts they feel that they are on the verge of getting into Vienna at last and desire to avoid any step that might upset plans that seem to be proceeding smoothly at this stage. Consequently they do not favor making any changes at this late date in the composition of the military party some members of which are leaving here by motor early on the morning of the thirtieth. In view of their strong feelings I do not feel warranted in pressing them to act contrary to their best judgment. [Page 125] This is all the more true since the mission now includes two former officers of the Dept, Lt. Col. Chas. W. Thayer,43 who has been assigned temporarily to the Fifteenth Army Group for this trip and Lt. Col. Edgar Pallen who is a member of the Political Division.44
I have just been told that two Allied officers who were proceeding overland to Vienna with Alexander’s message to Tolbukhin45 were stopped by the Soviet authorities at Corps Headquarters. Later information was received that they are to proceed under Soviet escort at 2 p.m. today.
Sent Dept as 32, rptd to London as 4.
- Not printed; it stated that the Department agreed that the mission to Vienna should be of a military character but considered it desirable for Erhardt or a member of his staff to accompany the mission and report on general conditions in Vienna, if such an arrangement did not in any way prejudice or delay the mission (740.00119 Control (Austria)/5–2645)↩
- With the Office of Strategic Services↩
- Presumably, of the U.S. Group Control Council (Austria)↩
- Field Marshal Alexander’s message to Marshal Tolbukhin regarding the arrangements for the Allied mission to Vienna not found in Department files↩