The Secretaries of War and the Navy and the Joint Chiefs of Staff concur
in the recommendations of General McNarney in the attached copy of his
cable on the subject of the Subdivision of Vienna and recommend
[Page 147]
that it be used as a basis for
negotiations in the European Advisory Commission.71
[Annex]
Text of a Telegram From the Commanding General,
United States Army Forces, Mediterranean Theater of
Operations (McNarney), to the Joint Chiefs of Staff
1. Vienna survey by United States mission is subject.
2. Innerestadt is badly damaged and most public buildings will
require months to render habitable. Best hotels and restaurants
however only slightly damaged.
3. Otherwise southeast badly damaged, west and northwest least
damaged. Most desirable areas are in west and northwest.
4. The Gau contains limited recreation and training areas. At present
Austrian city administration covers only the pre-1938 city limits.
The majority of Austrian officials appear to consider it inadvisable
to expand the city limits to the Gau until the city itself has been
rehabilitated. It would be inadvisable from an administrative
viewpoint to extend the zones into the Gau unless the city limits
are also extended.
5. In order of priority airfields are Tulln, Schwechat and
Zwolfaxing, although British and French rate Gotzendorf their choice
over Zwolfaxing. Tulln almost undamaged, has excellent permanent
housing and repair and storage facilities.
Schwechat has slightly damaged runway but hardly a building left
standing.
Zwolfaxing has no hard runway, practically no facilities, but
moderate possibilities for development starting from scratch.
The remaining airfields west of Danube are considered unsuitable.
6. Flory registered energetic protest at Russian refusal to let his
expert see Aspern, Seyring or Deutseh-Wagram, stating that he could
only report to his government that on basis of available information
they are all first class all-weather fields.
7. Aside from question of airfields, the United States zone proposed
in JCS 1169/9 (SWNCC 25/2)72 is entirely unsatisfactory from
[Page 148]
point of view of housing, office space or
facilities as this area has been badly damaged and in normal time,
apart from diplomatic quarter, contains chiefly small commercial
enterprises, stockyards, slaughter houses, factories and lower class
housing.
8. Our proposal also contains condition that an airfield must be an
integral part of the United States zone. This position would create
administrative difficulties both for ourselves and the other
occupying forces and is believed to be unnecessary if the principle
of free access enunciated in Para 11 A below is adopted.
9. As a result of lengthy discussions at a meeting at Allied Force
Headquarters (AFHQ) yesterday under the chairmanship of General
Lemnitzer, Deputy Chief of Staff, AFHQ, the British, French and
American missions agreed to submit the following recommendations to
their governments for zoning the city:
Districts 7, 8, 9, 17, 18, 19 to the United States.
Districts 6, 14 (that part within city limits), 15, and 16 to
French.
Districts 3, 5, 11, 12 and 13 to British.
Districts 2, 4, 10, 20 and 21 to Russians.
The British and French agreed to recommend that a certain amount of
housing in District 13 be made available to the French on a
bilateral basis.
10. Mission heads also agreed to recommend assignment of one airfield
for each power. United States will have Tulln, British Schwechat and
French Götzendorf. Pending repairs to Schwechat, British and French
will be granted lodger rights at Tulln. Thereafter British will
accept Schwechat on joint occupancy basis with French provided
French will reciprocate at Götzendorf.
11. The above recommendations are contingent on acceptance by the
Russians of the following general principles agreed to in substance
by the three heads of mission for the sharing of facilities in
Vienna not divisible because of location or scarcity:
- A.
- Free and unrestricted transit rights in ground and air
through all zones in Vienna and its environments for all
occupying forces. In the case of highways leading to
airfields outside the zones of the occupants of the airfield
concerned, and training grounds outside the city limits,
these should be internationally controlled.
- B.
- Public buildings and office space within the Innerestadt
should generally be left for the permanent Austrian
ministries and agencies which would normally use them. Other
facilities in the Innerestadt, particularly hotels and
restaurants, should be equitably divided on the spot between
the occupying forces by the multipartite town
command.
- C.
- Adequate training and recreation areas beyond the city
limits should be provided by mutual arrangements between the
commanders concerned.
[Page 149]
12. As explained in Para 4 it is considered undesirable to administer
zone in the Gau outside the city limits. The question of whether or
not the zones should comprise the Gau or city limits should
ultimately be based on the decision of the Austrian administration
itself, as to whether or not to expand the municipality to the Gau.
If and when the city expands the control of the additional districts
by the four powers should expand with it. This idea was agreed to by
all three missions. The British and French did not consider it
necessary to fix the boundaries at this time. Although we desire to
fix the boundaries now we do not consider the point one of great
importance.
13. Soviet proposals allot Districts 3 and 11 to French. 11 is
worthless. French therefore state that this allocation is not
acceptable. Their position is reasonable. Districts selected by
Russians in Soviet proposal are generally unsatisfactory for offices
and living accommodations. They contain industrial installations and
bulk of working classes.
Allocation of areas 4 and 10 to Russians is reasonable. However, head
of British mission is recommending to his government that these
districts be included in British area as bargaining point. This is
probably wise since Russian EAC representative may offer objection
to allocation of Schwechat and Götzendorf airfields.
British mission also include claims to District 25 for same reason.
They suggest that we ask for District 26. We do not require that
area but our EAC representative may desire to press for it as a part
of bargaining procedure.
14. Conditions in Vienna are generally unsatisfactory. Food rationing
is barely above starvation allowance. Critical shortage of medical
supplies. Only 3 ambulances in city. No doctor has a car. Russians
exercise little control over city administration.
Each district operates as a separate cell with virtually no
coordination from above. Business is at a complete standstill. Motor
transportation in city non-existent.
Considerable evidence that Russians are stripping city methodically
and efficiently. This is especially true of factory machinery.
Signal equipment and furniture are also included. Although Russians
expect to have a demolished section of Vienna allotted to them their
officers are now scattered throughout the city in excellent
accommodations. Russians jokingly suggested that it was hoped that
suitable living quarters could be retained in United States, British
and French areas.
15. It was evident to heads of missions that Russians are extremely
eager to have Allies into Vienna at earliest possible date.
Situation
[Page 150]
in city is
deteriorating and Russian prestige is lowered every day we remain
away. Russians were most friendly and cooperative within limits of
their instructions from Moscow. These instructions were adequate
except for prohibition to visit eastern airfields.
It was impossible to induce them to budge from that position. At one
time Russians granted authority for United States courier planes to
land at Tulln, but authority was withdrawn 6 hours later, probably
because of fear we might inspect the three eastern airfields from
the air.
16. Recommend that proposal outlined in Para 9, 10 and 11 above,
agreed to in substance by three missions, be submitted to the United
States delegate at EAC.
Also recommend that we continue to press for right to inspect three
eastern airfields on the principle that all Vienna facilities should
be shared equally by the four powders.
17. I recommend that General Flory with appropriate staff officers
proceed to London to consult with the United States representative
on EAC to advise and pass on to him detailed information obtained
during recent reconnaissance in Vienna.
General Winterton, Head of British Mission, is departing Italy for
London Monday 18th June, to report to British government and British
EAC representative.
General Cherriere, Head of French Mission, is likewise expected to
report to French EAC representative in London after short stopover
in Paris to report to his government.
