800.796/8–645: Telegram
The United States Political Adviser for Austrian Affairs ( Erhardt ) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 7—4:04 a.m.]
133. Although General Clark30 has been pressing for an early meeting of the four CINC (Commander-in-Chief) Koniev31 has not yet been able to set date. Reasons given are first, that Koniev is not yet sufficiently recovered from his illness and second, that new instructions are desired from Moscow beforehand since published Potsdam report contains so little on Austria.32 Clark is requesting JCS (Joint Chiefs of Staff) to assist in bringing about early meeting. British and French commanders have made similar requests to their Govts. Meanwhile US forces in Vienna now consist of reconnaissance and maintenance units. Garrison forces proper will enter with CINC.
General Gruenther33 has flown from Verona to several meetings of deputy commanders in Vienna in an effort to facilitate smooth entry of Allied Forces. He will leave for another meeting tomorrow.
Repeated to Moscow as 13.
- Gen. Mark W. Clark, Commanding General, U. S. Forces in Austria, U. S. Military Commissioner for Austria, and U. S. Member of the Allied Council for Austria.↩
- Marshal Ivan Koniev, Commanding General, Soviet Forces in Austria, U. S. S. R. Military Commissioner for Austria, and Soviet Member of the Allied Council for Austria. Marshal Koniev was ill at this time and a meeting of the Four Allied Commanders in Chief was tentatively scheduled to be held sometime between August 5 and August 12.↩
- Reference is to section VIII of the “Report on the Tripartite Conference of Berlin,” August 2, 1945, Conference of Berlin (Potsdam), vol. ii, pp. 1507–1508.↩
- Maj. Gen. Alfred M. Gruenther, Deputy Commander, U. S. Forces in Austria.↩