Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1945, European Advisory Commission, Austria, Germany, Volume III

740.00119 Control (Austria) /4–1345: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, April 13, 1945—midnight.
[Received April 13—8:40 p.m.]

1162. ReEmbs 1104, April 9, midnight. During my conversation with Marshal Stalin tonight he informed me that now that Vienna had been captured,²³ no time should be lost in the fixing of the zones of Allied occupation for that city. He referred to the delays that had been encountered in the EAC in this respect and proposed that American, British and French representatives proceed to Vienna to establish the zones in Vienna. In reply to my question he said that the Allied representatives might proceed forthwith.

In view of the above, I strongly recommend that arrangements be made for our officers to proceed to Vienna at once.²⁴

Repeated to London as No. 158 and to Caserta as No. 54.

Harriman

23. Vienna was captured by the Soviet Army on April 13.
24. Telegram 2928, April 14, to London (repeated to Paris as 1495, to Moscow as 871, and to Caserta as 330) stated that the Department agreed with the proposal set forth in this telegram and had so informed the War Department; the Department considered it desirable for Erhardt to proceed to Vienna if and when the War Department authorized General Flory and other Army officers to go there (740.00119 Control (Austria)/4–1345).