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

863.51/10–1645: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the United States Political Adviser for Austrian Affairs (Erhardt)

Washington, November 27, 1945—6 p.m.

303. For your info currency conversion program outlined P–5538²⁵ and P–5949²⁶ informally approved by State, War and Treas. Joint Chiefs concurrence is in process of clearance. Presume no further action respecting 600 million AM schillings (reurtel 344, Oct 16²⁷) required. War will probably notify Clark that if for any reason conversion does not go through and Soviets renew request for AM schillings, such request should be referred to War. Approach to Soviets in Moscow no longer necessary re Moscow’s 26 to Vienna, 3917 to Dept.²⁸

Sent to Vienna, repeated to Moscow as 2401.

Byrnes

25. Ante, p. 649.
26. Not found in Department files.
27. Not printed. In this telegram the Political Adviser suggested that 600 million Allied Military schillings authorized in July for transfer to the Soviets be withheld in the hopes that the increased need for schillings might influence the Soviets in reaching an agreement on conversion. (863.51/10–1645)
28. Not printed. The Ambassador in the Soviet Union reported that he had delayed communicating with the Soviet Foreign Ministry as instructed in the Department’s telegram 2306, November 7. He had discovered that the program of conversion into Allied Military schillings appeared to have been abandoned by the Allied Council in favor of a program of conversion directly into Austrian National schillings. (863.515/11–2145)