740.00119 Control (Austria)/5–1945
Memorandum by Admiral William D. Leahy, Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, to the Secretary of State
The following message from Premier J. V. Stalin, dated May 18, 1945,33 was received this date:
“I have received your message of May 17 regarding the trip of American and Allied military representatives to Vienna. It is true that I agreed in principle to the arrival in Vienna of the said representatives, but, of course, I had in mind that by the time of arrival there of the said representatives a necessary understanding will be reached on the question of the zones of occupation of Austria and that the zones themselves will be specified by the European Consultative Commission.34
As it was agreed upon among Mr. Churchill, President Roosevelt and myself such questions are entirely within the competency of the European Consultative Commission. I still adhere to this point of view at the present time. Therefore it would not be possible to agree that the question about zones of occupation and other questions concerning the situation in Austria be transferred for consideration to Vienna.
I do not object, however, against a trip of the American and Allied representatives to Vienna for the purpose of acquainting themselves on the spot with the situation of the city and for preparing proposals regarding the zones of occupation in Vienna. In accordance with this necessary instructions will be given to Marshal Tolbukhin.
Besides, it should be kept in mind that the American military representatives could arrive in Vienna by the end of May or the beginning of June, when Marshal Tolbukhin, who is at present on his way to Moscow, will return to Vienna.”35
- In his telegram 2286, May 21, midnight, the Ambassador in Italy transmitted the text of a telegram from Marshal Stalin to Prime Minister Churchill, dated May 18, which was substantially the same as this message from Stalin to President Truman (740.00119 Control (Austria)/5–2145). For text of Marshal Stalin’s message to Prime Minister Churchill, see Correspondence Between the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the U.S.S.R. and the Presidents of the U.S.A. and the Prime Ministers of Great Britain, vol. i, document No. 469, p. 357 ↩
- European Advisory Commission↩
- President Truman’s reply to Marshal Stalin’s message was dated May 21 and read as follows: “I have received your message of May 18 concerning the dispatch of Allied representatives to Vienna for the purpose of acquainting themselves with the situation there and preparing proposals regarding zones of occupation, and I have informed our representatives of the dates you suggested.” (740.00119 Control (Austria)/5–2145)↩