740.00119 Control (Italy)/5–1245: Telegram
The British Prime Minister (Churchill) to President Truman
London, 12 May,
1945.
45. Your No. 34.42
- 1.
- I agree with every word you say and will work with all my strength on the line you propose. You will have received by now my No 44,43 which shows how gravely we both view the situation. If it is handled firmly before our strength is dispersed, Europe may be saved another blood bath. Otherwise the whole fruits of our [Page 1158] victory may be cast away and none of the purposes of world organization to prevent territorial aggression and future wars will be attained.
- 2.
- I trust that a standstill order can be given on the movements of the American armies and air forces from Europe, at any rate for a few weeks. We will also conform in our demobilization. Even if this standstill order should become known, it would do nothing but good.
- 3.
- Alexander’s Naf 959 asks urgently what part of his present troops, the Fifteenth Army Group, will be at his disposal in the event of hostilities against Yugoslavia. He has available for action seven United States divisions, four British divisions, one New Zealand division, one South African division, two British-Indian divisions, two Polish divisions and one Brazilian division, total 18 divisions. See his Naf 960. I have no doubt that if these were placed at his disposal he would feel himself in a good position to carry out any policy which our Governments may order. I must of course obtain permission from the New Zealand and South African Governments in respect of their two divisions and I cannot doubt that this would be accorded, especially to any policy in which Great Britain and the United States would be acting together.
- 4.
- In accordance with your suggestion I am instructing our Ambassador at Belgrade to address Tito on the lines which you have set forth and to keep in step with your Ambassador at every stage, whether in oral presentations or the delivery of identical or parallel notes or of a joint note.
- 5.
- The only minor amendment I would suggest to the proposed message to Tito would be towards the end, after the words “which must include Trieste, Gorizia, Monfalcone and Pola”, to add the words “the line of communications through Gorizia and Monfalcone to Austria and an area sufficiently to the east of this line to permit proper administrative control”. This is what you say in your introductory message to me except that I have suggested the addition of the words “to Austria”. If you agree, pray insert and dispatch without further reference to me.