Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, Europe, Volume IV

740.00119 Control (Hungary)/5–1645: Telegram

The Representative in Hungary (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State

Budapest, May 16, 1945—5 p.m.
[Received 10:40 p.m.]

18. British member ACC General Edgecumbe and British Minister Gascoigne⁴⁵ called on me yesterday. They expressed themselves in slightly different ways re attitude of Soviet authorities here during period preceding end of hostilities with Germany and with respect to forthcoming period or second stage in Hungarian armistice period.

Both felt that in first period there may have been justifiable reason for obstructionism of Russians here in small but irritating matters notwithstanding ACC statute including facilities for quarters of British Mission, supplies and transportation. In these matters British experience had been most unsatisfactory but General Edgecumbe believed Russian attitude was due to fact that this was active operational area and even Russian members of ACC here were regarded with indifference by Soviet High Command. Gascoigne’s view, however, was that obstruction was deliberate in small as well as important matters.

Both felt strongly that their participation in work of ACC had been deliberately excluded. In fact, they were permitted to exercise no influence whatever in work of ACC although ACC under exclusive Russian control purported to act in name of three Allied Governments.

British representatives expressed view that in now and second stage action should be taken by British and American Governments to insure their direct participation in work of ACC which had thus far had only one meeting since Hungarian armistice while Russian members took no account of statute of ACC in consulting or even informing other members. British Reps agreed that suppression of sources of public information in this country, drastic restrictions on communications and free movement of British and American Missions by control of air transport, confiscation of Hungarian owned radios, censorship of press and control of newsprint with other measures were calculated to black out informed public opinion in this country. At same time Hungarian Communist Party and to lesser extent certain other Hungarian Parties were receiving financial and other active support from Russians. This state of affairs British Reps believe foreshadows conditions which are not in accord with British understanding of Yalta Declaration affecting Hungarians.⁴⁶

45. Alvary Douglas Frederick Gascoigne, British Political Representative in Hungary, with the rank of Minister.
46. For text of the Declaration on Liberated Europe, included as part V of the Report of the Crimea Conference, issued as a Communiqué at the end of the Crimea (Yalta) Conference between President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Churchill, and Marshal Stalin, February 4–11, 1945, see Conferences at Malta and Yalta, p. 971.