740.00119 Control (Hungary)/5–1945: Telegram
The Representative in Hungary (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2:30 p.m.]
43. After waiting several days for an appointment I called today on Pushkin, Political Adviser to Voroshilov on ACC. I told him of our desire to keep together and to work harmoniously. I explained that we were known to Europeans as a rather impatient people and intimated that we were anxious about fact that representatives of all three Allies were not participating equally in the ACC. Am Rep on ACC and our Govt were particularly concerned when our Rep was not informed of proposed actions or even of decisions and this condition might require renewed discussion between our Govts.
Pushkin replied that we had perfect right to info that he was very familiar with armistice terms and ACC statutes as he had had part in working them out in Moscow. “Unfortunately, there were “technical” reasons why info had not reached us mentioning disruption of work caused through transfer of ACC and Hungarian Gov from Debrecen to Budapest as one example and long absence of Voroshilov as another. I said there were also number of smaller [Page 818] things that irritated us which I hoped would be taken care of soon so that we would have reasonable facilities for carrying on our functions. My reference was primarily to authorizations for planes to fly to Budapest. Pushkin said that during actual military campaign on an active Soviet front such matters could not be given urgent attention but assured me situation would improve now.
Pushkin has not been in US. He seems younger than his probable age, about 45. His eyes and expression are remarkably hard. He is completely successful in preventing an indication of emotion or reaction appearing while he is listening. When talking he can, at will, produce an almost spectacular smile but his eyes do not lose their coldness. His speech is low and quiet yet distinct. He appears to have a determined ruthlessness verging on the fanatical yet controlled and less blunt than that of Soviet military man like Starhusky47 for instance.
- Lt. Gen. Starhusky, Chief of Staff to the Chairman of the Allied Control Commission for Hungary, Marshal Voroshilov; acting in Marshal Voroshilov’s stead during the latter’s absence in Moscow.↩