Office of the Historian

740.00119 Control (Hungary)/8–1745: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)

Washington, August 17, 1945—6 p.m.

1852. Difficulties placed in the way of entrance of American citizens into ex-satellite countries, whether civilians having bona fide interests such as journalists, relief workers, Reps of American business interests etc (re Budapest’s 43, 45 and 50 Aug 6, 8 and 1125) or military and civilian officials not directly attached to our Missions or the American military missions (re Budapest’s 39 Aug 326) are not in Depts view justified in the light of situation in Hungary and other ex-satellite states since end of hostilities in Europe.

This Govt feels most strongly that during second period of armistice in these countries ACC activities must be on a truly tripartite basis along lines envisaged at Potsdam and that local authorization for entry is quite properly one of ACC functions. This Govt does not believe that any one of the three countries represented on the ACC is justified in imposing onerous conditions involving a complicated procedure and consequent delays.

This Govt is most seriously concerned over the incident reported by Gen Key in his Z–400 regarding the virtual expulsion from Hungary by the Soviet representation on the ACC of three American army officers having official business with our Military Mission and sees no valid reason why requests of this nature for entry should not be granted without delay.

Please bring foregoing to attention of Soviet Govt and endeavor to obtain improvement of present unsatisfactory situation through immediate agreement of Soviet authorities to prompt local clearance by ACC’s in Hungary, Rumania and Bulgaria of applications, including pending cases, for entry into those countries when presented by US [Page 851] or UK Reps. It may be helpful in this connection that Voroshilov is reported to be in Moscow.27

Sent to Moscow; rptd Budapest, Bucharest, Sofia and Caserta.28

Byrnes
  1. These are telegrams from Budapest which were repeated to Moscow. They are telegrams 377, August 6, and 393, August 8, not printed, and telegram 410, August 11, p. 840.↩
  2. Same as telegram 370, August 3, 1945 2 p.m. from Budapest, not printed; it reported that the Acting Chairman of the ACC had informed General Key that the permission for entry into Hungary of American diplomatic personnel not a part of the American Mission in Hungary must be the subject of discussions between the American Ambassador in Moscow and the Soviet Foreign Commissariat (740.00119 Control (Hungary)/8–345).↩
  3. Telegram 460, August 22 from Budapest, reported that Voroshilov and General Key had held a conversation on the evening of August 21 during which Voroshilov agreed that the size of military and diplomatic missions in Budapest was not subject to Soviet control and that additional personnel could enter subject to established clearance procedures (740.00119 Control Hungary/8–2245). Telegram 519, August 31, from Budapest, reported that no clearance to enter Hungary for 11 American businessmen or American relief workers had been granted by the Soviet authorities (740.00119 Control Hungary/8–3145).↩
  4. Repeated to Budapest as 312, to Bucharest as 425, to Sofia as 257, and to Caserta as 751.↩