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

Department of the Army Files: Telegram³³

The Chief of the United States Military Representation on the Allied Control Commission for Hungary (Key) to the War Department

[Budapest,] 22 August, 1945.

Z–441. Key to Marshall for OPD and JCS, info McNarney, Deane Moscow, ACC Bulgaria, ACC Rumania, ref nbr Z–441.

Subject is Hungarian elections. See my Z–409.³⁴

The Prime Minister, through a personal aide, has informed me of his objection to the Russians demand for early general elections in Hungary. The Prime Minister feels that presence of large Russian forces and support by them of domineering, though small Communistic element, will make it impossible to conduct a free election at this time. He strongly urges me unofficially to inform my government of the situation and in his behalf to solicit its interest in the matter.

I am also solicited by Doctor Balogh, assistant to the Prime Minister, a member of the Hungarian Mission, which executed the armistice agreement in Moscow, to inform my government of the seriousness of the situation. The pressure groups are demanding that election in Budapest be held in September, and in the country in October.

He states that it is impossible to make up a correct list of voters due to the displacement of people throughout the state and that proper election laws cannot be formulated, enacted and published in time for an early election.

He states that the Communistic party is receiving 600,000,000 pengos monthly, from outside sources and that they possess 150 automobiles as compared with 8 owned by membership of the Smallholders party. He strongly urges Allied supervision and estimates that 3,500 supervisors will be required to assure free elections. He stresses lack of funds makes it impossible for more conservative political parties to effectively combat extreme leftist parties.

This is forwarded for your information.

[

Key

]

33. War Department classified message number CM–IN–21728.
34. Not printed; this telegram, dated August 17, 1945, from Major General Key to the War Department reported reliable information that Marshal Voroshilov was impatiently demanding that the Hungarian Prime Minister and President of the National Assembly issue a decree for holding general elections as soon as possible (Department of the Army Files).