Office of the Historian

740.00119 Control (Italy)/8–1445: Telegram

Mr. Alexander C. Kirk, Political Adviser, Allied Force Headquarters, to the Secretary of State

Caserta, August 14, 1945—6 p.m.
[Received August 14—5:21 p.m.]

3285. On receipt of your telegram 719, August 630 we addressed memorandum to Supreme Allied Commander in accordance with Department’s instructions. We have today been informed by Deputy Chief of Staff31 on behalf of Supreme Allied Commander that decision to turn over to Tito Yugoslav nationals under reference was made on grounds of military necessity in view of conditions existing at that time. It was stated that Supreme Allied Commander took note of our nonconcurrence and pointed out that British Resident Minister had concurred in proposed action but that in any event Supreme Allied Commander took his decision because of conditions existing of which he was better aware than Dept. The communication from Deputy Chief of Staff added that in view of divergent political views expressed to him on subject, by Resident Minister and ourselves, Supreme Allied Commander suspended transfer of dissident troops as soon as emergency conditions ceased to exist. It was set forth that while Supreme Allied Commander of course seeks the advice of his political advisers on all occasions he must reserve unto himself right to decide matters of an urgent military nature as he sees fit.

In conversation with Alexander this morning he stated to us that he was obliged to receive surrender of almost 1,000,000 Germans in mid-May and could not deal with anti-Tito Yugoslavs as he would have liked. We stated we had nothing to add to our memorandum under reference except to point out to him again that Resident Minister acted contrary to policy agreed upon after consultation by Department and Foreign Office.

Kirk
  1. Not printed; this telegram instructed Mr. Kirk to inform Field Marshal Alexander that the Department was unable to understand why the instructions contained in Gen. Robertson’s draft telegram, “which did not conform to view of British and U.S. Govts and in our opinion could not be justified on grounds of administrative expediency were not countermanded in time to prevent transfers … You should add that we assume that further transfers of such persons to Yugoslav forces have now been halted …” (740.00119 Control (Italy)/8–445)↩
  2. Probably Maj. Gen. Lowell W. Rooks, United States Army.↩