Office of the Historian

860h.00/11–945: Telegram

The Ambassador in Yugoslavia (Patterson) to the Secretary of State

Belgrade, November 9, 1945—4 p.m.
[Received November 10—4:40 p.m.]

635. ReDeptel 393, November 7.80 We changed the phrase “his supporting colleagues” to “one of his colleagues” because we thought the former controversial and one which Yugoslavs might purposely misconstrue.

Grol resigned from government on August 19; Subasic and Sutej on October 8. It is questionable whether Yugoslavs consider Grol a supporting colleague of Subasic as he acted independently after striving in vain to obtain latter’s support. Only opposition to government in Avnoj and Parliament was by Grol and his democrats. At no time did Subasic raise his voice in support.

At same time Yugoslavs might purposely read phrase “supporting colleagues” to mean all his colleagues from London Government who joined Tito government, that is, Sutej, Kosanovic and Marusic,81 and then tell world we were maligning good names of last two, who not only failed to resign but have never even murmured against this totalitarian regime.

We thought this change sufficiently “in accordance with the text” (as instructed in Deptel 386, November 181a) as to be warranted without consulting Department and we thought it important to present note without further delay. British Embassy reasoned likewise and made the same change in its text.

[Page 1283]

In this connection, although first paragraph of draft received in Deptel 37081b consisted of two complete sentences we were not satisfied with it and obtained a repeat which included eight lines omitted from first message.

Part of Deptel 386 had to be repeated due to garbles. Repetitions also contain doubtful words but we are convinced there is no consequential change in note presented other than that explained above.

Patterson
  1. Not printed; it requested an explanation as to why the text of the note to Tito had been changed. “The language of the US note had been discussed at length with Brit and copies of text as agreed had already been furnished Soviet and French Govts. Any suggestions you had should have been telegraphed to Dept.” (860h.00/11–645)↩
  2. Drago Marusich, Minister of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones.↩
  3. Same as telegram 9638 to London, p. 1278.↩
  4. Same as telegram 9488, October 26, to London, p. 1274.↩