Office of the Historian

871.001 Carol II/8–2745: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Portugal (Crocker)

Washington, August 27, 1945—8 p.m.

1404. We have told Bianchi72 orally that we are disturbed over the possibility of King Carol of Rumania returning to Europe and have [Page 598] asked him to bring this matter to the attention of his Foreign Office.73 Carol is supposed to sail August 28 from Rio on the Serpo Pinto. It is presumed that he has gotten a Portuguese visa. Please call immediately at the Foreign Office and indicate that we feel that in the light of the disturbed conditions in Rumania it would be most unfortunate for Carol to return to Europe at this time. We hope that the Portuguese Government will feel the same way and will find it possible to withdraw the visa if in fact it has already been given.74

Byrnes
  1. João Antonio de Bianchi, Portuguese Ambassador in the United States.↩
  2. In telegram 1680, August 7, the Chargé in Lisbon had reported that Portuguese and French visas had been issued in Rio de Janeiro to former King Carol, the King’s chamberlain, Ernest Urdareanu, and his mistress, Magda Lupescu, and that the King and his party planned to embark shortly by ship for Lisbon (871.001 Carol II/8–745). In response to this information, the Department, in telegram 1337, August 11, 3 p.m., to Lisbon, had stated that while Carol’s return to Europe was regarded with misgiving in view of the situation in Rumania, the Department did not contemplate taking any action with respect to his trip from Brazil to France via Portugal (871.001 Carol II/8–745). Telegram 1811, August 27, 1 p.m., from Lisbon, reported that Chargé Crocker and his British colleague shared the view that the arrival of Carol in Europe would definitely create difficulties for King Michael. The Chargé expressed the view that the Portuguese Foreign Office would cancel the visa issued to Carol upon formal request from the United States Government, and he wondered whether the Department was disposed to reconsider its position and send new instructions (871.001 Carol II/8–2745).↩
  3. Telegram 1830, August 29, from Lisbon, reported that the Portuguese Foreign Office had informed the Embassy that the Portuguese Ambassador in Rio de Janeiro had cancelled Carol’s visa and informed the captain of the Serpo Pinto that the vessel could not embark Carol or his entourage (871.001 Carol 11/8–2945).↩