740.60h114/7–1245: Telegram
The Chargé in Yugoslavia (Shantz) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 13—12:50 a.m.]
262. Yugoslav prisoners of war from Germany are being officially received here with suspicion and often ill treatment. We feel State and War Departments should know this because of role USA officers play in repatriation and consequent responsibility returning men and their families believe them to bear.
Majority of POWs were captured in April, 41 have been over 4 years in prison. Nevertheless, according to testimony of several relatives, they are coldly received by Partisans, officers frequently stripped of insignia and decorations. They are ridiculed as “King Peter’s Army”, warned against expressing pro-American or British sentiments and given short leave in home villages before having to join Partisan Army. Numerous cases men and officers refusing to accept Red Star of Tito and imprisoned as result. Many returning prisoners kept in confinement for no given reason while wives, children or parents gather outside the prison hoping for glimpse of the men. Many those released soon exasperated by political situation here, by unhappiness of families, prevalence of espionage and frequent arrests for outspoken criticism. Some POWs had their watches, shoes and clothes stolen by Partisans.12
Sergeant who returned from Stalag 13 near Nuremburg June 22 came to Embassy yesterday to say he will do anything at risk of life to return to his camp to warn 8000 officers and men, also those of nearby camps through prisoners’ underground of conditions prevailing here and undesirability returning. Says he was sent by camp to investigate and his report anxiously awaited. Also says relatives of prisoners whom he visited to give news of these men insist men should not come home now.
In view of this, suggest US authorities responsible for repatriation of Yugoslav POWs give them chance to inform selves fully as possible about conditions in Yugoslavia and to make up minds freely and individually about their future.13 Our sources indicate many would be glad to join US Army in war against Japan.
[For further documentation on political developments in Yugoslavia during the month of July, see Foreign Relations, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference) 1945, Volume I, pages 826–840. For documentation on the discussions of the Yugoslav question at the Berlin Conference, see ibid., index entries under Yugoslavia, Volume I, page 1088, and Volume II, page 1644.]
- Telegram 2897, July 7, 1945, from the U.S. Political Adviser, Caserta, reported from British sources that many repatriated prisoners were arrested immediately upon their return to Yugoslavia and were sentenced in some cases to as much as 5 years’ imprisonment (740.60h114/7–745).↩
- In despatch 80, July 16, 1945, from Belgrade, the Second Secretary of Embassy, William N. Fraleigh, wrote: “The fate of these returning prisoners presents a problem to which the American Government would seem to owe some attention. The impression among many people of Belgrade as well as the prisoners themselves is that the Americans are helping these men to return without due regard to the conditions awaiting them, and of course this is true though the American responsibility is not quite as the Yugoslav public sees it. The problem is similar to that presented by the brutal treatment of men and families of men who joined Mihailovic, in which the American Government also bears a share of responsibility, at least in the eyes of many Yugoslavs, for having at one time supported Mihailovic’s movement.” (740.60h114/7–1645)↩