SWNCC 46 Series: Telegram
The Commanding General, United States Forces, European Theater ( McNarney ) to the War Department
priority
Ref S–2716 to AGWar for action and ComGen 3rd US Army, OMGUS, Western Base Section for info signed McNarney cite ETGAP.
Refer to our S–2114, 19 April.
Had we acted on a strictly American interpretation of Citizenship all subject Soviets would have been released. However in order to determine whether an individual was a citizen as intended by your WX89544, 20 December 1945,68 3 tests of citizenship rights were given as follows:
- A.
- Right to bear arms;
- B.
- Right to vote in free elections;
- C.
- The right to hold public office.
Several hundred individuals who were in the Soviet Union on 1 September 1939 have not been repatriated because our boards determined under tests enumerated above that they were not citizens. The categories follows: [Page 156]
- A.
- Kulaks—those who because they opposed collectivization of their property were denied one or more of the rights enumerated above.
- B.
- White Russians—those who actively opposed or fought against the party in the 1917 revolution, and who consequently were denied one or more of the rights above.
- C.
- Dissenters—those who because of their active participation against the regime were denied one or more of the above rights.
Each category includes personnel in some one or more of the following sub-groups:
A. Persons who served in the Soviet armed forces, but who were not captured in German uniform.
B. Persons who never served in the Soviet armed forces but who were captured in German uniform. Persons who served in the Soviet armed forces and who were captured in German uniforms.
Each major group likewise includes minors under 18 years.
Continued custody of this personnel imposes great difficulties on our forces and the passage of time is not likely to clarify the situation further. Therefore urgently request that your directive, as asked for in our S2114, 19 April, be forthcoming immediately.