Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

864.00/6–447: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom ¹

secret   urgent

Washington, June 4, 1947—1 p. m.

2392. Dept proposes instruct US Rep ACC Hungary transmit communication along following lines to Soviet Acting Chairman ACC. Before doing so comments Embassies Moscow and London and views Brit FonOff re possible parallel Brit action urgently requested.

“On instructions from my Government, I addressed to you two communications, on March 5 and March 17, regarding the development of events in Hungary, including unilateral intervention in Hungarian political affairs by the Soviet occupation authorities, which my Government regarded as threatening the continuance of democratic processes in that country. On both occasions I proposed the establishment of a commission of investigation to include representatives of the three powers on the Allied Control Commission.

Within the last few days further aggressive measures have been taken against important members of the party which received the support of the majority of the Hungarian people at the last election. While information is not complete, sufficient facts have emerged to indicate that there has been the most serious intervention by the Soviet authorities in the internal affairs of Hungary without consultation of any kind with the Allied Control Commission. It appears that action outside the bounds of parliamentary process, based largely upon depositions attributed to an individual who has been held incommunicado by the Soviet occupying authorities, has been carried out by the leaders of some of the minority parties. The effect of this action has been to force the resignation of the Prime Minister and other majority members of the Government and to cause the formation of a government dominated by the minority parties.

My Government must view with skepticism charges that the principal members of a Government constituted by a duly elected majority have been plotting the overthrow of their own authority particularly when these charges are made by the Communist Party which with the open support of the Soviet occupation authorities has engaged in constant efforts to intimidate and coerce the leaders of the majority party in order to bring about complete minority domination of Hungarian political and economic life.

The United States, as a member of the Allied Control Commission and a party to the Yalta Declaration, has a responsibility to see that the will of the Hungarian people as expressed at a free election is not arbitrarily frustrated. The United States Government has received no information which in its view would justify these actions of the Soviet occupying authorities and the leaders of the minority elements. On the contrary the United States Government considers on the basis of the facts at its disposal that the Soviet Chairman of the Allied Control Commission has failed to fulfill his responsibility to keep his British and American colleagues informed and has even assisted in the execution of these actions.

The United States Government has no desire to engage in recrimination and counter-recrimination concerning the recent developments in Hungary. It believes that there should be an objective ascertainment of the facts.

My Government is therefore convinced of the urgent necessity that the situation in Hungary be examined by an international fact finding body. To this end I am instructed again to request your agreement to the immediate formation of such an investigating body containing representatives of the three ACC and Yalta Powers. Such an investigating authority should be granted every facility by the Hungarian Government and the occupying forces in order that it may return a complete and impartial report. Should such an investigating body not be established, should it not be able to function effectively and freely or should circumstances render such course advisable, my Government may refer the matter to an appropriate body of the United Nations.”²

Sent London, Moscow, rptd Budapest.

Marshall

1. A marginal notation by Under Secretary of State Acheson reads: “Approved by Secretary Cleared with Sen. Vandenberg”.

   This telegram was also sent to Moscow as 1261 and to Budapest as 596.

2. In telegram 2070, June 7, from Moscow, not printed, Charge” Elbridge Durbrow commented upon this proposed note in part as follows:

   “Unless we have concrete proof of Soviet support of Communist Party activities (paragraph 3) and that Soviet Chairman ‘has even assisted in execution of these actions’ (paragraph 4), Soviet reply will, as usual, deny any implication of Soviet backing and tend to weaken our case when notes published. If we have concrete evidence Soviet connivance, we should make this clear in note effort preclude Soviet denial. We assume every effort being made to obtain objective, factual information regarding Soviet connivance from Nagy and other members of government now abroad who are free to talk.” (864.00/6–747)