740.00119 EW/1–2747
The Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Navy (Forrestal)
My Dear Mr. Secretary: Reference is made to several informal inquiries received from the War and Navy Departments soliciting the views of this Department in regard to the timing of the deactivation of the United States contingents with the Allied Control Commissions in Bulgaria, Hungary and Rumania which will terminate their functions upon the coming into force of the peace treaties with those countries when instruments of ratification by the United States, United Kingdom and the U.S.S.R. are deposited with the U.S.S.R.1
According to the provisions of the peace treaties with Bulgaria, Hungary and Rumania all armed forces of the Allied and Associated Powers shall be withdrawn as soon as possible and in any case not later than ninety days from the coming into force of the treaties except in the case of Rumania and Hungary for such Soviet forces as may be necessary to maintain lines of communication with the Soviet Zone in Austria. During the ninety day period due compensation shall be paid to the Bulgarian Government for such supplies and facilities as the forces of the Allied and Associated Powers which are being withdrawn shall require.
It is, of course, impossible to estimate in advance when ratification of the treaties will take place, and I believe it desirable that the United States Military and Naval contingents remain with the Allied Control Commissions in sufficient strength to perform the Commission functions devolving upon them until the termination of the Commissions on the date of the coming into force of the treaties. In the circumstances, it does not seem to me desirable that any major segments of those contingents actually be withdrawn from Bulgaria, Rumania or Hungary until after the ratification date. However, plans for the expeditious withdrawal after ratification could be formulated at present and in the meantime, during the period between the signature of the [Page 8] treaties on February 10 and the ratification date, there would seem to be no reason why we could not withdraw such personnel as may appear surplus for the execution of the diminishing volume of work which may be expected to result from the prospect of the early termination of the Commissions. I hope that in this manner the withdrawal of the U. S. delegations to the Allied Control Commissions in the three countries can be accomplished as soon as possible and in any event not later than thirty days after the coming into force of the treaties.
The views of this Department have also been asked concerning the assignment of military and naval attachés and accompanying personnel to Bulgaria, Hungary and Rumania. Since this Government has already established diplomatic relations with the Hungarian Government there will be no difficulty in transferring such personnel to the American Legation in Budapest, which I suggest be made effective on the date of ratification of the Hungarian peace treaty. We have not yet accredited diplomatic representatives to the Rumanian or Bulgarian Governments and consequently definitive determination of the procedure to be followed in the assignment of military and naval attachés to those posts cannot now be made. However, this matter is receiving active consideration and I shall not fail to communicate with you further in this connection as soon as a decision is reached which I hope will be at an early date.
I am writing along similar lines to the Secretary of War.
Sincerely yours,
- The ratifications of the Treaties of Peace with Bulgaria, Hungary, and Rumania were deposited on September 15. For additional documentation on this topic, see volume iii .↩