840.811/8–248: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Smith) to the Secretary of State
1501. Personal for Ambassador Cannon. First report of Danube Conference very disquieting to us here. Hope our delegation appreciates fact that Vyshinski is a most accomplished bully. Naturally ruthless and cruel, he will on every occasion out-Communist his Communist contemporaries because he has an initial record of Menshevism to overcome. His tactics at beginning of Danube Conference in forcing through majority agreement for only two official languages to exclusion of English will be typical judging from my past experience with him beginning in North Africa. My own opinion is that had this bluff been called at the start he would have withdrawn and accepted English as official language. Feel sure Vyshinski will make every effort to ride roughshod over Western representatives in Belgrade and give an exhibition to satellite countries, particularly Yugoslavia of dominance of Soviet power.1 If he is permitted to do so, it may have marked effect on Yugoslavs and on future evolution of party rift.
[Page 644]Sent Department 1501, repeated Belgrade 58, Department pass Belgrade.
- The Minister in Switzerland, John Carter Vincent, reported to the Department in telegram 1017 from Bern on August 4, the observations telegraphed the previous day by the Belgrade correspondent of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung: “Danube Conference though scarcely begun now practically if not formally over. Yesterday Vishinsky proposed convention which according to course of negotiations thus far will be accepted seven to three. Significance of conference lies not so much in meeting itself nor convention it will produce but as example for Russian conduct in all negotiations in which it has majority. Vishinsky is absolute master of proceedings. Representatives USA, United Kingdom and France are pushed completely on defensive where they defend themselves with as little success as skill. … It is not clear how long Western representatives will wish to continue their rearguard action. If they do not show more negotiating skill, their future participation in the conference work cannot be more than successive loss of prestige for them.” (840.811/8–448)↩