Office of the Historian

864.00/12–1149: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Legation in Hungary

secret
priority
Washington, December 11, 1949—6 p. m.

niact

706. Ur 1348 Dec, 111. Thompson or Perkins2 will stand by for call 11 a. m. Dec 12 though we seriously doubt that device which may have contributed release Ruedemann and Bannantine3 will prove effective again present case.

Concur ur outline proposed conversation except all references possible US retaliatory action shld be confined gen term “counter-measures” without mentioning any type of specific measures. We consider it unwise to go as far on specific pts in phone conversation as urtel suggests.4

We believe discussion with Hung Min here wld weaken rather than reinforce ur representations and accordingly do not propose call him in at this time.

If meeting with Rakosi does not take place on or before Dec 13, you shld take up matter with FonMin or Berei along lines Dept 696 Dec 25 making forceful demands in terms immed release and departure Vogeler.

Acheson
  1. Supra. ↩
  2. George W. Perkins, Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs.↩
  3. Regarding the Ruedemarin–Bannantine case, see footnote 4 to telegram 459, March 23, from Budapest, p. 466.↩
  4. No record of the telephone conversation under reference here has been found, but telegram 1350, December 12, from Budapest, not printed, appears to confirm that it took place as scheduled (364.1121/12–1249).↩
  5. Ante, p. 484.↩