EUR files, lot 59 D 233, EUR subject files
No. 928
The Secretary of
State to the Secretary of Defense (Wilson)1
Dear Mr. Secretary: The Department of Defense has informally requested the views of this Department on the question of redeploying the TRUST forces to Austria, in view of the possibility that we may be approaching a solution to the Trieste problem. I have reviewed the matter and have concluded, after weighing the various political factors involved, that there is no objection to the transfer of the major part of the United States forces now in Trieste to the U.S. Zone of Austria at such time as it becomes possible to withdraw them from Trieste.2
It is my understanding that approximately 3,000 military personnel are involved, that the troops in question have few dependents, and that no significant housing problem such as was mentioned in my letter of October 24, 1953,3 would be created by their transfer to Austria. It would help to minimize the political reactions of the augmentation of our forces in Austria if the troops could, after their departure from Trieste, be phased into Austria gradually and ostensibly as replacements. Also, if it were found possible to send at least a token number of troops to some station in Europe other than Austria, our position would be enhanced, I believe, by thus [Page 1970] being able to state that only part of the U.S. troops from Trieste had been transferred to Austria.
If you should decide in favor of redeployment to Austria, I should appreciate being informed sufficiently in advance, in order that we may inform the appropriate foreign governments in regard thereto before the actual transfer of troops to Austria takes place.
Sincerely yours,4
- Drafted by E. P. Allen and Freund and cleared with J. W. Jones and Palmer. Attached to the source text was a memorandum by Merchant, dated June 30, describing the background to this letter and recommending that the letter be signed. A handwritten note also attached to the source text indicated that Secretary Dulles had signed the letter and that it had been forwarded to the Department of Defense.↩
- The Embassy in Vienna recommended the position outlined here. These views were transmitted to the Department of State in telegram 3102, June 18. (763.0221/6–1854)↩
- Not printed. In it Secretary Dulles noted that the transfer of military dependents to Austria in addition to the TRUST forces would have a direct impact on the Austrian housing problem. (763.5/10–2453)↩
- The source text is unsigned.↩