24. Telegram From the Embassy in Austria to the Department of State1
1093. Hungarian statement re neutrality and guaranty by great powers may revive question 4-power guaranty Austria.,2 In meeting I had with Figl and Kreisky this morning Austrians asked casually what would happen if Soviets did not stop at Hungarian frontier. In effort head off formal raising of guarantees question I said I had no instructions but pointed out was great distinction between whether Soviets evacuated country they now held and an attack on a free country like Austria. Did not think there was any likelihood of other than minor border incidents but felt no doubt whatever that a real attack on Austria would result in showdown between West and East.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 663.0221/11–256. Secret. Repeated to Moscow, London, and Paris.↩
- On November 2, Soviet tanks surrounded Budapest. The Hungarian Premier responded by withdrawing Hungary from the Warsaw Pact and declaring Hungarian neutrality. For documentation, see volume xxv.↩