860H.01/11–2944: Telegram
The United States Political Adviser on the Staff of the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater (Kirk), to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:20 p.m.]
1548. See my 1295 of November 13, 11 p.m.91 Brigadier Maclean who arrived yesterday from London en route to Belgrade stated that Churchill although furious with attitude of Subasic for having gone to Moscow before returning to London to report to King Peter would urge King Peter and Subasic to accept the agreement arrived at between Tito and Subasic and get on as soon as possible with the formation of Yugoslav Government which would receive British recognition. He added that the British plan to send Ambassador Stevenson to Belgrade immediately upon the announcement of a government. When we asked whether King Peter would accept the agreement, Maclean stated that after all Tito was in control of the country and the agreement was in fact a much better one than most people thought could be obtained. He said it must not be forgotten that when Subasic arrived in Yugoslavia he was surprised to find the whole of the country including Serbia was behind Tito and considering that Subasic sat on one side of the table alone facing Tito and 20 of his closest advisers on the other side, Subasic did not come out at all badly. He added that it was all well and good to criticize the agreement but it should be remembered that Tito was in de facto control of Yugoslavia and had made some generous concessions to Subasic in accepting the Regency.
We asked whether any information had yet reached London as to the official American reaction to the proposed Tito-Subasic agreement. Maclean stated that he was with Churchill when Churchill dictated his telegram to the President on this subject,92 and he did not think there would be too much difficulty about the British and ourselves getting together on this matter.
Maclean stated that when he saw Tito, he intended to be very “rude” to him and tell him that the incidents between the Partisans and British forces in Yugoslavia must cease. He said he would add that Tito must remember that he is no longer a brigand living on the island of Vis but is now a chief of state who must realize his responsibilities [Page 1426] vis-à-vis his western Allies. He added that he felt quite confident that he would be able to obtain satisfaction from Tito with regard to all difficulties between the British and the Partisans and stated that he intended to be energetic in his presentations to Tito. Maclean stated that General Wilson had spoken to him in London regarding British operations in Yugoslavia and Partisan misdemeanors in Italy (see my 1465, November 23, 9 a.m.94) and he felt certain that everything would be adjusted satisfactorily in the near future.