860H.01/12–944: Telegram
The United States Political Adviser on the Staff of the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater (Kirk), to the Secretary of State
[Received December 10—11:09 p.m.]
1666. Thayer has reported a conversation with Subasic in which the Yugoslav Prime Minister indicated that his visit to Moscow had been a most difficult experience during which much time had been spent on discussing procedural questions for the Yugoslav Government pending the plebiscite which Subasic felt should take place 6 months after complete liberation of Yugoslavia. According to Subasic, Stalin expressed abhorrence of any Yugoslav “experiments” in communism or bolshevism for Yugoslavia and insisted on free expression of popular opinion. Stalin appeared also to be shocked to learn some delegates to Serb congress were “elected” by acclaim which he characterized as undemocratic. Thayer stated that Subasic admitted to the British but not to him that the King’s return to Yugoslavia was out of the question. He did state to Thayer that the King’s return would cause disorders and riots. Yugoslav Prime Minister told Thayer he was returning to London obviously unwilling and fully conscious of his “failure” which he hinted he was inclined to blame partially on us and the English.
In commenting on his conversation with Subasic, Thayer reported that Subasic went to Moscow to ascertain what support he could expect from the Soviet Union in maintaining a democratic Yugoslavia and that if he got the true picture of the way democracy works in Russia, which he did, the visit could not have been encouraging in spite of the fact that in his conversations with Stalin there was an outward display of genuine concern for democratic forms. Thayer added that doubtless when Stalin expressed concern as he did about [Page 1429] democracy in Yugoslavia, Subasic could not help but feel that a different conception of democracy was in Stalin’s mind and that while Subasic probably expected no support for monarchy, he undoubtedly had hoped for more support of the interpretation of democracy.
Report from Thayer stated it was difficult to understand how Subasic considers that he has been let down by the British and ourselves but his words on this subject were approximately “where one is faced with final decision in a difficult dilemma, one finds one’s friends of not much use”.
Thayer is inclined to doubt that Subasic’s visit modified in any respect the working of the proposed agreement but merely changed his conception of the meaning of the words.
In Thayer’s opinion there is no doubt that Subasic intended to urge King Peter to accept the proposed agreement as the only way to save the monarchy, at least until the constitutional assembly could be elected.