740.00119 Control (Austria)/8–1845: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union ( Harriman )
1862. Please see message from General Clark (P 1054, Aug. 1643) to JCS being sent in paraphrase to General Deane44 concerning difficulties encountered in establishment of Allied Control Commission in Vienna. General Clark has been instructed to proceed to Vienna for possible meeting of Commanders-in-Chief on Aug. 20 but not adhere to rigid policy of refusing to complete occupation of city until adequate arrangements are made for feeding Vienna population. War Dept instructions state General Clark should discuss question in Commission without committing US to rigid position as regards entry into Vienna or to agree to Soviet proposals.
Dept considers early establishment of Austrian control machinery and adequate arrangements for feeding Vienna population urgently necessary in view of US objectives and responsibilities. Dept, however, supports General Clark’s position as stated in his telegram to JCS that pooling arrangements to be set up by Sept 1 as proposed by [Page 573] Soviets are not satisfactory and Soviet demand that replacements in food supplies be made from July cannot be accepted.
As you know and as General Clark’s telegram reports, Stalin agreed at Potsdam to continue to supply Vienna until the Brit and Americans found it possible to make other arrangements. Please request Soviet authorities to instruct Marshal Koniev to this effect in order that four-power agreements on Austria may be completed at earliest date.45
Sent to Moscow as 1862; repeated to AusPolAd, Verona, as 70.
[Regarding the hope of the United Kingdom Government that the United States would not recognize the Renner government before Foreign Secretary Bevin had an opportunity to talk with the Secretary of State at the Council of Foreign Ministers in London, see telegram 8387, August 18, from London, printed in volume II, page 100.]
- See footnote 41 and 42 above.↩
- Maj. Gen. John R. Deane, Chief, U.S. Military Mission in Moscow.↩
- In telegram 3058, August 25, the Ambassador in the Soviet Union reported that consequent to carrying out these instructions he had received a written reply from Mr. Vyshinsky on August 24. Mr. Vyshinsky’s reply said in part: “Generalissimo Stalin stated at the Conference that the Soviet authorities might continue to feed the Viennese population up to September. Koniev’s proposal that the Allied authorities begin from September to feed the population in the appropriate Viennese zones of occupation is, therefore, correct. Soviet Govt anticipates that the US will send to the Supreme Commander of the American Forces in Austria instructions along the aforementioned lines.” (740.00119–Control (Austria)/8–2545)↩