Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, European Advisory Commission, Austria, Germany, Volume III

740.0011 EW/4–2745: Telegram

Mr. Alexander C. Kirk, Political Adviser on the Staff of the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater, to the Acting Secretary of State

Caserta, April 27, 1945—3 p.m.
[Received April 27—10:02 a.m.]

1754. Re our 1166, March 26, 3 p.m.³⁸ I assume General Marshall will keep you informed on matter covered in Naf 933 to Deane’s mission at Moscow³⁹ repeated to Combined Chiefs of Staff and Fan 532 from Combined Chiefs of Staff to Field Marshal Alexander.⁴⁰

Representatives are expected at Caserta this evening and presence of Soviet military officials is being arranged.

I shall refrain from keeping Department currently posted on this highly secret matter unless you direct otherwise and presume you will keep in close touch with War Department for further developments.

Kirk

38. Not printed; it called the Department’s attention to Army messages transmitting the information described in footnote 65, p. 734.
39. This telegram from Field Marshal Alexander of April 27 to the heads of the U.S. and British Military Missions in Moscow and to the Combined Chiefs of Staff was dispatched pursuant to instructions from the latter, contained in Fan 532; see footnote 40, infra. Field Marshal Alexander stated that arrangements were being made for General Wolff and Lieutenant Colonel von Schweinitz to proceed to Allied Force Headquarters to sign a local surrender of enemy forces in Italy. As directed by the Combined Chiefs of Staff, there was to be no bargaining or negotiating in Switzerland and the contact would be immediately broken off if the Germans did not come at once to Caserta. Field Marshal Alexander asked that the Military Missions inform the Soviet General Staff of this development, stressing both the condition imposed by the Combined Chiefs of Staff and the fact that the approach had been made on German initiative. He also asked that Soviet officials be informed that General Kislenko, recently designated as representative of the Soviet General Staff at Allied Force Headquarters, would be invited to attend such negotiations as might materialize at Caserta. (Copy obtained from Department of the Army files.)
40. This telegram of April 26 from the Combined Chiefs of Staff authorized Field Marshal Alexander to bring General Wolff and Lieutenant Colonel von Schweinitz to Caserta, subject to certain conditions. The Combined Chiefs of Staff also instructed him to inform the Soviet General Staff, in the terms subsequently used by Field Marshal Alexander in Naf 933. (Copy obtained from Department of the Army files.)