863.20/2–749
The Minister in Austria (Erhardt) to the Secretary of State
No. 78
Sir:
[In the first four sections of this despatch Erhardt reported on the organization and strength of the police and gendarmerie, the reliability of the security forces, their equipment, and plans to improve them.]
Conclusion
The Austrian security forces are even at present fairly adequate to take care of minor internal disorders while the occupation troops are still in Austria. They are not well enough armed or equipped to take care of a major uprising, such as could conceivably take place in Vienna or in the Soviet zone. However, certain steps can be taken to improve this situation, which would enable the Austrian police to suppress [Page 1238] any probable disorders likely to occur from the Communist para-military organizations now known to exist. In order to be able to safely suppress any possible disorders from Communist para-military organizations which could be formed, Austria needs a regular army.
Steps which can be taken to improve the efficiency of the security forces are:
- (1)
- Removal of all Communists from positions of influence, and as far as possible from the police entirely. The Ministry of the Interior is now proceeding as fast in this direction as is wise; further steps should be taken as soon as occupation troops withdraw.
- (2)
- Redistribution of arms at present available to the police. If on conclusion of the French and British studies the Austrians are unwilling to take steps to do this, pressure should be brought to bear, in case issue of U.S. arms has not made such a course unnecessary.
- (3)
- Continuation of the training program of police and gendarmerie in the use of U.S. arms, and if possible its extension to other zones of Austria.
- (4)
- Stockpiling of sufficient arms and ammunition in Austria to ensure that on the withdrawal of occupation forces security forces in all of Austria can be provided with uniform arms on the same basis as the issue now foreseen in case of emergency in the U.S. zone and ammunition on a much higher basis. British stocks of pistols and rifles might be used. A study should be made to determine how many weapons are needed to make U.S. zone stocks sufficient for the other zones as well. Police in Vienna and gendarmes in Lower Austria should be particularly heavily armed, and the gendarmerie should be completely mobile. Automobiles, personnel carriers and trucks should be furnished, if possible, as well as radios.
- (5)
- Formation of a mechanized regiment within the gendarmerie. The French should be urged to abandon their opposition to this procedure, and every effort should be made to find the necessary equipment.
It is believed that all of the above steps can be taken prior to the withdrawal of occupation troops, and that if they are taken the danger of internal disorders in Austria will be minimized during a period when the future Austrian army is likely to be under full strength and insufficiently trained. It should be emphasized that the police and gendarmerie cannot be sufficient to deal with all emergencies which might occur, and a well organized and equipped army, even if under full strength, must be in existence before occupation forces withdraw.
Respectfully yours,