DOCUMENTS
IVAN ŠUBAŠIĆ ON HIS
NEGOTIATIONS WITH TITO AND STALIN DURING OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 1944
Edited by IVO OMRČANIN
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Journal of Croatian Studies, XXIV,
1983, – Annual Review of the Croatian Academy of America, Inc. New York, N.Y.,
Electronic edition by Studia Croatica, by permission. All rights
reserved by the Croatian Academy of America.
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Dr. Ivan Šubašić was the last
President of the Council of Ministers or Prime Minister of the royal Yugoslav
Government in London from June 1, 1944 to March 5, 1945, when a unified
Yugoslav government was established in Belgrade under the presidency of Marshal
Josip Broz Tito and King Peter II appointed a regency as his representative in
Belgrade. Šubašić became foreign minister in the new government.
At the end of October 1944,
Šubašić negotiated with Tito in Belgrade the establishment of the regency
and of the unified Yugoslav government. The Tito-Šubašić agreement was
signed in Belgrade on November 1, 1944. On Stalin's invitation, Šubašić
left Belgrade for Moscow on November 13, where he was received by Stalin in the
evening of November 22. On December 2, Šubašić returned to Belgrade and
reached London on December 10. Bernard Yarrow of the Office of Strategic
Services had a four-hour long conversation with Šubašić in London on
December 15. The next day, December 16, Yarrow dispatched a lengthy report on
his conversation with Šubašić to William J. Donovan, Director of the
Office of Strategic Services in Washington. Donovan in turn forwarded the
report to Edward R. Stettinius, Secretary of State, on December 23, 1944.
Donovan 's letter and Yarrow's report are published hereafter.
Croatian historian and former
royal Yugoslav diplomat Dragovan Šepić recently published a monograph on
Šubašić's government, Vlada Ivana Šubašića (Government of Ivan
Šubašić}. (Zagreb: Globus, 1983, 423 pages). Šepić was the head of
Šubašić's office (šet kabineta, i.e chief of the cabinet) during his
government. Šepić travelled with him to Belgrade and Moscow but emphasized
that Šubašić did not quite trust him. Negotiations in Belgrade and Moscow
are discussed in two chapters, pages 316-343, of Šepić's work. He did not
have at his disposal either the Yugoslav Communist or American unpublished
sources. Therefore Yarrow's report adds additional information to Šepić's
writing.
NA, Dept. of State 860H.00/12-2344
William J. Donovan, Director of the Office of Strategic Services, to James C. Dunn, Assistant Secretary of State
Washington, 23 December 1944
Dear Jimmie:
I believe the Secretary of State
will be interested in the attached report. Will you kindly see that it reaches
his desk. Thank you.
Washington, 23 December 1944
I am enclosing a report from our
representative Mr. Bernard Yarrow on a conference he had with Prime Minister
Subasic. This report supplements data forwarded to you in previous memoranda.
"Yesterday, December 15, I
had a long discussion with Prime Minister Subasic. Knowing him as I do for the
last two years, I should like to say that I am pretty certain that he spoke his
mind to me and was utterly frank in those matters which he related. It is
possible, of course, that he held back certain things from me but my distinct
impression was that he was truthful to me in accounting as he did yesterday his
views, feelings and ideas on those matters which he discussed with me for a
period of four hours.
"When Subasic got to Bari on
his last trip, he was met by an official of the British Foreign Office, Mr.
Philip Broad. Mr. Broad suggested that he accompany the Prime Minister on his
trip to Yugoslavia, to which the Prime Minister replied that he appreciated
very much the kindness of Mr. Broad to be of assistance to him but he preferred
to conduct his negotiations with Tito alone. He amplified his statement by
saying that he did not wish it to be said among the National Committee of
Liberation that he was traveling around with a British representative of the
Foreign Office. Mr. Broad accepted the Prime Minister's explanation in good
grace and stated that he would not insist, of course, upon accompanying him.
His only wish was to assist the Prime Minister in every way he could.
"The Prime Minister related
to me that when he first got to Belgrade after its liberation he knew by that
time that he was condemned on an alleged indictment that he was responsible for
the death of many communists, whom he interned before the Germans advanced into
Yugoslavia, because he did not release them in time. Instead of evading the
issue, said the Prime Minister, he delivered a two hour talk before the
National Committee of Liberation in the presence of Tito, who brought him into
the Assembly. He told me how, after the two hour talk, he convinced them that
he was not responsible in any manner for the deaths at the hands of the
Germans.
"He told them of his
impressions of America and I could gather that he tried to give them the
impression that he was very well acquainted with the policy of the American
Government, has contacts with officials of that Government and would be in a
position to handle Yugoslav affairs more successfully because of his presence
in America for two years and the contacts established by him there.
"The attitude of the members
of the National Committee of Liberation towards him was, according to Subasic,
most cautious and distant. He heard rumors that they were regarding him as a
spy and agent for King Peter II and were most uncommunicative with him.
"The Russians, during his
stay in Belgrade, were exceedingly cordial to him and showed every sign of
consideration and attention. He struck up a friendship with General Kornieff,
who was the head of the Russian military mission in Yugoslavia. It was Kornieff
who had a large comfortable chair built in the Douglas plane which took him
eventually from Belgrade to Rumania. Later on Subasic got to know and became
very friendly with Colonel Melnikoff, who, although a colonel in rank, has more
authority and power, according to Subasic, than General Kornieff. It was
Melnikoff who accompanied the Prime Minister to Russia when he undertook his
trip to see Stalin.
"The Prime Minister related
to me the following incident: Before his departure from Yugoslavia to Ploesti,
General Kornieff asked him whether he would prefer to fly in a Russian or
Yugoslav plane, that they were both of the Douglas model built in Russia.
Kornieff said he was asking the question because on the Yugoslav plane there
was the Red Star emblem. The Prime Minister replied to Kornieff that he did not
mind the star as long as the plane was a Yugoslav plane.
"The Prime Minister spoke to
me at length about Tito. He told he found Tito to be exceedingly reasonable,
that although he is a devoted communist by 'religion' he found no traces of his
ideology as far as Yugoslavia is concerned. He regards him primarily as a Croat
and a good Yugoslav. Tito became exceedingly friendly to Subasic, according to
his report.
"Tito told Subasic that he is
surrounded by a bunch of incompetent persons who, although good communists at
heart, know very little about how to handle affairs of state. He complained to
him time and again the troubles they cause him by their ignorance and
incompetence. Said Tito, 'You, Subasic, can be of the greatest assistance to me
and Yugoslavia. You can handle delicately and tactfully our relations with the
western democracies and America. It is too bad that we are both Croats but we
shall manage and make Yugoslavia in the future a happy democratic state'.
"The Prime Minister related
to me that when he was brought by Major General Velebit to Yugoslavia, it was
to Vršac where Tito's headquarters were located that he was escorted. The
General left him in the hall where he waited for fifteen minutes and when Tito
came out he turned to Velebit in great rage and said, 'My instructions were not
to bring the Prime Minister to me. You always mix things up. You know that I
wanted to come and greet the Prime Minister at his villa instead of his coming
to me'. The Prime Minister cited to me that incident as an example of the
respect with which Tito is treating him. He said that it was at Tito's request
that he saw Stalin. He stated that it was exceedingly important for him to meet
with Stalin and discuss with him in detail the state of affairs of Yugoslavia
and therefore he took the trip at Tito's request.
"Another incident related to
me by Subasic as proof of Tito's trust in him was that the Prime Minister
suggested to appoint Dr. Ante Pavelic' formerly his secretary in New York, as
Consul. General and perhaps Minister in South Africa. Subasic told Tito that of
course it was a bit embarrassing to appoint Dr. Pavelic to that post because he
bears the very same name as the Croatian quisling. Tito, however, dismissed
that obstacle saying, `What difference does it make what his name is. If you
find him reliable I shall appoint him as Minister to South Africa when I become
Prime Minister.'
"They also discussed Sava
Kosanovic. The Prime Minister told Tito that Kosanovic had been after him for
many months imploring him to appoint him Ambassador to the United States. The
Prime Minister told Tito that he regards Kosanovic as a man who is sick with
'ambitionitis' and that he would not qualify because of the part he played in
American politics among Americans of Yugoslav ex-traction. Tito readily agreed
with him and accepted the Prime Minister's suggestion.
"Tito told the Prime Minister
that he is thinking of appointing Andrić, the well-known Croatian poet who
served in various diplomatic posts in various countries as the future
Ambassador to the United States.
"Tito begged the Prime
Minister to accept the portfolio of Minister of Foreign Affairs. According to
the Prime Minister, Tito assured him that he will give him complete freedom of
action and will be guided entirely in the field of foreign policy by Subasic's
suggestions and ideas. Tito told the Prime Minister that he is contemplating to
cultivate the close cooperation of the western democracies and America.
"The Prime Minister told me
that he is determined to take a trip to Washington as soon as he assumes the
portfolio of Minister of Foreign Affairs. He will see the President and
Secretary of State and try to convince them that Yugoslavia is determined to
follow a policy of a free and independent democratic state, that he will bring
with him a group of specialists of industry and commerce of Yugoslavia with the
thought of making arrangements for a comprehensive trade treaty. 'We are,' said
the Prime Minister, `looking towards Americas as the only country who can put
Yugoslavia on her feet. We shall attempt to attract American capital by giving
concessions because we know the American Government has no imperialistic
designs on Yugoslavia.'
"He told me that Tito
informed him that the Germans discovered in Yugoslavia huge untapped mines of a
metal which hardens steel and makes it elastic. He did not know the equivalent
of the name in the English language. He told me that the Germans had developed
it to a great extent during their occupation and he is planning to attract
American capital to develop these mines to their utmost capacity.
"Prime Minister related to me
further that Tito, although he will never pursue a policy against the interest
of Russia, will nevertheless attempt his utmost to build up a closer economic
and diplomatic relationship between Yugoslavia and Great Britain and the United
States.
"The Prime Minister told me
that Tito was distressed a couple of weeks ago when he received a letter from
Churchill, couched in the sharpest language he has ever received from
Churchill. Subasic told me that he personally saw that letter and gave me the
following account of same:
"It seems that Churchill
recently sent a request to Tito for permission to land several divisions of
Anglo-American troops in western Croatia along the Dalmatia coast. Tito refused
categorically to permit! 1 Anglo-American troops to land in Croatia. Thereafter
Churchill sent his famous letter to Tito in which he upbraided Tito in no
uncertain terms and told him that Allied troops can land wherever they wish if
the military operations require it.
"Another point mentioned to
me by Subasic was that Šutej, the present Minister of Finance, is not included
in the present list of members of the future Cabinet because of Šutej's request
not to name him as a Cabinet Minister. Šutej requested to be sent as Ambassador
to Switzerland and Tito indicated his approval.
"Subasic discussed in detail
the attacks of the National Committee of Liberation upon Maček and he
requested Tito to promise him that when they liberate Maček he, Subasic,
will be the first person to speak to Maček. Subasic promised in return to
Tito that he would exert every effort to keep Macek in line with Subasic's
policy and that if necessary he would request Macek to appoint him as his
successor.
"Subasic further told me that
he received a request from the Queen Mother, Marie, to see her for she had a
letter for him from the Princess of Montenegro. Subasic told me that he is
going to see her and have a good talk with her and try to impress upon her to
stop quarreling with King Peter because that situation is a bad ex-ample for
the country. He will also tell her not to undermine the authority of King Peter
by intrigues with various politicians in an attempt to persuade them to place
Prince Tomislav on the throne instead of Peter. He will tell her, said Subasic,
that by agitating against her own son she is undermining the whole monarchy.
"Subasic told me as a deep
secret that there are several Partisan divisions at the Dalmatian coastline and
that if the British troops should land in Yugoslavia along the Dalmatian coast
they will meet with a formidable resistance on the part of the Partisans. He
said that he hopes Churchill will not repeat the mistake in Yugoslavia that he
made in Athens.
Finally, Subasic told me he
prepared a report for the British and handed it to Mr. Sargent of the Foreign
Office. The British were not quite satisfied with it and sent him a
questionnaire of 14 questions. He told me that he finished answering the
questions and that he forwarded them to Mr. Sargent. He expressed willingness
to let me examine them this weekend and I shall try to avail myself of his
offer.
"He told me of his
contemplated meeting with Churchill on Friday, December 16th, and that it was
postponed until Monday, December 18th.
"This I believe is a fairly
accurate resume of my talk with Dr. Subasic which lasted for four hours."
Wiliam J. Donovan
Director