Memorandum from Acting Secretary of State Joseph Grew to President Harry S. Truman, Current Foreign Developments

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TOP SECRET DECLASSIFIED E.O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E) Dept. of Stote letter, Aug. 10, 1072 BYNLTTH NARS Date 9-14-75 May 31, 1945 MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT Subject: Current Toreim Developments Mershal Alexander's Views on Disposition of the Italian Empire. In answer to an inquiry from Churchill, Field Marshal Alexander has stated his belief that the Allies should not be too hard on Italy and ahould permit the retention at lenat of Tripoli, Britrea and possibly Italien Someliland. Alexander expressed the hope that the American Government would support his views since if the Italiens go down too far they will have no alternative but to go Red. Harrimen's Vievs on Resumption of Diplomatic Rela- tions with Bulgaria, Rumania and Finland. Harriman commenting on Stalin's message concerning the resumption of diplomatic relations with Bulgaria, Rumania and Finland states his belief that we should agree and proceed to re- establish such relations a.s soon as the Dimitrov incident is satisfactorily terminated. Harriman bases this recom- mendation on the feeling that we will find it difficult to obtain any real tripartite basis for action in the con- trol commissions and that therefore direct access to the government concerned may be desirable. Mission to Vienna. Field Marshal Alexander and General McNerney agree that the military mission to Vienna should not include 8 civilian representative of the Depart- ment since such action might prejudice the success of the mission. ARCHIVES 3. RECORDS 4 of Bidault's - SERVICE