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World War II activities,
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into the court of Peter-Bernard Yarrow, a former deputy to New York District Attorney Thomas E. Dewey.
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Donovan
theater commanders. General MacArthur and Admiral Nimitz responded as expected: OSS did not operate in their theaters, and they saw no need for it in the future. The India-Burma Theater, where fighting had ended, also found no further use for it.
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| Yarrow reported on political developments involving Peter and on Peter's relations with the British-a risky matter. These reports went to the President, the State Department, and the JCS. Tito had invited Peter to accept a regency to manage his affairs and a government drawn mainly from Tito supporters. Although Churchill and Roosevelt urged acceptance, Peter turned down the proposal. The British then sent Peter's full government back to Yugoslavia to sign the agreement. | | | | |
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| | | | But other replies were positive. China's Commander felt that the value of OSS was likely to be extremely high. The Middle East recognized the great contribution OSS made in the Italian campaign, and it believed the agency essential so long as conditions in Italy, Austria, and the Balkans remained unstable. The European Commander considered the future value of OSS to be high, and he said its cessation in that theater should not be considered under any circumstances. |
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| | Other Visits | | | | | | |
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| | We next moved south to OSS installations at eight locations from 3 June to 7 June. Caserta, the first, was the largest and most important. Allied Force Headquarters for Italy and North Africa was housed there in the King's summer palace. In Verona, on 4 June, Donovan was met by General Gruenther, Chief of Staff of Gen. Mark Clark. | | | | These replies were sent to the Appropriations Committee on 29 May, when Donovan was in London. He was advised of them by cable, along with the JCS judgment that OSS "would continue to be useful in the conduct of the war." But the poison distilled by Trohan and other publicity had penetrated deeply. Even before the Appropriations Committee received the information it requested, it cut the budget, and the President cut it further. The end result was a budget, of $24 million, little more than half the amount originally requested. |
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| | The next day, we flew on to Salzberg and Pilsen. | | | | |
| A tour through the great Skoda Iron and Steel Works in Pilsen revealed heavy damage to the plant but much less to machinery, which led us to conjecture that Germany's recovery might be more rapid than expected. | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | Preparing for War Crimes Trials | | |
| | We went on to Munich and Frankfurt. From the air, both appeared to be obliterated, but still functioning. Frankfurt now housed SHAEF, and our own headquarters stood nearby in Wiesbaden. After stops again in Paris and London, we returned to Washington on 12 June. The respite was brief, for we would be off again in another 10 days. | | | | | | |
| | | | | In this unfavorable climate, Donovan on 22 June set off for London, and again I accompanied him. The major purpose of the trip was to complete arrangements for the war crimes trials. The next several weeks were given over to further discussions with the British and French, but with the Russians added. In the end, it was agreed that an international military tribune should be created, and that trials should be held in Nuremberg, Germany, in the American zone. Moreover, organizations as well as individuals should be indicted, including the Gestapo and the German general staff and corps of officers. |
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| | The Budget Battle | | | | | | |
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| | It became difficult to maintain a positive outlook | | | | | |
| | at OSS headquarters at this time. The series of false press articles prompted the House Appropriations Committee to ask the JCS for a statement on the usefulness of OSS and whether it should be continued. The Chiefs then put the question to the | | | |
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Posted: May 08, 2007 08:53 AM
Last Updated: May 08, 2007 08:53 AM
Last Reviewed: May 08, 2007 08:53 AM
