British policy and the occupation of Austria, 1945-1955

• Main Author: Williams, Warren Wellde
• Published: Swansea University 2004
• Subjects: 327.42
• Online Access: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.636612

Austria was the scene of some of the more ferocious posturing between East and West during the Cold War. This thesis summarises British interests regarding Austria and recovers the chronology of important events, beginning with the 1943 Moscow Declaration. This identified Austria as a victim of Nazi Germany and provided for her to be treated as liberated rather than conquered. The narrative pauses to examine significant events and issues as they arose. While not concentrating exclusively on negotiations toward an Austrian State Treaty, the narrative keeps track of this important diplomatic exercise. The behaviour of the Western Allies and the USSR in Austria is examined against the background of a dynamic situation and severely differing opinions on disposition of German assets and the rearming of Austria. Finally, the thesis examines the abrupt change in Soviet policy in May 1955, which resulted in bilateral Austro-Soviet talks during which Moscow indicated a willingness to end the occupation. The thesis leans heavily on archival documents and on information from individuals who were involved in policy formulation in the 1940s and 1950s. The thesis highlights the importance of the Anglo-American relationship, and concludes that Britain's leaders were not always sensitive to the forces behind their principal ally's policies toward Austria, a shortcoming that caused at least Ernest Bevin to misjudge the situation in Washington, and to launch an ill-timed lobbying campaign designed to persuade the Americans to pay whatever bribe Moscow demanded in return for a Russian signature on an Austrian State Treaty.