Abstract

Moscow and Austria

Not having been admitted into the inner secrets of the Moscow conference, one finds it difficult to understand why one of the five statements the three powers was especially addressed to Austria. The civil war in Yugoslavia between the forces of Marshal Tito and those of Mihailovich, the internal conflicts in Greece, the intricate problems of the French liberation movement failed to find mention in the Moscow decisions, but little Austria was singled out for what was in fact an appeal to revolt. Some commentators found the reason in impending military operations, which would soon bring Austria into the center of action; but it is bard to see how this could be done without the previous conquest of Greece or Yugoslavia, whose problems would thus have taken precedence over those of Austria. Another explanation was that the reestablishment of Austria's independence was one issue on which all parties at the conference agreed, while other problems were still subjects of negotiation.