Chapter 51 The East Meets West

The partition occupation restricted the movement of population and transportation of goods in Austria, and with the lack of labor and economic depression after the original war, a period of hardship was inevitable. Although Vienna was only caught up in the later stages of the war and suffered not a great deal of damage, this not much was compared to Berlin, where the depression of the entire city was visible to the naked eye.

After dealing with the issue of the travel of the citizens of Vienna, this time the negotiations between the United States, Britain, France and the Soviet Union were just beginning. Previously, it was just a matter of solving the problem of the citizens of Vienna, who, to put it in the best possible terms, had been the enemies of the entire Allied Powers just a few months before.

The introduction of the Joint Identity Card was nothing more than a buying move, and not at all what everyone wanted. Vienna’s division is very complex, the U.S., British and French zones of occupation are surrounded by the Soviet zone, which are not surrounded by the Austrian Soviet zone, but by the Soviet zone of Vienna, such a complex division, it is definitely necessary to unify the management, and can not be the same as Berlin, each in charge of their own.

Solved the small matter of the travel of the citizens of Vienna, the rest of the control of Vienna things for the United States, the Soviet Union, Britain and France is considered a major event. This is also the most important stage!

Alan Wilson to the European liaison officer as well as the position of the United Kingdom proposed that the United States, the Soviet Union, Britain and France set up a joint body to control Vienna, once the problem arises, we can be the principle of majority rule, to discuss.

This proposal was recognized by the United States and France, but was strongly opposed by Petrov, arguing that the current Vienna is in the middle of a special situation, the opposition to the Allies is still very rampant, and can not be relaxed at this time again.

To the time of the formal negotiations, Petrov has been on the previous look up to the eyes of Alan Wilson is not warm, who do not know you the United States, Britain and France, these imperialists, is to wear the same pants.

Really a minority to obey the majority, surely is the United States, Britain and France sit together to discuss, after discussing the implementation of the Soviet Union in the informed.

Already realized that the front is a trap Petrov, of course, will not obediently step on the pit, this is simply an insult to his own intelligence, let him become a traitor to the people.

“I really can’t understand why the Soviet side is against it, it seems to me a very fair solution.” Stevens opened his mouth to speak at Allen Wilson’s hint, “This would put the four countries, the US, the USSR, the UK, and France, on a level, and it should be a proposal that no one would object to, and Mr. Petrov’s objections are not justified.”

Stevens’ words immediately caused a wave of concurrence from the American and French diplomats, who spoke in favor of the idea. An atmosphere of a great union belonging to the imperialist camp had been created.

“We, the Soviet Union, will not agree.” Petrov did not budge an inch and swept the opposite side with a cold gaze, on what grounds? Just by virtue of the one hundred thousand Soviet Red Army soldiers currently occupying Austria.

Petrov, who had the backing of one hundred thousand Soviet Red Army soldiers, would never agree to such a proposal that might marginalize the Soviet Union on the issue of Austria, it was simply impossible.

“Mr. Petrov, we are not trying to marginalize the Soviet Union or anything!” Seeing the atmosphere is a bit stiff, heart knows that the other side is relying on 100,000 Soviet Red Army Allen Wilson, heart certainly understand that in fact the current so-called advantage, limited to the mouth of the diplomat in this specialty, then opened his mouth to ease the atmosphere.

People in the Soviet Union is a real 100,000 occupation troops, their side of nothing, the United States, Britain and France’s large forces are still in Germany, really want to start a conflict, is not a dry eye?

“Actually, we don’t have any problem with the current division, but the first sector where the headquarters of several of our countries are located. If it’s managed by one country alone, then it’s disrespectful to the other three, isn’t that right.” Alan Wilson weighed his words and said slowly, “We’re only talking about Zone 1 right now.”

Vienna’s four-nation zonal occupation, a total of twenty-two districts were divided out, of which the Soviet Union occupied sixty percent of the area, the Soviet Union’s nominal occupation of the district is not much, but the area is amazingly large. The United States, Britain and France together, only two-thirds of the Soviet-occupied area, this peace division Berlin is too far apart, but also in the middle of the Soviet-occupied area, surrounded.

“Zone 1 is the seat of the headquarters of the four countries, and should not be under the administration of one country. It is in the center of Vienna and can be connected to the four occupied countries. Let’s talk about the administration of Zone 1 now.” Alan Wilson said this and emphasized, “We should consider what other countries think, the whole world is watching us now. Don’t let us allies implode before Japan even surrenders again, it’s embarrassing.”

“Eh, we certainly don’t want a scene of a backward society.” Petrov mused, “I’ll have to ask Comrade Molotov for instructions, and I can’t give you an answer at the moment.”

“Thank you very much!” Alan Wilson expressed his gratitude succinctly, Molotov was what the western world considered the number two man in the Soviet Union, after all, it was unlikely that everyone knew much about Interior Minister Beria.

Petrov’s willingness to report truthfully to the Soviet Foreign Ministry about the situation here was already considered very sincere. Allen Wilson, as well as the diplomats present, could not find any fault with this.

Returning to the American Spring Palace, Allen Wilson said to Stevens, the diplomat in Vienna, “Petrov’s contact with the country will also take a short time, but we have a matter of urgency at the moment. It can no longer be delayed, so I will go to Carinthia myself to see what is happening and see if I can persuade the Yugoslavs to return.”

Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state, currently divided into Austria’s British-occupied zone, and bordered to the south by Slovenia and Italy, where it is right next to Tito’s hostiles in Yugoslavia.

Although there are many countries in Europe that were founded as mono-ethnic, Carinthia is inhabited by a number of Slovenes in the southern part of the state, and these Slovenes, too, have served to attract Yugoslav refugees.

It was Carinthia that was Alan Wilson’s destination, to persuade the Yugoslav refugees to return to their own country, or fail! It depended on which future appeared to be more beneficial to Britain.

The capital of Carinthia, Klagenfurt, was a large city in southern Austria, easily accessible by air, rail or road, and likewise it was the de facto center of the British-occupied part of Austria.

After keeping Petrov’s hands full in Vienna, Alan Wilson, without even taking a breath, came straight here and performed a sound bite, “Send me the information on Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia at once, how many men are on the borders now, and where are the garrisons?”