The Interaction Between the Soviet and the British Troops in Austria in the Spring of 1945

Abstract

This article is part of the series of the author’s works covering the interaction between the Soviet and
the British troops in the spring of 1945. For the first time in historiography, a comprehensive reconstruction  of the meeting of these troops in Austria on 9–13 May 1945 is undertaken on the basis of original
documents from Russian and British archives, quite a few of which have never been analysed or even
mentioned before. The final stage of the liberation of Austria has been rather misrepresented in Soviet
historiography. In particular, the Soviet troops were thought to have met the American troops on the Linz–
Gaflenz–Klagenfurt line in late April – early May. However, the archival documents indicate that it was
the British troops the Red Army met in Austria, and that as late as May 9–13. What is more, Klagenfurt
was never reached by the Soviet units, as the British division headquarters were dislocated there. In
Austria, the interaction lines had not been clearly determined due to Churchill’s efforts; at the same
time, a crisis was brewing there between the British contingent and the Yugoslavs and the Bulgarians.
The troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front under the command of Marshal Tolbukhin pushed the meeting
line planned by the British prime minister far west. The actions of Tolbukhin’s units and their assistance
to the Bulgarian and the Yugoslavian troops substantially weakened the British positions in the future
political dialogue and practically wrecked Churchill’s plans for strengthening the British influence on the
Balkans. Further, this paper depicts and analyses the activities of the Soviet headquarters and military
units aimed to make their way forward into the area of the “opposing ally” – Great Britain. In addition, the
role of the Soviet command in settling the British-Bulgarian military confrontation is noted.