ABSTRACT
The diverse elements of the widely dispersed democratic Resistance had unreservedly committed themselves to national unity and independence. The long, common struggles created an embryonic national community and finally brought about reconciliation between Socialists and Conservatives. A design for the Provisional Austrian national Committee (POEN) was completed in November, and now it was possible to nominate the representatives of the various political and Resistance groups. The Americans and the French had accorded de facto recognition to 05 and POEN, in the late fall of 1944 and given their unequivocal support to these organizations by supplying them with arms, transmitters, and other necessary war material. The negotiations with the Russians revealed a far more reserved attitude. The Soviets first wanted to see the results of a concrete cooperation in the shared struggle, but they were interested in establishing a Moscow office of POEN.
