From the archive, 15 January 1944: The Red Army invasion of Poland

[Lord ZeN]

A Red Army patrol in Murmansk Oblast, 1941.


London, Friday.The Polish Government replied to-day to the Soviet declaration of Tuesday in a friendly fashion, which shows that it appreciates the Russian offer to negotiate a full settlement of the problems between the two countries and intends to take full advantage of it.

The reply says:1. The Polish Government have taken cognisance of the declaration of the Soviet Government contained in the Tass communiqué of January 11, which was issued as a reply to the declaration of the Polish Government of January 5.

2. The Soviet communiqué contains a number of statements to which a complete answer is affordable by the ceaseless struggle against the Germans waged at the heaviest cost by the Polish nation under the direction of the Polish Government. In their earnest anxiety to safeguard the complete solidarity of the United Nations, especially at a decisive stage of their struggle against the common enemy, the Polish Government consider it to be preferable now to refrain from further public discussions.

3. While the Polish Government cannot recognise unilateral decisions or accomplished facts which have taken place or might take place on the territory of the Polish Republic, they have repeatedly expressed their sincere desire for a Polish-Soviet agreement on terms which would be just and acceptable to both sides.

4. To this end the Polish Government are approaching the British and United States Governments with a view to securing through their intermediacy the discussion by the Polish and Soviet Governments, with the participation of the British and American Governments, of all outstanding questions, the settlement of which should lead to friendly and permanent co-operation between Poland and the Soviet Union. The Polish Government believes this to be desirable in the interest of the victory of the United Nations and harmonious relations in post-war Europe.

Polish HopesThe Polish Government’s reply, it will be seen, is commendably short and to the point. As was expected, it avoids polemics and is concerned with the way it can get down to business with the Soviet Government. For this purpose it seeks the aid of the British and American Governments to facilitate the full-scale discussions which it is prepared to enter upon with the Soviet Union.

Poland hopes that the British and American Governments will participate in the settlement. The Poles have sought the advice of Mr. Eden, the Foreign Secretary, on several occasions since the Russian declaration was made. The British Government will be willing to help to obtain a settlement between its Russian and Polish allies, but this will obviously depend also on whether the Soviet Government would like us to join in any negotiations that may be opened up. It is. however, not improbable that the Russians as well as the Poles might wish this.

Certainly it would be in the spirit of the accord that has been achieved on political as well as military questions in the recent inter-Allied conferences which led to the meeting of Marshal Stalin with President Roosevelt and Mr Churchill at Tehran. All that can be said is that the British Government would be ready to participate at some stage in the hoped-for negotiations if asked to do so. Possibly the United States might also be willing to do so, though that cannot be said at present. Of course if this country came to take part in the negotiations for a Russo-Polish settlement it would not mean that Britain would become a co-signatory to it.

British Satisfaction British official quarters view the Polish reply with satisfaction. They are happy that the Polish Government is ready to negotiate upon all outstanding questions and are hopeful that since it has responded to the Russian declaration in the same objective spirit in which it was made the outcome will be a final settlement.

The Polish Premier, Mr Mikolajczyck, and his Cabinet colleagues have shown courage as well as statesmanship. They have confounded the critics who said that they could not rise to a great occasion.


The Red Army invasion of Poland: from the archive, 15 January 1944 | World news | theguardian.com