760C.71/137: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 25—8:40 a.m.]
816. I had a long talk with Count Raczynski, Polish Ambassador to London, and Lukasiewicz, Polish Ambassador to Paris, last night. Raczynski had just come from London where he had talked with Gafencu, Foreign Minister of Rumania.
Raczynski insisted that Rumania and not Poland was the stumbling block to the conclusion of a Polish-Rumanian alliance. He said that while Gafencu had made no promises in Berlin he had had a talk with Hitler which had frightened him extremely. Hitler had poured out a violent monologue threatening Rumania with immediate invasion if Rumania should “join in the encirclement of Germany”.
Presumably Gafencu did not wish to do anything which might excite the tiger. He desired to leave Polish-Rumanian relations exactly where they are.
Gafencu appeared to be confident that in case of an attack on Rumania even though Poland might not be bound to give military assistance at once to Rumania the giving of assistance to Rumania by France and England would oblige Poland also to give immediate assistance. On the other hand if Poland should first be attacked Rumania would not be obliged to come to the support of Poland.
Both the Polish Ambassadors expressed the opinion that if France and England had not been in such a hurry to guarantee Rumanian independence it might have been possible to arrange a Polish-Rumanian alliance; but both expressed the belief that there was no possibility of arranging such an alliance at the moment.
[Page 175]Inasmuch as the Rumanians insist that they have asked for an alliance and the Poles have refused it the exact attitude of Gafencu and Beck remains somewhat obscure.