Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, The British Commonwealth and Europe, Volume III

740.0011 European War 1939/7–2744

Memorandum by the Assistant Chief of the Division of Eastern European Affairs (Durbrow)⁷³

[Washington,] July 27, 1944.

The Polish Ambassador called this morning at his request and left the attached memorandum⁷⁴ giving the latest Polish reports on the difficulties between the Polish Underground forces and the Red Army. The important points of this memorandum are as follows:

The Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Underground reported to the Polish Government in London on July 19 that in the Wilno area, after an agreement had been reached with the Soviet Commander⁷⁵ for the Polish Underground forces to operate with the Soviet forces under the orders of the Polish Government in London, the Soviet authorities on July 17 arrested the Polish Army staff.

The note then refers to the aide-mémoire handed to Schoenfeld on July 25 (see attached telegram from Schoenfeld⁷⁶) which refers to further proof of lack of good will on the part of the Soviets, and states that it may become impossible to carry out the instructions of the London Government to its Underground to collaborate with the Soviet forces.

The Polish Government requests us to approach the Soviet Government (1) to obtain the release of the arrested officers, (2) to enable the Polish Army to fight in collaboration with Soviet troops against Germany, (3) to obtain from the Soviets the recognition of the Polish Army in Poland as a cobelligerent Allied army.

The aide-mémoire then states that the Germans are executing members of the Polish Army in Poland when taken prisoner and requests that a joint American-British declaration be issued stating that “the Polish Army in Poland is an Allied Army and as such enjoys all the rights of a regular belligerent army.”

A similar appeal has been made to Secretary Eden in London.

Elbridge Durbrow

73. Directed to the Secretary of State, to James C. Dunn. Director of the Office of European Affairs, and to H. Freeman Matthews, Deputy Director.
74. Not printed.
75. Army Gen. Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky, who led the offensive of the Russian Army in the capture of Vilna.
76. The substance of this aide-mémoire was communicated to the Department of State in Polish Series telegram 65, July 25, 1944, from London; not printed.