860C.01/7–544: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 5—10:30 a.m.]
2424. For the President and the Secretary. At lunch yesterday I asked Molotov for his further impressions regarding the four delegates and the Polish National Council they represent. He said that he did not believe the Council had so far developed a large organization throughout Poland but that he believed that it represented the majority of the Polish people. The delegates during their visit to Russia had found that they talked the same language as the Union of Polish Patriots and the Polish Army here and had come to an understanding with them. He realized that the traditional suspicion of Russia by Poles was a factor that would have to be taken into account but he believed that when Poland was liberated and the Polish Army came into Poland the overwhelming majority of the Poles would be convinced of the Soviet Union’s friendly intents.
Molotov told me that they intended to supply the Partisans of the Council with arms in so far as they were able to get them through considering all the difficulties.
In discussing the personalities in the Government in London he thought that if Mikolajczyk and the democratic members of the Government returned to Poland they would be welcomed by the Poles to take part in the development of a government. He said again that he hoped some Poles from the United States would return to assist as well. I asked him whether Dr. Lange had been persuaded to do this. In reply he said that was entirely Dr. Lange’s personal affair but that he thought Dr. Lange was a Polish patriot at heart.
I asked him if the aristocrats were eliminated and with most of the Jews who had conducted the business affairs of Poland massacred by the Germans whether he considered the remaining Polish population could conduct orderly governmental and the economic affairs of the country. He replied that he did not see why the aristocrats should not play their part. He thought that many of them were true patriots and would adjust themselves to the new democratic order of things [Page 1424] in Poland. Romer’s name was mentioned without antagonism. Molotov said the Polish people had a strong national spirit and he firmly believed that they could establish a democratic government and sound economy.
I found nothing in Molotov’s comments to substantiate Mikolajczyk’s hope as expressed in Department’s 1512 June 17, 10 p.m.,85 that “the possibilities of reestablishing relations with the Soviet Government were more propitious today than heretofore” based upon “the fact that the Soviet Government having tried by various methods to build up without success strong pro-Soviet support inside Poland was more disposed to consider the resumption of relations with the Polish Government in exile as the first step”.
Throughout the conversation Molotov talked with less of the usual Soviet reserve. He made it clear that he was reserving judgment as to just how things would develop and that the Soviet Government was not at present time committed to the final support of any particular group. He gave me the impression that the Soviet Government was hopeful that by bringing all democratic minded Poles together and allowing them a free hand the situation would be worked out satisfactorily. It appeared his present feeling that the Council might well form the nucleus of the future Government of Poland.