860F.24/10–2444: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé to the Czechoslovak Government in Exile ( Schoenfeld ), at London
Zecho 9. The Department put up to the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff the Czechoslovak request for military supplies to Slovakia conveyed by your telegram 19, of October 24, 1944.
A reply has now been received stating that it had already been considered and decided by the Combined Chiefs of Staff on a similar request received September 7, 1944 that this would not be a reasonably feasible operation for American or British aircraft. It was considered that geography left only the Soviet forces in position to do it. United States Chiefs of Staff were informed September 7 by British Chiefs of Staff that Foreign Office would ascertain Soviet intentions regarding it. Pending Soviet reply United States Chiefs of Staff September 22 recommended withholding action.
In the absence of further information the United States Chiefs of Staff have now asked the British Chiefs of Staff for prompt notification when the Foreign Office learns Soviet intentions.15
- A letter of November 17, 1944 (received November 18), from the Joint Chiefs of Staff transmitted information that the British Foreign Office had received no reply from the Soviet Government as to its intentions with respect to the uprising in Slovakia and had accepted the military argument against assistance and so informed the Czechoslovak Government (860F.24/11–1744). The rising had collapsed.↩