Roosevelt Papers: Telegram
President Roosevelt to Marshal Stalin 1
priority
Number 136, Personal and Top Secret, from the President for Marshal Stalin.2
In view of the interest raised in this country by Prime Minister Churchill’s statement in the House of Commons yesterday and the strong pressure we are under to make known our position in regard to Poland, I believe it may be necessary in the next few days for this government to issue some statement on the subject. This statement, if issued, will outline our attitude somewhat along the following lines:
- “1. The United States Government stands unequivocally for a strong, free, independent and democratic Poland.
- 2. In regard to the question of future frontiers of Poland, the United States, although considering it desirable that territorial questions await the general postwar settlement, recognizes that a settlement before that time is in the interest of the common war effort and therefore would have no objection if the territorial questions involved in the Polish situation, including the proposed compensation from Germany, were settled by mutual agreement between the parties directly concerned.
- 3. Recognizing that the transfer of minorities in some cases is feasible and would contribute to the general security and tranquility in the areas concerned, the United States Government would have [Page 218] no objection if the Government and the people of Poland desire to transfer nationals and would join in assisting such transfers.
- 4. In conformity with its announced aim, this Government is prepared to assist, subject to legislative authority, and in so far as may be practicable, in the economic reconstruction of countries devastated by Nazi aggression. This policy applies equally to Poland as to other such devastated countries of the United Nations.”3
The proposed statement, as you will note, will contain nothing, I am sure, that is not known to you as the general attitude of this Government and is I believe in so far as it goes in general accord with the results of your discussion with Prime Minister Churchill in Moscow in the autumn, and for this reason, I am sure, you will welcome it.
I feel it is of the highest importance that until the three of us can get together and thoroughly discuss this troublesome question there be no action on any side which would render our discussions more difficult. I have seen indications that the Lublin Committee may be intending to give itself the status of a provisional government of Poland. I fully appreciate the desirability from your point of view of having a clarification of Polish authority before your armies move further into Poland. I very much hope, however, that because of the great political implications which such a step would entail you would find it possible to refrain from recognizing the Lublin Committee as a government of Poland before we meet, which I hope will be immediately after my inauguration on January 20. Could you not until that date continue to deal with the Committee in its present form. I know that Prime Minister Churchill shares my views on this point.
- Sent to the United States Naval Attaché, Moscow, via Navy channels.↩
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A draft of this message to Stalin had been sent to the President by Stettinius with a telegram of December 16 which included the following explanation:
“We feel that it is necessary for me to make a statement reemphasizing and perhaps clarifying our position on the Polish matter along the lines of your letter to Mr. Mikolajczyk. I feel also that the general statement of position will in truth be welcomed by Marshal Stalin, and you will note that it is very much in harmony with the sentiments expressed by the Prime Minister yesterday in the House of Commons.
“I believe that by giving Stalin advance notice of this statement the chances would be increased of his withholding any sudden move in regard to the Lublin Committee pending the meeting.” (Roosevelt Papers.)
The message was communicated to Churchill as No. 675, of the same date (Roosevelt Papers).
↩ - Because this message from Roosevelt to Stalin did not reach the Embassy in Moscow until December 20, and because in the meantime, on December 18, the Department of State had issued a press release regarding Poland (infra) which differed somewhat from the statement here quoted, Ambassador Harriman, in transmitting the message to Stalin, omitted these four paragraphs and sent instead the text of the press release, with the explanation that an outline of its substance had been contained in the message (760C.61/12–2344, White House memorandum for Stettinius quoting a paraphrase of a message from Harriman to Roosevelt, December 21, 1944).↩