860F.01/7–645: Telegram
The Chargé in Czechoslovakia (Klieforth) to the Secretary of State
Praha, July 6,
1945—6 p.m.
[Received 11:35 p.m.]
[Received 11:35 p.m.]
64. My 58, July 4 and my 36, June 24.
- 1.
- I regard the Czech’s request for the complete withdrawal of the American troops from Zecho in advance of the complete withdrawal of the Russian troops, which I have been told on the best authority was demanded by Moscow, as a serious and almost irreparable loss to, American reputation and “western” prestige, not only in Zecho but throughout eastern Europe. I am confident that this view is shared fully by President Beneš, top officials of ForOf, Cabinet members and leading Czechs except Prime Minister Fierlinger and a small but influential group of “eastern” Communists49 led by Deputy Premier Gottwald.
- 2.
- It is generally and publicly known that Zecho’s request for withdrawal of our troops is a result of direct Soviet pressure on the Czechoslovak Govt. In consequence if all our troops are withdrawn in advance of all Russian troops, Zecho people will conclude that it was done not voluntarily but under direct Soviet pressure, which the US was unable to resist or afraid to oppose.
- (People of Prague for instance firmly believe failure of American troops to liberate Prague when they were only 20 miles distant was done upon “orders” of Moscow, which had to be obeyed, although Soviet troops were over 100 miles distant thereby delaying the city’s liberation by many days.)
- 3.
- The American policy of insisting upon multilateral action in international affairs in place of unilateral action will be judged adversely by the Czechs if we do not insist upon simultaneous withdrawal of all foreign troops.
- 4.
- Zecho’s resistance to Soviet pressure, now on the increase in all respects, will be greatly weakened by American unilateral withdrawal with serious decline of western influence. The “eastern” Communists will profit by it at the expense of Beneš’ authority and the non-Communist parties.
- 5.
- While nothing is said publicly, this problem is an important issue and the American answer is awaited with great impatience. Madam Beneš told me that her husband’s present insomnia can be cured the minute I am able to give her husband the “right answer.”
Rptd to Moscow as 16.
Klieforth
- Presumably, the reference here is to the Communist leaders who had been in the Soviet Union during the war. These included the Czech Communists Zdenek Nejedlý, Minister of Education, and Vaclav Kopeck, Minister of Information, and the Slovak Communist Viliam Široky, Deputy Prime Minister. Other leaders such as the Czech Communist Vaclav Nosek, Minister of Interior, and Slovak Communist Vladimir Clementis, Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, had spent the war years in London.↩