Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, Eastern Europe, The Soviet Union, Volume VI

860C.00/10–2646

The British Embassy to the Department of State

Ref: 1212/216/46

Memorandum

In addition to the other general issues to which consideration was given in this Embassy’s memorandum of the 17th October, His Majesty’s Government have studied the question of providing observers for the Polish elections, a step which M. Mikolajczyk, through an intermediary, has strongly urged.

2. His Majesty’s Ambassador at Warsaw has advised that if the Polish Peasant Party publicly requests that the three Yalta Powers should send observers, His Majesty’s Government and the United States Government should, if possible, agree and at the same time express the hope that the Soviet Government will act likewise. The Polish Government will almost certainly refuse its consent to official observers being present at the elections, but it is considered that such a refusal will not improve its position internally or externally.

3. If no such appeal is publicly made by the Polish Peasant Party or if it is made and the Polish Government refuses to agree to the appointment of official observers, Mr. Cavendish Bentinck recommends that as many impartial British and American observers as possible should be sent in an unofficial capacity to Poland to report on the manner in which the elections are conducted.

4. His Majesty’s Government, while they dislike having to turn down M. Mikolajczyk’s request, are inclined to think that the disadvantages of proposing official observers may be greater than the possible advantages. There are in any case difficulties in providing a sufficient number of observers with a knowledge of the Polish language, while arrangements for transportation would be another obstacle. His Majesty’s Government doubt whether it would be possible in practice to check and control the elections and fear that, in the circumstances, they might possibly be held responsible for results which they had not been able effectively to verify.

5. After careful consideration His Majesty’s Government are therefore inclined to fall back on the alternative of encouraging unofficial observers whose reports would at least tend to confirm or deny allegations that may be made regarding falsification of the elections and would assist in determining the honesty or otherwise of the officially published results. His Majesty’s Government would, however, be glad to learn the views of the United States Government on this matter.⁴³

Washington, October 26, 1946.

43. In a memorandum to the British Embassy dated October 31, 1946, the Department of State expressed its views as follows: “The Department considers that it would be unwise to agree to send official observers to the Polish elections, even if publicly requested by the Polish Peasant Party. The Department does contemplate, however, encouraging American correspondents to be present in Poland during the elections.” (860C.00/10–2646)