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J. 333305-1 N 0-State
Galley
231
UNCORRECTED GALLEY PROOF
be at this period in the war in its effect on world opinion and enemy
morale if your Government should formally recognize one Govern-
ment of Poland while the majority of the other United Nations
including the United States and Great Britain continue to recognize
and to maintain diplomatic relations with the Polish Government in
London.
I must tell you with a frankness equal to your own that I see no
prospect of this Government's following suit and transferring its
recognition from the Government in London to the Lublin Committee
in its present form. This is in no sense due to any special ties or
feelings for the London Government. The fact is that neither the
Government nor the people of the United States have as yet seen any
evidence either arising from the manner of its creation or from subse-
quent developments to justify the conclusion that the Lublin Com-
mittee as at present constituted represents the people of Poland.
I
cannot ignore the fact that up to the present only a small fraction of
Poland proper west of the Curzon Line has been liberated from German
tyranny, and it is therefore an unquestioned truth that the people
of Poland have had no opportunity to express themselves in regard
to the Lublin Committee.
If at some future date following the liberation of Poland a provisional
government of Poland with popular support is established, the attitude
of this Government would of course be governed by the decision of
the Polish people.
I fully share your view that the departure of Mr. Mikolajczyk from
the Government in London has worsened the situation. I have
always felt that Mr. Mikolajczyk, who I am convinced is sincerely
desirous of settling all points at issue between the Soviet Union and
Poland, is the only Polish leader in sight who seems to offer the
possibility of a genuine solution of the difficult and dangerous Polish
question. I find it most difficult to believe from my personal knowl-
edge of Mr. Mikolajczyk and my conversations with him when he was
here in Washington and his subsequent efforts and policies during
his visit at Moscow that he had knowledge of any terrorist instructions.
I am sending you this message so that you will know the position of
this Government in regard to the recognition at the present time of
the Lublin Committee as the provisional government. I am more
than ever convinced that when the three of us get together we can
reach a solution of the Polish problem, and I therefore still hope that
you can hold in abeyance until then the formal recognition of the
Lublin Committee as a government of Poland. I cannot, from a
military angle, see any great objection to a delay of a month.
ROOSEVELT³
3 Roosevelt's No. 684 to Churchill, dated December 30, 1944, quoted the text
of this message, with the comment, 'You will see that we are in step" (Roosevelt
Papers).
Roosevelt Papers Telegram
President Roosevelt to Prime Minister Churchill 1
TOP SECRET
[WashIngTON,] 4 January 1945.
PRIORITY
1 Sent to the United States Naval Attaché, London, via Navy channels.
Number 691. Top Secret and Personal from the President for the
Prime Minister.
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"ocrText": "J. 333305-1 N 0-State\nGalley\n231\nUNCORRECTED GALLEY PROOF\nbe at this period in the war in its effect on world opinion and enemy\nmorale if your Government should formally recognize one Govern-\nment of Poland while the majority of the other United Nations\nincluding the United States and Great Britain continue to recognize\nand to maintain diplomatic relations with the Polish Government in\nLondon.\nI must tell you with a frankness equal to your own that I see no\nprospect of this Government's following suit and transferring its\nrecognition from the Government in London to the Lublin Committee\nin its present form. This is in no sense due to any special ties or\nfeelings for the London Government. The fact is that neither the\nGovernment nor the people of the United States have as yet seen any\nevidence either arising from the manner of its creation or from subse-\nquent developments to justify the conclusion that the Lublin Com-\nmittee as at present constituted represents the people of Poland.\nI\ncannot ignore the fact that up to the present only a small fraction of\nPoland proper west of the Curzon Line has been liberated from German\ntyranny, and it is therefore an unquestioned truth that the people\nof Poland have had no opportunity to express themselves in regard\nto the Lublin Committee.\nIf at some future date following the liberation of Poland a provisional\ngovernment of Poland with popular support is established, the attitude\nof this Government would of course be governed by the decision of\nthe Polish people.\nI fully share your view that the departure of Mr. Mikolajczyk from\nthe Government in London has worsened the situation. I have\nalways felt that Mr. Mikolajczyk, who I am convinced is sincerely\ndesirous of settling all points at issue between the Soviet Union and\nPoland, is the only Polish leader in sight who seems to offer the\npossibility of a genuine solution of the difficult and dangerous Polish\nquestion. I find it most difficult to believe from my personal knowl-\nedge of Mr. Mikolajczyk and my conversations with him when he was\nhere in Washington and his subsequent efforts and policies during\nhis visit at Moscow that he had knowledge of any terrorist instructions.\nI am sending you this message so that you will know the position of\nthis Government in regard to the recognition at the present time of\nthe Lublin Committee as the provisional government. I am more\nthan ever convinced that when the three of us get together we can\nreach a solution of the Polish problem, and I therefore still hope that\nyou can hold in abeyance until then the formal recognition of the\nLublin Committee as a government of Poland. I cannot, from a\nmilitary angle, see any great objection to a delay of a month.\nROOSEVELT³\n3 Roosevelt's No. 684 to Churchill, dated December 30, 1944, quoted the text\nof this message, with the comment, 'You will see that we are in step\" (Roosevelt\nPapers).\nRoosevelt Papers Telegram\nPresident Roosevelt to Prime Minister Churchill 1\nTOP SECRET\n[WashIngTON,] 4 January 1945.\nPRIORITY\n1 Sent to the United States Naval Attaché, London, via Navy channels.\nNumber 691. Top Secret and Personal from the President for the\nPrime Minister."
}