Poland in the policy of the great powers
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| Poland in the policy of the great powers | |
At the moment of the German invasion of Poland (1 September 1939) and the Soviet invasion (17 September 1939) the Polish government had the guarantees of the British and French authorities referring to the integrity of borders of Poland.
After the outbreak of the German - Soviet conflict (22 June 1941) the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States signed a declaration known as the "Atlantic Card", which specified the rules of action of both countries: they were to renounce the conquest of foreign territories. It was declared that each nation has the right to sovereignty and to choose the form of ruling. The principles of the post war co-existence were to be equal rights, the states were supposed to renounce violence in international relations. The principles of the "Atlantic Card" were supported by the authorities of the Soviet Union during an international conference in London (24 September 1941).
From the point of view of the Poles, the Soviet declaration was very significant, because it delegalized, in a way, the annexation of over a half of the Polish territory.
Between 28 November and 1 December 1943, a meeting of the leaders of three great allied powers of the United States (Franklin Roosevelt), United Kingdom (Winston Churchill) and the USSR (Iosif Stalin) - took place in Teheran. The leaders discussed many issues, among others the ones referring to Poland. It is worth to note that the American president had only a very fuzzy idea about the discussed matters.
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In Teheran the leaders of the powers departed, from the principles of the Atlantic Card. As far as Poland was concerned, a preliminary accord was achieved referring to its future borders. The line of the Oder river was adopted as the outline of its western border, the eastern one was to base on the "Curzon's line", marked out in 1920. Poland was also to gain the Warmia, Mazury and Opole district, at the expense of Germany.
The western powers the UK and the USA, virtually capitulated before Stalin in Yalta (4 - 11 February 1945). Churchill and Roosevelt opted there for a "strong, independent and democratic Polish state", which however was to be created under the auspices of the communists. The leaders of the victorious powers took the decision about the transformation of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Poland, virtually created by the Soviets, into Provisional Government of National Unity, by incorporating into it some politicians from the country and from abroad - followers of the cooperation with the USSR.
As far as the borders were concerned, the "Curzon's line" was considered the eastern border of Poland (with the posibility of it being shifted by up to 5-8 km in its favour) and the rights to terrains on the coast of the Baltic sea and up to the Oder line were recognized. The allies conditioned the final settling of this issue, leaving a place for the approval by the provisional government.
The settlements of the Yalta conference caused shock and dismay among the Poles. Effectively, the leaders of the west questioned the legality of the Polish government. At the same time they agreed to give away to Stalin almost half of the territory belonging to an "independent" state.
The Polish government headed by Tomasz Arciszewski (P.M.) rejected the Yalta settlements. A ferment followed in the ranks of the Polish Army, which fought side by side with the allies, the commanders have managed however to control it. For many it seemed that any further combat makes no sense, it applied to the higher Polish officers as well. (The Germans exploited these circumstances and e.g. through their "Radio Wanda" transmitted for the soldiers broadcasts such as: "there is nothing for you to go back to, your country is sold already!" - rem. by translator) Behaviour of some allied commanders, who often didn't comprehend the tragedy of the Poles resulted in futher bitterness.
The commander of the 1st Armoured Division, General Stanisław Maczek described a following conversation with Marshall Montgomery:
"I have emphasised explicitly the essence of the problem also from this point of view that most of the soldiers of the armoured division are men from the eastern regions of Poland. I myself was born in Lwów, which never was (...) under the rule of Russia, and now is virtually uncritically given away to her.
Hearing it, Montgomery interrupted me with a smile; so that in this case everything is perfectly fortunate, for now I will be a Soviet General.
That was too much. I replied that although it's even hard to set these two relations against each other: the Polish Army versus the Soviet and the British Army versus the American, so what Sir Marshall would say, if as a reply I would offer him a rank of Ltn. General in the American Army. Already then it was known about certain antagonism of Montgomery towards the Americans (...).
Montgomery turned purple, the political advisor couldn't make it with the cup of coffee, but eventually Montgomery smiled and turned everything into a joke".
Despite the gloom which soon engulfed the Polish ranks, after the conference in Yalta, the soldiers of the Polish Army performed their duty loyally until the end of the war, fighting side by side with the allies.
Soon after the end of the war in Europe, another conference took place in Potsdam (17 July - 2 August 1945). The American side was represented by president Harry Truman, the British by the Prime Minister Churchill, and the Soviet by (then) Generalissimus Stalin.
The participants accepted creation of the Provisional Government of National Unity in Poland (on 28 June) and its formal recognition followed. Therefore such a recognition of the legal Polish government which functioned since 1939 in exile was withdrawn. On 24 July the issue of northern western borders of Poland was considered. It was been decided that it will run along the Odra and Nysa rivers (German: Oder and Neisse), will encompass the city of Szczecin (Stettin) as well as the land adhering to the town of Świnoujście (Schwenemuende). The annexation of Gdańsk (Danzig) and part of East Prussia was accepted.
The allies took a decision to completely re-settle the German population and to deport it from the Polish territory. The new Polish government in Warsaw was obliged to implement this decision of the US, British and Soviet leaders. The Polish land lying to the east of the Bug river was incorporated into the USSR.
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(1901-1966) A politician, activist of peasant parties, member of parliament (1930-1935). During the Second World War was the deputy Prime Minister and v-ce chairman of the parliament in emigration. After the death of General W. Sikorski he performed the function of the Prime Minister of the Polish government in exile (from 14 July 1943 until 24 November 1944). He was an adherent of coming to terms with the USSR, in 1945 he returned to Poland and as the second deputy Prime Minister and as the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Reforms was a member of the provisional government created with the communists (The Preliminary Government of National Unity). He also performed the function of the chairman of the Polish Peasants' Party, in oposition to the communists - he was becoming the spiritual leader of the Polish society. In October 1947 he was forced to flee from the country. He died on 13 December 1966, in Washington. |
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