860C.01/8–844: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State

2885. Personal for the President and the Secretary supplementing my No. 2860, August 4, 1 p.m. Mikolajczyk asked the British Ambassador and myself to call on him this afternoon August 7 to tell us of his two talks with the members of the Polish Committee of Liberation. The first talk occurred last night and the second this morning. At the first meeting he, Romer and Grabski met with Morawski, Witos, Wanda Waselewska64 and General Rolazymierski. This morning the [Page 1307] new personality, Berut,65 was present and presided. Mikolajczyk had never met him before and does not know his background. He described him as a man of force and education and when present dominated the discussion. Although not officially a member of the Committee he is evidently the chairman of the Polish National Council in Warsaw.

The discussions so far have apparently covered a good deal of background, have been sparing [sparring?] in character and inconclusive. Mikolajczyk asked the British Ambassador and myself not to report on the conversation in detail as he deemed it wise to await the third meeting tonight before reporting to his own Government. He said that he would inform us tomorrow of the results of the discussions releasing us to report fully to our Governments. Mikolajczyk took a gloomy view of the talks.

Harriman
  1. Wanda Lvovna Wasilewska, Vice Chairman of the Polish Committee of National Liberation, and editor of Wolna Polska (Free Poland).
  2. Boleslaw Bierut, Chairman of the National People’s Council of Poland (Krajowa Rada Narodowa).