Office of the Historian

115. Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Elbrick) to the Under Secretary of State (Hoover)1

Washington, October 26, 1956.

SUBJECT

  • Approach to Poland on Possible US Aid

With reference to Warsaw’s telegrams 5352 and 5373 (attached) we feel strongly there should be no publicity respecting the approach we have made.

Winiewicz is notably fast on his feet and gave our Ambassador a clever but specious reply. . . .

While Winiewicz took the opportunity to discuss several extraneous issues nevertheless it is certain that our approach will be reported higher as Winiewicz himself said in describing it as “important”. It is true that the Polish formal reply may take the same line as Winiewicz’ remarks but the seed has been planted of the idea that recourse to the US is possible. This knowledge, whether or not the Poles communicate it to the Soviets, may fortify them in their forthcoming talks in Moscow.

Recommendation:

We recommend that no further step be taken for the next few days. If we do not hear within a week, we could instruct Jacobs to take occasion to say that we naturally expect an official reply will be made to our approach.4

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.48/10–2656. Secret. Drafted by Beam and by Trivers and sent to Hoover through Murphy.↩
  2. Document 110.↩
  3. Supra.↩
  4. Murphy initialed his approval of the recommendation.↩