Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XVII, Eastern Europe

129. Telegram From the Embassy in Poland to the Department of State¹

Warsaw, October 31, 1967, 0935Z.

1285. Ref: Warsaw 1235; 1240.² Pass USIA for IAS and ICS/E.

1. Ambassador called on Vice Foreign Minister Naszkowski Oct 30 to protest comparison of President Johnson with Hitler published in Trybuna Ludu Oct 27. In reply, Naszkowski defended such comparisons saying that U.S. escalation of Viet-Nam war produced corresponding escalation of Poles’ feelings of revulsion and concern for world peace. “Cruelties” of U.S. methods of waging war in Viet-Nam remind us, he said, “of cruelties perpetrated by Nazis against Poles.” When Ambassador rejected validity of such analogies, discussion ensued on Viet-Nam problem which proceeded along usual lines and ended inconclusively.

2. Ambassador also raised problem of Architecture USA exhibit (Warsaw 1240). Naszkowski emphasized that exhibit has been postponed, not canceled. We cannot have “great spectacular events” such as U.S. exhibit, he said, during period when Viet-Nam war is causing so much concern. Exhibit has therefore been postponed, he said, in hope that future developments will be more conducive to holding it.

3. Memcon follows by pouch.³

Gronouski

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL POL–US. Confidential. Repeated to Prague.
2. Neither found.
3. Transmitted in airgram A–303 from Warsaw, November 9. (Department of State, Central Files, POL POL–US)