Security, Conflict and Cooperation in the Contemporary World British Policy Towards Poland, 1944–1956 ANDREA MASON Security, Conflict and Cooperation in the Contemporary World Series Editors Effie G. H. Pedaliu LSE Ideas London, UK John W. Young University of Nottingham Nottingham, UK The Palgrave Macmillan series, Security, Conflict and Cooperation in the Contemporary World aims to make a significant contribution to academic and policy debates on cooperation, conflict and security since 1900. It evolved from the series Global Conflict and Security edited by Professor Saki Ruth Dockrill. The current series welcomes proposals that offer inno- vative historical perspectives, based on archival evidence and promoting an empirical understanding of economic and political cooperation, conflict and security, peace-making, diplomacy, humanitarian intervention, nation-­ building, intelligence, terrorism, the influence of ideology and religion on international relations, as well as the work of international organisations and non-governmental organisations. More information about this series at http://www.palgrave.com/gp/series/14489 Andrea Mason British Policy Towards Poland, 1944–1956 Andrea Mason LSE Department of International History London, UK Security, Conflict and Cooperation in the Contemporary World ISBN 978-3-319-94240-7 ISBN 978-3-319-94241-4 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94241-4 Library of Congress Control Number: 2018954417 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2018 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the pub- lisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institu- tional affiliations. Cover illustration: Ernest Bevin: © Keystone Pictures USA / Alamy Stock Photo. Polish Flag: © Junior Gonzalez / Getty Images. This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland To Matéo, and our Gabriel ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This book began as a PhD thesis at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). I am deeply indebted to my supervisor, Professor Anita Prażmowska, whose guidance, support, and encouragement were of immeasurable importance in the completion of this work. I am very fortu- nate to continue to benefit from her careful reading of my work, and to count her as a friend. I would like to thank the staff at the UK National Archives, the Churchill Archives Centre (especially Natalie Adams for her helpful sug- gestions), the British Library, the Archiwum Akt Nowych, the Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych, and the Hoover Institution for their assistance. For their patient guidance, I am particularly indebted to Andrzej Suchcitz and Jadwiga Kowalska at the Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum. My thanks to Paul Horsler at the British Library of Political and Economic Science (LSE) for arranging access to the Secret Intelligence Files database. A number of organisations provided the financial assistance which made the completion of this work possible: the Department of International History at the LSE, the Universities UK Overseas Research Scheme, and the Fondation Desjardins (Montréal, Québec, Canada). At the LSE, I have benefited from helpful advice and suggestions on drafts, as well as general encouragement from Heather Jones, Matthew Jones, Paul Preston, and David Stevenson. For their friendship, advice, and support, my wholehearted thanks to Tanya Harmer and Taylor Sherman. I would like to thank Nayna Bhatti for her gentle encouragement and Demetra Frini, Mathew Betts, Milada Fomina, and Jacquie Minter for the vii viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS countless times they have helped me out throughout my years in the LSE Department of International History. Karolina Zamorska, Anna Burigana, and Tadeusz Janecki were immensely helpful with translations. My examiners, Professor Geoffrey Swain and Dr Martin Folly, provided extremely helpful suggestions. The comments of the two anonymous reviewers pushed me to broaden the scope of this work. I have tried to implement all of their advice. Needless to say, any errors or oversights which remain are mine alone. At Palgrave Macmillan, I am very grateful to Oliver Dyer and Molly Beck for their support, and for their endless patience. I am profoundly grateful for the support of my family and friends. Without them this work could not have been completed. In particular, I would like to thank Susana Sinfrónio Carvalho, Sara Bernard and Vladimir Unkovski-Korica (who also read and provided helpful suggestions on drafts), Wes Ullrich, Alison Pienaar, Sue Dawson, and Ian Hoare, all of whom helped to propel me forward at various stages during the comple- tion of this work. For the sanity-saving park dates in the bewildering, sleepless months after the arrival of Arendt and Gabriel, and for providing a vital link back to my ‘academic self’, thank you to my friend and colleague, Aurélie Basha i Novosejt. Thank you to my beloved Jessica Lim, whose friendship is among the great sustaining forces of my life. I consider that freezing November morning long ago in Montréal to be one of the very luckiest of days. My grandparents, the late Louise and Douglas Hawes, and Jessie and the late Ernest Mason, supported me generously in my every endeavour. I wish they were all still with me to see the completion of this project. I am grateful to my sister and brother-in-law, Cari and Reza, for their unflagging optimism and wise words of advice. This book project coincided with the birth of my first child, Gabriel. I do not have the words to convey how difficult it was to leave that impos- sibly vulnerable little being in order to return to work. I would not have done it had I not been certain that he was in the safest of hands, those of my mother, Janet, who came from Canada not once but three times to take care of him, and to whom I owe far more than I can ever repay. She and my father, Robert, have been steadfast in their support through all the most difficult moments along the way. Without them, I could not have completed this work. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ix I would also like to thank Penha Illuminati and Sonia Pedrosa for look- ing after Gabriel with so much love, and for giving me the peace of mind to work. This book is dedicated to my husband Matéo, whose unshakeable con- fidence in me kept me going through what often seemed like an impossi- ble set of circumstances. For tea and oranges—and now Saturdays in the British Library with baby in tow—thank you. CONTENTS 1 Introduction 1 2 Britain and the Polish Government-in-Exile, January 1944 to June 1945 15 3 From Potsdam to the Moscow Council of Foreign Ministers, July to December 1945 65 4 The Electoral Bloc to the Polish Referendum, January to June 1946 89 5 From the Referendum to the Elections, June 1946 to January 1947 117 6 Mikołajczyk’s Escape, January to November 1947 147 7 From High Cold War to Early Détente, 1948–1956 179 xi xii Contents 8 Conclusion 199 Bibliography 205 Index 223 ABBREVIaTIONS AK Armia Krajowa (Home Army) GOP Grupy Ochronno Propagandowe (Protection-Propaganda Groups) KRN Krajowa Rada Narodowa (National Council of the Homeland) MBN Ministerstwo Bezpieczeństwa Narodowego (Ministry of National Security) NIK Najwyższa Izba Kontroli (Supreme Chamber of Control) NKVD Narodnyi kommissariat vnutrennykh del (People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs) PKWN Polski Komitet Wyzwolenia Narodowego (Polish National Committee of Liberation) PLP Parliamentary Labour Party PPR Polska Partia Robotnicza (Polish Workers’ Party) PPS Polska Partia Socjalistyczna (Polish Socialist Party) PSL Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe (Polish Peasant Alliance) RPPS Robotnicza Partia Polskich Socjalistów (Polish Socialist Workers’ Party) SD Stronnictwo Demokratyczne (Democratic Alliance) SL Stronnictwo Ludowe (Peasant Alliance) SN Stronnictwo Narodowe (National Alliance) SP Stronnictwo Pracy (Labour Alliance) TRJN Tymczasowy Rzad̨Jedności Narodowej (Provisional Government of National Unity) UB Urzad̨Bezpieczeństwa (Security Office) WiN Wolnośći Niezawisłość (Freedom and Independence) WRN WolnośćRównośći Niepodległość (Freedom, Equality, and Independence) ZPP Zwiaz̨ek Patriotów Polskich (Union of Polish Patriots) xiii CHAPTER 1 Introduction In June 1945, Stanisław Mikołajczyk, the former prime minister of the London-based Polish government-in-exile left for Moscow to participate in the negotiations for the establishment of a new