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17 October

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By Liakhovetsky, Ivan Mikhailovich (Maisky)

The Complete Maisky Diaries: Volume 1

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17 October

The Protest of the USSR Ambassador in London Comrade Maisky

LONDON, 13 October (TASS). On 11 October the USSR ambassador in London Comrade Maisky visited the British foreign secretary, Halifax, and entered a protest against the mendacious insinuations made by Lord Winterton in his speech in Shoreham.

On 13 October, TASS published Maisky’s statement: ‘As reported by the British press, Lord Winterton said in his speech that the Soviet Union allegedly did not render assistance during the crisis over Czechoslovakia and in consequence of its military weakness confined itself to vague promises. Winterton’s allegation completely distorts the actual stand of the Soviet government on the Czechoslovak question. The USSR’s stand on this question had been formulated clearly and definitely, leaving no room for vagueness, by People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs M.M. Litvinov in his speech at the plenum session of the League of Nations in Geneva on 21 September. Summing up his talk with the French chargé d’affaires in Moscow on 8 September 1938, Litvinov said in his speech that the USSR intended to fulfil all its obligations under the Soviet–Czechoslovak pact and render the necessary assistance to Czechoslovakia together with France by all available means. Litvinov further added that the USSR military department was ready to commence talks with representatives of the general staffs of France and Czechoslovakia in order to outline concrete measures for joint action.’

Page 369

… The Manchester Guardian, News Chronicle and Daily Herald carry excerpts from the article devoted to the foreign policy of the French government published in Journal de Moscou. Besides, the British press features the full text of the Soviet embassy’s refutation of 11 October concerning Lord Winterton’s false statement that the Soviet Union allegedly did not intend to render assistance to Czechoslovakia.

The Manchester Guardian writes in its editorial about the Soviet Union’s stand in the Czechoslovak crisis. Isn’t it time for the British government, the newspaper asks, to define its attitude to the USSR? Does the government wish to cooperate with the Soviet Union or does it intend to keep away from it in future? Chamberlain tried, the newspaper continues, to establish cooperation with Germany and Italy. As a result, these countries brought Britain to an imminent threat of war. At the same time, although Chamberlain’s attitude toward the USSR was exceptionally cool, it was eventually hailed as our ally in the event of war.

Simon and Hoare did everything possible during the debates in the House of Commons to somewhat repair the damage inflicted. They announced that there was no design to confine the Soviet Union to the east and expressed a hope that the USSR would join the new international guarantees for the changed borders of Czechoslovakia. The newspaper writes further that the international situation Britain found itself in after signing the Munich Agreement requires that the policy of close and friendly cooperation with the Soviet Union should be chosen not only for reasons of common sense, but also as a necessity. However, Lord Winterton evidently holds a different point of view.

It is only natural that the Soviet ambassador in London made a strong protest to the British Foreign Office against Winterton’s speech and recalled Litvinov’s speech in Geneva, where the latter confirmed that the Soviet Union intended to fulfil all its obligations. Apart from everything else, there is yet more evidence of the actual intentions of the USSR. At the peak of the crisis, on 27 September, the world press published a statement originating from ‘authoritative British circles in London’. Everyone understands what is implied by ‘authoritative circles’. The statement read that if Czechoslovakia was eventually attacked by Germany, France would be compelled to lend aid to it immediately, and Britain and the Soviet Union would certainly side with France.

So, the newspaper proceeds, the statement pointed out directly that the three powers would act in concert, and, in the opinion of other persons (whether they are right or not is another question), this particular statement made Hitler agree to the Munich Conference at the last moment. Anyway, it was an exact, formal and ‘authoritative’ declaration from London about the Soviet Union’s solidarity with Britain and France. A time may come when we shall be glad to hear about solidarity from the USSR once again.

Page 370

It is strange that the British ministers speak in the same spirit as Winterton. Members of the House of Commons will undoubtedly not be slow in asking Chamberlain what the Cabinet’s real stand is. Is it really possible to suggest that the British government assumes no responsibility for Lord Winterton’s statement?

Printed in Izvestiya, 14 October 1938 and referred to also in the following cuttings attached to the diary which appeared in the British press: Manchester Guardian of 13 and 14 October, and 4 November, and The Times of 4 November 1938.

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Document Details

Document Title17 October

AuthorLiakhovetsky, Ivan Mikhailovich (Maisky)

RecipientN/A

RepositoryN/A

ID #N/A

DescriptionN/A

Date1938 Oct 17

AOC VolumeThe Complete Maisky Diaries: Volume 1

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