Soviet-Czechoslovak rapprochement in 1943-1945: a view from the USA

The article analyzes the US policy towards the Czechoslovak government-in-exile in 1943-1945. At that time President of the Czechoslovak Republic in exile E. Benes formulated the program for the post-war reconstruction of his country, focused on equal relations with the main allied powers: the United Kingdom, the USSR and the United States. Assuming that the independence of Czechoslovakia would primarily depend on good relations with the Soviet Union, Benes visited Moscow in December 1943 and in March 1945. During the first visit he concluded the Soviet-Czechoslovak agreement of mutual assistance for 20 years. The second visit was devoted to the negotiations on further cooperation with the USSR and discussions of the new Czechoslovak government -its composition and communists' participation. In April 1945 the government members were transferred to the Slovak city of Kosice, liberated and controlled by the Red Army. The article deals with the US State Department's attitude towards the Czechoslovakian situation and its development in this period. American experts' and diplomats' opinions on the emerging Soviet-Czechoslovak rapprochement, their reaction to the post-war development program of the CSR are highlighted. The author notes their increasing fears about the Soviet policy on the liberated territory of this country, about the strengthening of the communist influence there. He analyzes American experts' forecasts about the new Czechoslovak government composition, their assessment of agreements reached in Moscow, estimates of the Kosice program and proclamation of the further rapprochement with the USSR. The place of Czechoslovakia in the American plans for the post-war Europe is being considered as well. The first diplomatic clash between Moscow and Washington on the Czechoslovak issue happened in April-May 1945 because of the Soviet Government's refusal to allow Western diplomats to Kosice. Americans attempts to overcome it were unsuccessful. Its result was the emergence of a serious suspicion in Washington about Moscow's desire to expand its sphere of influence in Central Europe. The situation with Czechoslovakia demonstrated that, despite the war cooperation, the US had serious concerns about Soviet intentions. Americans preferred to see Czechoslovakia as a pro-western democratic state and were afraid of a communist regime being established there. However, the US avoided direct intervention, counting on the gradual return of the Czechoslovak Republic to the pre-war democratic system. Benes's course allowed the US to test the USSR's desire and ability to build normal political relations with the neighboring countries in practice. The article is based on the analysis of primary sources from the United States National Archives, the Library of Congress, the Foreign Policy Archive of the Russian Federation.

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