The Russians were coming
Sir: The evidence John Charmley asks for (Letters, 14 November) is in my book Drift to War. Charmley is correct in stating that Poland would almost certainly have refused to let Soviet troops through, but there was a single-line railway through Romania to Czechoslovakia.
On 15 March 1938, Litvinov made Rus- sia's intention to fight to save Czechoslo- vakia clear at a press conference in Moscow, saying 'measures would be found'.
LETTERS
The German archives reveal their Foreign Office found out that the Russians were discussing with the Romanians rights of transit for Soviet troops, and that Russian bombers had been supplied to Czech pilots.
In April, Stalin told the Czech govern- ment Russia would defend Czechoslovakia in concert with France, and the British archives show that in May at Geneva Litvi- nov asked the French to try to obtain per- mission for Russian troops to cross Poland or Romania. The foreign minister of Roma- nia told the British delegate at Geneva on 15 September that there would be 'no diffi- culty in allowing transit through Romania'.
On 23 September, when Rab Butler met Litvinov and Maisky in Geneva, the Rus- sians confirmed Russia would fight if France honoured her obligation to Czechoslovakia. Again, after the break- down of the Anglo-French-Russian military talks in August 1939 Marshal Voroshilov told General Doumenc, the head of the French mission, 'Last year, when Czechoslovakia was threatened, we waited for a sign from France. Our troops were ready: the sign was not given.'
Robert Vansittart, on 12 September 1938, warned Halifax that 'a four-power confer- ence without Russia would drive Russia out of Europe . . . it would surely be unpardon- able folly to assist Germany in driving off the map an associate in need.' His advice was disregarded and the likelihood that Russia would be involved militarily made Chamber- lain even more anxious to get Hitler's demands on Czechoslovakia accepted.
Richard Lamb
Knighton Manor, Broadchalke, Salisbury, Wiltshire
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