Primary Sources

U.S. Reaction to a New Prime Minister in Poland

Description

In early June 1989, Poland held its first semi-free elections since the inception of Communist Party rule in the post-World War II era. The elections resulted in a solid defeat of Communism and a sound victory for the Solidarity opposition. Following the election, at the advice of Solidarity leader Lech Walesa, president Wojciech Jaruzelski, a Communist Party leader and president of Poland at the time, appointed Tadeusz Mazowiecki to the position of prime minister. Mazowiecki, a well-known journalist and Solidarity activist, became the first non-Communist prime minister in all of Eastern Europe since the 1940s. These telegrams from August 24, 1989, the day on which Mazowiecki was chosen for this position, between the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw and the U.S. secretary of state, exhibit the elation that American government officials felt about this historic moment in Eastern European history. In Poland (and in the region as a whole), Communism was being dismantled piece by piece.

Source

U.S. Embassy Warsaw to U.S. Secretary of State and U.S. Secretary of State to U.S. Embassy Warsaw, "Request for Instructions," 24 August 1989, Cold War International History Project, Documents and Papers, CWIHP (accessed May 14, 2008).

Primary Source—Excerpt

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 01 WARSAW 11383 241436Z ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 ADS-00 SS-00 EB-00 SSO-00 HA-09 AM&D-01 A-00 /010 W ------------------ 050321 241507Z /49 99 0 241414Z AUG 89 FM SMEMBASSY WARSAW TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7930

12.0. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: AMGT, PREL, PL SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR INSTRUCTIONS

REF: 88 STATE 212680 AND PREVIOUS


(C) I HAVE THE HONOR TO REPORT THAT MR. TADEUSZ MAZOWIECKI, A LEADING MEMBER OF SOLIDARITY, WAS TODAY CONFIRMED BY A VOTE OF THE POLISH SEJM IN THE POSITION OF PRIME MINISTER OF POLAND AND COMMISSIONED TO FORM A GOVERNMENT. I BELIEVE THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT CONSTITUTES ESSENTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE POLITICAL TASKS ASSIGNED TO ME IN MY CURRENT LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS AND AWAIT FURTHER ORDERS.
DAVIS

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 01 STATE 272512 ORIGIN EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 ADS-00 A-00 /000 R

DRAFTED BY: EUR/EEY:JWSWTHART APPROVED BY: EUR/EEY:JWSWIHART EUR/EEY:CRHILL (DRAFT) EUR/EEY:MMHORNBLOW (DRAFT) EUR/EEY:DFRIED (DRAFT) EUR/EEY:GAKROL (DRAFT) DESIRED DISTRIBUTION EUR/EEY - 3, PL - 2 ----------------- 074430 242331Z /38 O 242329Z AUG 89 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO AMEMBASSY WARSAW IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 272512

E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR TAGS: AMGT, PREL, PL SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S INSTRUCTIONS

REF : WARSAW 11383


1. (C) DEPARTMENT NOTES WITH SATISFACTION THE ESSENTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE POLITICAL TASKS ASSIGNED IN YOUR LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS.

2 . (C) YOUR NEXT TASK IS TO PROMOTE AND ENSURE THE REALIZATION OF ECONOMIC PROSPERITY IN POLAND, TO INCLUDE STABLE GROWTH, FULL EMPLOYMENT, LOW INFLATION, HIGH PRODUCTIVITY AND A MERCEDES (OR EQUIVALENT) IN EVERY GARAGE.
< br>3. (U) BEST WISHES FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS.
EAGLEBURGER

How to Cite this Source

U.S. Embassy Warsaw and U.S. Secretary of State, "U.S. Reaction to a New Prime Minister in Poland." Making the History of 1989, #409.