CYIL vol. 9 (2018)

CYIL 9 ȍ2018Ȏ THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INDEPENDENT CZECHOSLOVAK STATE … Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the development in the local politics was the reason for the increased support for the idea of Czechoslovak independence and several days later, on 26 July 1917, he addressed another memorandum to the British Foreign Secretary Balfour, demanding the recognition of “Czecho-Slovak national sovereignty”. 20 He elaborated arguments for the recognition of the CSNC as the body which represented the fight for independence and provided political leadership of troops in Italy, France, and Russia. Mainly the legions in Russia amounting to 70 thousand men represented an important military factor for the Allied Powers, especially for France and Great Britain, although the CSNC had earlier tried to transfer them to the western front. Thus, the CSNC was to be transformed into a provisional government. Beneš emphasised particularly to Brits that these steps enjoyed the support from the French military and political representatives. On 2 August 1918, E. Beneš met with Robert Cecil, who had been appointed Assistant Secretary for Foreign Affairs, to negotiate the text of the British proclamation on the Czecho- Slovak issue. Great Britain was prepared to issue the proclamation stating that Czechoslovaks were an allied nation and Czechoslovak legions were a belligerent allied army waging war against Germany and Austria-Hungary. The CSNC was to be recognised as the supreme authority exercising control over the army. Beneš insisted in his proposal that the term sovereignty should be used and requested that Great Britain should recognise the CSNS as the provisional government. He also proposed a special agreement with Great Britain which would deal with issues of capital for maintaining the army or the possibility to issue Czechoslovak passports. 21 Indeed, on 9 August 1918, Great Britain issued the declaration proposed by Beneš and signed by A. J. Balfour on behalf of Great Britain, albeit in a compromised form (as proposed by The Times editor W. Steed 22 ), and thus recognised the Czechoslovak National Council as the supreme body championing the Czechoslovak national interests, commanding Czechoslovak military troops, and acting as “trustees” for the future provisional Czechoslovak government. 23 The above mentioned envisioned agreement between Great Britain and the Czechoslovak National Council (modelled on a similar agreement negotiated with France 24 ) was finalised at the end of August and signed on 3 September 1918. It elaborated on the so-called Balfour declaration and enabled the Czechoslovak National Council to designate persons who would be regarded as allies rather than enemy aliens. 25 In August 1918, Beneš negotiated, via the Japanese ambassador to Great Britain, a possible recognition of the Czechoslovak National Council by Japan, inasmuch as it was recognised by France and Italy; Japan did so on 9 September 1918. 26 T. G. Masaryk informed the U.S. Department of State of the developments around Czechoslovak issues and in particular the Czechoslovak Legions in Russia, seeking to obtain support for the foundation of an independent Czechoslovak state. It was primarily the Czech and Slovak community in America (and 20 Ibid, doc. No. 76. 21 Ibid, doc. No. 80-83. 22 STEED, W.: Edward Beneš, In.: Edward Beneš, Essays and Reflections presented on the occasion of his Sixtieth Birthday, London: Allen and Unwin, 1944, pp. 58-59. 23 KLIMEK, A. et al (eds.): Vznik Československa 1918 [ Creation of Czechoslovakia 1918 ], doc. No. 88. 24 The agreement was concluded only on 28 September 1918, ibid., doc. No. 130. 25 Ibid, doc. No. 106. 26 BENEŠ, E.: Světová válka a naše revoluce [ WorldWar and Our Revolution ], Vol. III., Čin: Praha 1935, pp. 292-294.

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