ripe for this." They were reassured of "Soviet agreement to the integral restoration of Czechoslovakia's pre-Munich frontiers, specifically cover[ing] Teschen... The Russians [seemed] sympathetic to Dr. Beneš' proposal to advance the Czechoslovak frontier slightly to cover Moravska Ostrava... at the expense of the Poles," who were being compensated with all of Silesia.48
Trouble with the Russians had arisen, however, in the field. Reports reached Beneš that "the Russians were dismantling factories in Slovakia and taking away equipment on the pretext that it had been supplied by the Germans. This and the behavior of some of the Soviet troops [were] causing great dissatisfaction in Slovakia and Ruthenia." Beneš naturally did not share the Red Army's interpretation of "booty."49
Setting aside this problem, for which there was no quick remedy, Beneš decided not to delay his return home over a discussion of it with the Soviet leaders. The time had come for his departure for Košice to reconstitute his independent government. He agreed that Masaryk should return to the United States via London to attend the organizing conference of the United Nations in San Francisco. President Beneš arrived in Košice on April 3, 1945, well before the liberation of all of Slovakia, not to mention the other Czechoslovak provinces. On home ground, on April 7th, he announced the formation of his new government, headed by Prime Minister Fierlinger.50
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Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information:
Book title: Czechoslovakia:Anvil of the Cold War.
Contributors: John O. Crane - Author, Sylvia E. Crane - Author.
Publisher: Praeger.
Place of publication: New York.
Publication year: 1991.
Page number: 232.
This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.
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