already appeared in the press against the Consulates of the Western Powers in Bratislava. 6. A weapon which it lies in the power of the United States to consider using is economic. It is true that Czech economics will inevitably suffer from inefficiency resulting from the change in personnel, etc., which will presumably make the new regime anxious, if possible, to maintain and increase trade and secure credits from the west. But in my view the threat of economic penalties could not buy the restoration of democracy in Czechoslovakia. On the contrary the new Communist regime is almost certainly prepared to pay the price of curtailing defensive ties with the west in order to force their country into the Soviet economic orbit and quite certainly able to enforce on the population the lower standard of living which this would entail. 7. A strong expression to the usurpers of power in Czechoslovakia of the disgust of the British Government and people, for the methods by which they have acquired and are consolidating the position might make them squirm though it would hardly stop them. French stock is so low here that a French protest would have little effect even amongst anti-Communists. If the Czech Communists and their masters were convinced that the United States and the Western Powers were determined that Czechoslovakia should bet the last country to be successfully exploited by Communist technique this might give them pause and bring home to them that on this second occasion in a decade the forces of Democracy did not intend that any further European territory should be lost to dictatorship. The warning, however, to be effective in Czechoslovakia would have to be given in Moscow. [TNA, CAB 129/25/69]
already appeared in the press against the Consulates of the Western Powers in Bratislava. 6. A weapon which it lies in the power of the United States to consider using is economic. It is true that Czech economics will inevitably suffer from inefficiency resulting from the change in personnel, etc., which will presumably make the new regime anxious, if possible, to maintain and increase trade and secure credits from the west. But in my view the threat of economic penalties could not buy the restoration of democracy in Czechoslovakia. On the contrary the new Communist regime is almost certainly prepared to pay the price of curtailing defensive ties with the west in order to force their country into the Soviet economic orbit and quite certainly able to enforce on the population the lower standard of living which this would entail. 7. A strong expression to the usurpers of power in Czechoslovakia of the disgust of the British Government and people, for the methods by which they have acquired and are consolidating the position might make them squirm though it would hardly stop them. French stock is so low here that a French protest would have little effect even amongst anti-Communists. If the Czech Communists and their masters were convinced that the United States and the Western Powers were determined that Czechoslovakia should bet the last country to be successfully exploited by Communist technique this might give them pause and bring home to them that on this second occasion in a decade the forces of Democracy did not intend that any further European territory should be lost to dictatorship. The warning, however, to be effective in Czechoslovakia would have to be given in Moscow. [TNA, CAB 129/25/69]
1948-02-27-Cabinet-memorandum-Bevin-Czechoslovakia.docx