Winston Churchill Biography

Churchill tells Stalin he has no attachment to a precise Polish-Soviet frontier but regards Soviet security and a strong independent Poland as essential.

Churchill asks Stalin for a workable frontier formula that Britain could take back to the Polish Government in London.

Churchill proposes shifting Poland westward, compensating eastern territorial losses with German lands including parts of East Prussia and territory toward the Oder.

Churchill tells Polish ministers that Britain considers the Curzon Line a realistic basis for negotiations linked to territorial compensation in the north and west.

Churchill informs Roosevelt that he has advised the Polish Government to examine the Curzon Line as part of a wider territorial settlement.

Churchill presses Mikolajczyk at Chequers to recognize that the Riga frontier must change and that the Curzon Line should guide negotiations.

Churchill tells Stalin that Poland could accept administration west of a Curzon-based demarcation line while reserving formal rights pending final negotiations.

Churchill reports that the Polish Government is prepared to acknowledge that the 1921 Riga frontier no longer corresponds to wartime realities.

Churchill links acceptance of the Curzon Line to Allied support for Polish territorial gains in East Prussia and toward the Oder.

Churchill unequivocally supports using the Curzon Line as the basis of the Polish-Soviet territorial settlement during talks with Stalin and Mikolajczyk.

Churchill confirms with Stalin that they will support Polish claims to compensating territory in the north and west if the eastern frontier follows the Curzon basis.

Churchill publicly defends the Curzon Line as the basis for Poland's eastern frontier while arguing that Poland should receive substantial compensation from Germany.

Churchill states that Britain has consistently supported the Curzon Line, including leaving Lwow to the Soviet Union, while requesting a gesture toward Poland.