The Belarusian People’s Republic in the Politics of the UK (December 1919–July 1920): Based on Documents from the National Archives in London

Abstract

The authors introduce into scientific circulation some archival documents that reflect the United Kingdom’s policy in relation to the establishment of an independent Belarusian national state after the First World War. It is shown that on the eve of the Paris Peace Conference, the UK viewed Belarus as a territory whose population was ethnically Russian, not a nation with its own identity and national movement. The British therefore did not considered it as a potential territory for the creation of a Belarusian national state. During the conference, the “Belarusian question” was discussed by UK only in terms of which state—Russia, Poland or Lithuania—the Belarusian territories should be attached to, or whether they must somehow be divided. The documents presented show that British diplomacy and British intelligence treated political and military figures from the Belarusian People’s Republic with suspicion. This position of the United Kingdom appeared crucial for the Governments of Finland and Denmark in their refusal of full international recognition of the Belarusian People’s Republic (Belaruskaya Narodnaya Respublica; hereinafter referred to as BNR).