Discussing Hitler: Advisers of U.S. Diplomacy in Central Europe 1934-1941 by Tibor s> Frank (review)

Abstract

REVIEWS 769 community (does 4I, I42). On the whole the volume reveals more about Benes than Masaryk, with Stefainik appearing as a background figure, although it was Stefanik, somewhat ironically, who advised the National Council not to use Tche'coslovaque in its title, as the Frenchfound it too difficult to pronounce (doc. 87, pp. I32-33). Despite the factthatthiscollection of documentsconfirmsratherthan alters much of what was previously known, it is of great value to scholars. By focusing solely on Masaryk and Benes, the editors clearly expose their personalities, foibles, strengthsand, most important, the fluctuatingwartime alliance between conservative 'master' and intense 'humble servant'. One remains convinced that Masaryk was a tireless foot soldier and Benes a bureaucraticwizard who temporarilygained the upper hand in the running of Czechoslovak affairsduring Masaryk'speaceful interlude in London, and from that point forth prompted Masaryk on key decisions (see particularly docs 114 and 236, 243). Yet one also ponders whether indeed this duo were suchlikelyand convincingrevolutionariesafterall,given thattheirconception of a Czechoslovak state remained fluid until the autumn of I9I8 (docs 248, 257). Nevertheless, the nature of their diverse experience during the Great War, as demonstratedby these documents, help the readerunderstandbetter the significance of their leap from obscurity to statesmanshipafter I9I8. A complementary second volume of Masaryk-Benescorrespondence covering the period of the FirstRepublic is being prepared. School ofSlavonic andEastEuropean Studies K. A. M. KOCOUREK University College London Frank,Tibor (ed.). Discussing Hitler:Advisers of U.S.Diplomacy in Central Europe I934-I94I. CentralEuropeanUniversityPress,Budapestand New York,2004. 394 pp. Illustrations.Notes. Appendix. Bibliography.Index. f38.oo. THEpublication of this collection of the privatepapersofJohn Montgomery, America'senvoy to Hungaryfrom I933 to I941, is a welcome contributionto the studyof inter-warHungarianhistory.The readershouldnot be distracted by the poor choice of title into believing that this is anything more, or indeed anything less, than a first-hand record of developments in Hungary, and concerning Hungary, in the last years of the inter-war period. It comes complete with a laudable introduction by the editor, a leading historian of Hungary's relationship with the Anglo-Saxon world, into the background, character and abilities of one of America's most remarkable diplomats. Montgomery had previouslypossessedno priorlinkswith, or obvious interest in, eitherHungaryorthe conduct of foreignpolicy andwaspostedto Budapest in 1933 solely because of his support for Roosevelt's in the I932 elections. Nevertheless, he acquired a lasting affection for his new posting, immersed himself in Hungarian social and political life and became an extremely wellplaced and well-connected observer of that country's gradual descent into WorldWar Two. His private recordsof I82 separateconversationsheld with a number of Hungary'sleading figures,allpublishedin chronologicalorderin 770 SEER, 83, 4, 2005 this book, therefore, immediately command the attention of any scholar of thisperiod in Hungarianhistory. The publication of these conversations does not, it should be noted, add anything of great substance to our existing knowledge of this area. They servedas sourcesof informationfor the reportswhich Montgomery sent back to Washington, and those who have trawledthrough the State Department's archiveswill alreadybe familiarwith the bulkof the informationcontained in these discussions. Nevertheless, even those with a good knowledge of Montgomery's officialreportswill derive some interestfrom being allowed to examine the raw material on which he based his assessmentsof Hungarian developments, while for those lackingeither the time or inclination to engage in archival research, the publication of these private papers provides an illuminatingglimpse into the murkyworld of Hungarian politics at a critical time in that nation'shistory. The firstimpressionof thisreaderis thatwhat Montgomery recordedin his copies of these conversationscan be best described as informed opinion, the perspectivesof variousleading individualson the leading questionsof the day and as these questions of the day ranged from electoral reform to a night at the opera the importance of the information Montgomery obtained is very much a mixed bag. Two broad factors, however, give these conversations a particularinterestfor scholars.First,Montgomery had a remarkablerange of contacts in Hungary's leading circles and was able to engage in discussion with the regent Horthy, the prime ministers Bardossy, Bethlen, Imredy, Kallay and Teleki and the foreign minister from 1933-37, Kalman Kanya. Secondly, the records of these conversations also have an unvarnished freshnessto them along with a sense of...