American diplomats in post-war prague in 1945

The paper deals with the problem of restoring and reestablishing of the US Embassy in post-war Czechoslovakia. The study is based on the analysis of archival papers from the Foreign Policy Archive of the Russian Federation, US National Archives, and ambassador L.A. Steinhardt’s papers collection at the Library of Congress. The study analyzes difficulties in American diplomats transfer from London to Prague in 1945, the State Department’s attempts to overcome counteractions of the USSR Government. It dwells on the main life and work conditions problems, faced by the Americans after their arrival to Czechoslovakia: lack of qualified staff and organization of their work; protection and repair of the embassy building, its technical equipment; acquisition of new premises; provision of fuel and food supplies; lack of vehicles; searching for housing for the personnel; organization of communication with Washington; the establishment of relations and the resolution of conflicts with the Czechoslovak authorities, as well as with the Soviet military in Prague; interaction with the US Army command in Western Bohemia; organization of American guests visits. The study reveals role of the diplomatic mission heads and officials in the solution of the above problems. It is concluded that organizational and economic difficulties had a negative impact on the performance of the main diplomatic functions, development of political relations between the United States and the Czechoslovak Republic during its reestablishing period.