The Entente’s Second Inter-Union Mission under the Chairmanship of Joseph Barthélemy (February 20 – March 3, 1919)

Abstract

The article examines the activities of the second Entente peacekeeping mission in Eastern Galicia under French General Joseph Barthélemy, analyses the reasons for its establishment and highlights the consequences of its diplomatic efforts for both sides of the Polish-Ukrainian armed conflict of 1918–1919. It was proved that, in addition to their formal duties, the mission members were given important instructions on how further to penetrate and, subsequently, to strengthen the Entente’s positions in the Galician region. Furthermore, the aim was to devise counter-measures to the revolutionary movement and socialist ideas in the newly created states of Eastern Europe. Its equally crucial purpose was to investigate the circumstances surrounding the Polish-Ukrainian conflict and examine the prospect of using Polish and Ukrainian troops in the fight against Bolshevik Russia. Despite the informative nature of the mission, its members began negotiations with Ukrainians and Poles in January, but the talks did not result in a real ceasefire around Lviv. It should be highlighted that Joseph Barthélemy’s mission did not only fail to reconcile the parties involved in the war but rather incited them to fight each other. At the same time, it promised the Ukrainians the political support of the Entente and the Poles – the Drohobych-Boryslav basin, which was under Ukrainian control. With such recommendations, it was clear that a truce was unlikely. Not wanting to lose rich oil lands that were a substantial source of income, the State Secretariat of the Western Ukrainian People’s Republic refused to agree to the demarcation line proposed by Joseph Barthélemy unconditionally.

Keywords

• peacekeeping mission
• joseph barthélemy
• western ukrainian people’s republic
• poland
• entente
• eastern galicia