Every coseparable group may be free (Q1261912)

An abelian group \(G\) is called coseparable if \(\text{Ext}(G,\mathbb{Z})\) is torsion-free. This is equivalent to say that \(G\) is \(\aleph_ 1\)-free and any subgroup \(U\) of \(G\) with \(G/U\) finitely generated, contains a summand \(C\) of \(G\) with \(G/C\) finitely generated as well. Assuming CH, Chase (1963) showed the existence of non-free coseparable groups. In contrast to this, it is shown that there are models of \(2^{\aleph_ 0} < 2^{\aleph_ 1}\) (a weak form of CH), in which every coseparable group is free. The method is based on \(\aleph_ 1\)-complete forcing and adding \(2^{\aleph_ 0}\) Cohen reals to the universe.