File No. 763.72/1622a

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Germany (Gerard)2

[Telegram]

1360. Department fears that the attempt of the Allies to force the Dardanelles and the possibility of attack upon Constantinople will inflame the Turkish population and cause an outburst of fanaticism among the Moslems leading to the commission of acts of violence, perhaps to massacre of foreigners in Constantinople and other cities. Please impress upon the German Government our apprehension in this regard and ascertain informally if the German Government would use its influence with the Turkish Government to impress it with the necessity of taking adequate means for the protection of non-combatants, non-Moslem foreigners in those sections of Turkey in which outbreaks of this sort are likely to occur.

Bryan
  1. The same, mutatis mutandis, to the Ambassador in Austria-Hungary, No.599, March 12.