740.0011 European War 1939/2704: Telegram
The Minister in Greece (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 7—4:15 p.m.]
83. During the past few days the German radio has made a number of startling but unfounded statements regarding Allied activity in this country. Actually there has been no influx of Allied aviators into Greece as alleged and there are no signs whatever of imminent Allied use of Greek territory for war purposes. In addition talks which I had yesterday with the King and the Crown Prince, the Under Secretary for War, the Under Secretary of Marine and the Chiefs of Staff of both the army and the navy all indicate that the Greek Government has no intention of abandoning the present non-belligerent attitude while the British and French Ministers both continue to affirm that they have no interest in persuading it to do so.
I am reliably informed that the Greek Military and Naval Staffs are closely cooperating with the Allies in the formulation of war [Page 527] plans but these are for defense and the German allegations can only constitute an uncomfortable reminder of pretexts used in other cases to “justify” aggression.