740.0011 European War 1939/3731: Telegram
The Minister in Greece (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:20 p.m.]
126. In addition to saying that there are no present indications of Italy to attack Greece, General Papagos, Greek Chief of Staff, told Captain Johnson yesterday:
- (1)
- That Greece will seek to maintain her neutrality by impartially refusing all foreign demands for use of her facilities specifically mentioning the Corinth Canal.
- (2)
- That he believes Turkey will try to remain neutral in the present circumstances.
- (3)
- That his intelligence estimates show 100,000 Italians plus 12,000 in Albania, only 1 Bulgarian division on the Greek frontier and 3 on Turkish and 43 Russian infantry and 12 cavalry divisions plus 5 mechanized brigades opposite Rumania.
- (4)
- That Greek assistance to Turkey or other Balkan States is obligatory only against Bulgarian aggression and finally
- (5)
- That no additional measures are being taken towards Greek mobilization which is now only one-third completed.
Regarding Greece’s obligations the General’s statement would appear to be strictly military and to ignore the naval implications of the Greco-Turkish Pact of 193812 (see my despatch No. 2240 of April 28, 193813). Furthermore, as regards mobilization, there are indications that quiet progress is actually being made with preliminaries [Page 531] to permit completion in perhaps 3 days. The discharge of the 1935 class on June 29 after 1 month refresher training was announced yesterday together with a call for the 1934 class for similar duty beginning June 25. Additional reserve officers also called for June 15.
The Yugoslav Military Attaché states categorically that one Italian corps sailed from Trieste a week ago for an unknown destination and that another from the same area has been preparing departure. He confirms the Greek Staff’s information that of the Italians in Albania only one division now faces Greece directly.