Office of the Historian

811.20 Defense(M)/3357: Telegram

The Ambassador in Turkey (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State

Ankara, September 28, 1941—noon.
[Received September 29—3:37 a.m.]

361. It would be premature to report that chrome question is definitely settled in our favor but I think it is.

2.
At Cabinet meeting on Thursday Chief of General Staff Marshal Fevzi Cakmak who had been called in spoke very bluntly about fact that civil officials in pursuance of their own conceptions of national defense were trying to carry water on both shoulders without even consulting responsible military leaders who were quite aware that nothing this Government would get from Germany would compensate for such alienation of British and American support as would result [Page 954] from giving chrome to Germany. Result of Cabinet meeting appears to have been decision that German request is to be refused. As is quite understandable however Turks seem to be handling matter cautiously so as to avoid loss of face either for themselves or for Germans.
3.
Hugessen advises me Foreign Minister has now told him question is virtually settled, and even promises early renewal of contract but still balks at giving categorical assurance that no chrome will go to Germany. Numan Bey has been very outspoken in telling that he had been instructed to “accustom Germans to idea of not getting any chrome” and had on Thursday told Clodius none would be given. Latter at once cancelled plans for visit to Izmir Fair and asked for meeting of trade delegations on Monday 29th. Numan expects him to make issue of matter and either break off commercial negotiations or demand face-saving concession of increased quantities of copper—as to which British who have agreed to considerable shipments heretofore are relatively indifferent and would oppose no objection.
4.
H[ugessen] and members of his staff who are most appreciative of our intervention nevertheless tell me they have received impression that it was at least momentarily infuriating to Foreign Minister who definitely resented intervention which he is disposed to consider intrusion of my own upon a scheme by which he had hoped to gratify both parties—perhaps by promising Germans chrome upon conditions which they would not be in a position to fulfill. Possibly for that reason he has given British Ambassador account of Secretary’s talk with Turkish Ambassador Monday which I cannot believe to be accurate (and which is very different from that received by H from London Foreign Office) to effect that Secretary had intimated no American interest in chrome save as we were anxious that Turks should not do anything distasteful to British. I have naturally found it prudent to hold aloof from official contacts under circumstances already reported to you but with view to future contacts should he, of course, find it useful to be informed of tenor and effects of that conversation.

Repeated London.

MacMurray