740.0011 European War 1939/10093: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 19—12:50 a.m.]
101. Turkish opinion seems to have made substantial recovery from demoralization reported in my 96.51 I am still at loss to understand that rather unedifying divagation but some factors primarily responsible were: first, shocked and even panicky realization of ruthless effectiveness with which Germans had bombed Belgrade; second, fear that withdrawal of British from Cyrenaica demonstrated they were only good enough to beat Italians but not stand up to Germans; and third, genuine and comprehensible feeling on part of Turkish leaders that Britain was trying to force their hand despite understanding with Eden (my No. 9852). Now that this last point seems to have been cleared up one has impression that word has been passed down to political and press circles to assume less negative tone.
There has at any rate in past few days been evident in editorials of journalists who are also politicians and mouthpieces of administration more of familiar self-confident attitude and cessation of tendency to skirt around all questions of Turkey’s sympathies and obligations and in justification of her apathy to find someone to blame for present disheartening situation in Mediterranean area—either one or more of Balkan neighbors for not having heeded Turkish advocacy of common front, or British for not having given sufficient support, or (strangely and irritatingly) ourselves for not yet having put Yugoslavia or Turkey in possession of needed military equipment. This last criticism is still more or less bandied about although so far as I [Page 848] know Turks have not even yet specified what equipment they want from us. But their mood seems on the whole to be restored to normal and I hope that wounds caused in minds of their allies and friends may have healed even though they leave some scars.
Repeated Athens.