Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The British Commonwealth; The Near East and Africa, Volume III

740.0011 European War 1939/12105: Telegram

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

Ankara, June 15, 1941—4 p.m.
[Received June 16—11:15 a.m.]

192. For Secretary and Under Secretary.

1. My British colleague promises me that he is asking his Government to repeat to Lord Halifax for communication to you his telegram reporting probable early conclusion between Turkey and Germany of a sort of non-aggression pact proposed with some insistence by Von Papen last Thursday, which would in its preamble conspicuously make reservation of existing commitments of both Governments (i. e., on the part of Turkey her obligations under Treaty of Alliance with Britain).

2. This would be somewhat suddenly concretized result of conversations which (with cognizance of British) Turks have for several weeks been carrying on with Germans with a view to keeping Turkey out of war, at least for time being, in accordance with policy on which Eden and Dill came to definite agreement with Turks and to which their Government still adheres in spite of occasional vacillations.

3. My impression is that Hugessen does not consider this development unfavorable in itself although he is mildly critical of the Turks for in final stage of their talks with Germans reached point of committing themselves without full consultation with British Government. I gather, however, that he fears his Government … may misinterpret their action as indicating breach of Turkey’s psychological position and first step towards alienating her loyalty to alliance.

4. I am myself inclined to agree with his viewpoint that Turks are only trying … to follow what they have reason to believe is common policy of Turks and British. But it is impossible to forget disastrous effects of Turks going off on tangent of their own and outsmarting themselves in nonaggression agreement with Bulgaria last February (my number 36⁵⁷).

5. Hugessen relates sudden insistence of Germans upon some sort of understanding with Turkey to imminence of German attack upon Russia.

Repeated Bucharest, Moscow.

MacMurray

57. Not printed.