867.24/352: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:40 p.m.]
752. My 751, July 17, noon. For the President, Secretary and Under Secretary. Prime Minister telephoned me this morning and asked me to come to see him immediately. He said that he had ascertained that wheat situation in Turkey was extremely grave and that but for the arrival of a British vessel a few days ago with 2500 tons of wheat on board Turkish Government would be in serious difficulties this week. He requested me to bring urgently to your attention Turkey’s imperative need of wheat. He confirmed decision of Cabinet to request that priority be given immediately to shipment of wheat over all other supplies including war material stating that Turkish Army could fight with such material as it possessed but not without food. Saraçoğlu said since German break through towards the Caucasus the Turkish Government had mobilized additional classes of reservists and was transferring troops from Thrace to the Trebizond area in order to forestall any German attempt to gain access to Caucasus through Turkish territory (see my 736, July 14, 1 p.m.58). He added categorically “There will be no change in Turkish foreign policy. Germans will not be permitted to make use of Turkish territory. We have too many troops in Thrace. Turkish General Staff has informed me that our position in the Trebizond area is dangerously weak but in 2 weeks when new troop dispositions have been completed it will no longer be possible for Germans successfully to invade Caucasus by crossing Turkish territory”.
I explained to Saraçoğlu while the United States possessed large reserves of wheat transportation was a difficult problem to which he [Page 729] replied he hoped American Government would implement Turkish Government’s decision that wheat be given immediate priority over all other supplies including all war material. He informed me Turkish Government had proposed to Vichy about 2 months ago the purchase of several small French vessels interned in Turkish ports which totaled somewhat less than 15,000 tons (Embassy’s 266, July 24, 194159) but that the proposal had been rejected at the time. However, the Vichy Government had indicated to him during the past few days a willingness to charter these vessels to the Turkish Government. He proposes to take advantage of this offer at once. He said he hoped the American Government would provide wheat for these vessels on their arrival in American ports in addition to such wheat as the United States is willing to ship immediately in lieu of war material and other supplies.
I believe that prompt and favorable response to Saraçoğlu’s appeal would be of the utmost value in further fortifying our position in Turkey. In strengthening Saraçoğlu’s position we strengthen our own. His new Cabinet is outstandingly pro-American and pro-British. In my opinion no step that we could take by way of lend-leasing war material or these supplies to Turkey with the object of insuring continued Turkish resistance to Axis pressure would under existing conditions carry the same amount of weight as prompt shipment of quantity of wheat relatively unimportant in terms of American stocks. As we have been lend-leasing war materials and other supplies to strengthen Turkey and as Turkish Government now considers that for the time being it has a greater need for wheat than for war materials I deem it unnecessary to advance any further considerations in support of Saraçoğlu’s request.
As even immediate shipments of wheat could not reach Turkey for some time to come I recommend that I be instructed to inform Saraçoğlu that American Government has given instructions to load only wheat instead of war materials or other supplies on all vessels assigned to carrying supplies to Turkey.