868.00/12–2644: Telegram
The British Prime Minister (Churchill) to President Roosevelt 65
858. Anthony66 and I are going out to see what we can do to square [Page 170] this Greek entanglement. The basis of action:— The King does not go back until a plebiscite in his favour has been taken. For the rest, we cannot abandon those who have taken up arms in our cause, and must of necessity [? fight it out with them].67
It must always be understood that we seek nothing from Greece, in territory or advantage. We have given much and will give more if it is in our power. I count on you to help us in this time of unusual difficulty. In particular I should like you to tell your Ambassador in Athens to make contact with us and to help all he can in accordance with above principles.
- Paraphrase of telegram handed to the Secretary of State by the British Ambassador on December 26.↩
- Anthony Eden, British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.↩
- Brackets appear in the file copy; the clause as printed in Winston S. Churchill, Triumph and Tragedy, p. 315, reads “and must if necessary fight it out with them”.↩