740.00112 European War 1939/10888: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt)
489. A decision re recommendations in Embassy’s 965, May 27, 6 p.m. is in suspense pending Foreign Office clarification of its recent policy telegram no. 4667,39 sent to Washington and repeated to British Embassy Ankara. This indicates that “constant pressure between now and launching of Second Front” should be maintained on the Turks as a means of maintaining a threat to the Germans. Numan is expected to use his old argument in reply to such pressure that what is asked is tantamount to a rupture in relations with Germany. “We will let him argue like this” until attack opens and then tell him frankly that this is what is wanted.
Preliminary Departmental thinking is that the signature of anything with the Turks at this stage might reduce greatly the field to which “constant pressure” might be applied and relieve Numan from his present serious dilemma.
From this distance it seems doubtful that even without an agreement the Turks would withdraw their cessation of chrome shipments at this stage of the war. This constitutes by far the most important of our economic warfare objectives in Turkey. It also would appear to be difficult for the Turks in the face of Allied public opinion to facilitate deliveries of the remaining strategic commodities contrary to our strong notes of April 14 (other notes of protest might be delivered) and in the light of Churchill’s recent speech.40
Please telegraph urgently your views on foregoing.