740.0011 European War 1939/7–2044: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Turkey (Kelley)
647. See Department’s 634, July 14, 6 p.m.72 A favorable reply having been received from the Joint Chiefs of Staff you are authorized to call upon the appropriate Turkish authorities, following the visit of the British Ambassador, and in general terms to support the position taken by the British Government as regards the termination immediately by Turkey of all diplomatic and economic relations with Germany. In this connection you should make it clear that such action by the Turkish Government would be regarded by this Government as only a first step towards active belligerency, with the reservation that in taking this position the United States is not thereby committed to military, naval, or air support of any campaign in the Balkans.
You may inform the Turkish Government that this Government will do all that is reasonable and possible to mitigate the economic disturbances which may result from severance of relations between Turkey and Germany.