Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1944, The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, The Far East, Volume V

740.0011 European War 1939/8–744

Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Stettinius) to the Secretary of State

[Washington,] August 7, 1944.

The Secretary: I have just received a letter⁷⁷ from General Marshall in reply to two letters⁷⁸ from us requesting interpretation of the reservation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff regarding Turkey’s breaking of relations with Germany. You will recall that the Joint Chiefs approved the action subject to the reservation that the United States was not to be committed to a military campaign in the Balkans.

The reason for the reservation is that our military resources are already committed to major campaigns in Europe and the Joint Chiefs are unwilling to make any additional commitments, although they express their willingness to consider whether any resources could be diverted to the Balkans in the event a campaign developed there.

E[dward] S[tettinius]

77. August 4, not printed.
78. July 31 and August 3, neither printed.