740.00119 Potsdam/7–2345
No. 1320
Proposal by the United States
Delegation1
Memorandum
There exists an urgent need of additional supplies of oil for prosecuting the war against Japan. Unless European supplies are provided, approximately 300,000 barrels per day of refined oil products must continue to be imported by ocean-going tankers into Western Europe [Page 1383] and the Mediterranean. Approximately 200 such tankers must be constantly used to move this volume of oil. Insufficient oil supplies and tankers to move such supplies may well prove to be a limiting factor in the military might which can be thrown against Japan.
To augment the petroleum available for the Japanese War and to release tankers for the Pacific, at least 50,000 barrels per day of crude oil or refined oil products are immediately required from Rumania, Hungary, or Austria, to meet a part of the foregoing 300,000 barrels per day of Western European and Mediterranean requirements.
It is recommended that the Three Governments agree that at least 50,000 barrels of crude oil or refined oil products per day be provided from Southern and Eastern Europe for shipment into Western Europe beginning September 1, 1945.