740.00119 Control (Italy)/5–1145
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Secretary of State
| Participants: | The President; |
| General George C. Marshall; | |
| Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy; | |
| Mr. William Phillips; | |
| Acting Secretary, Mr. Grew |
At a conference this morning at the White House which I attended with General Marshall, Admiral Leahy, and Mr. Phillips, the Venezia Giulia problem was again discussed.38 General Marshall felt the importance of a strong joint communication to the Yugoslav Government by the American and British diplomatic representatives in Belgrade before General Alexander was given any definite instructions with regard to action. Accordingly we are preparing a message from the President to the Prime Minister which, after expressing the President’s deep concern at Tito’s extravagant claims and actions in Italian territory, will suggest the type of instruction which both the American and British Governments might well send to their representatives in Belgrade. The President agreed that these representations should be very strong. He hoped, as we all do, that the influences around Tito will be able to modify his intransigent attitude as a result of the joint representation to the Yugoslav Government.
- For other documentation relating to American relations with Tito, see Joseph C. Grew, Turbulent Era, vol. ii, pp. 1474 ff.↩