Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, The Near East and Africa, Volume VIII

868.00/11–245: Telegram

Mr. Alexander C. Kirk, Political Adviser to the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater, to the Secretary of State

Caserta, November 2, 1945—10 a.m.
[Received 10:46 a.m.]

4015. SAC (Supreme Allied Commander)⁹⁵ requested us to call on him this a.m. in order to discuss his visit to Greece where he has just spent 5 days. He stated that Field Marshal Brooke, IGS,⁹⁶ had also visited Greece and that together they have reached certain conclusions on conditions there.

General Morgan then went on to say that he had just written telegram to London that the Greek problem was more desperate than ever and that in his opinion it would be impossible for the British to cope with it alone. He said that the drachma was beginning to fall again, rehabilitation was proceeding extremely slowly, unemployment was increasing and the forthcoming winter would be most difficult for the Greek people. He said that UNRRA unfortunately had not done a good job in Greece, the country was menaced by the “Red Tide” in Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania and that he would state bluntly to the British Chiefs of Staff that in his opinion as a soldier Great Britain could not carry on alone and that unless the United States decided to play a more active role in Greece the British should get out of Greece completely and take their losses. He added that he personally would like to see the US in Greece on a fifty-fifty basis just as they were in Venezia Giulia.⁹⁷ He said that Greece was no less a danger point than Venezia Giulia. In any event if the US could not put troops in Greece perhaps it could station substantial air forces there. He stated that the British Government could not go on carrying the financial burden involved in Greece and he hoped the US could take some of this load.

Throughout the conversation SAC manifested great perturbation with situation in Greece and we have no reason to doubt that he has reported in foregoing sense to London. He also indicated that he would urge Attlee to discuss Greece with President Truman during former’s forthcoming visit to Washington.⁹⁸

Kirk

95. Lt. Gen. William D. Morgan, Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater.
96. Sir Alan Brooke, Chief of the Imperial General Staff.
97. For documentation on the concern of the United States over the control of Venezia Giulia, see vol. iv, pp. 1103 ff.
98. See footnote 15, p. 17. There is no documentation in the Department files to indicate that President Truman and Prime Minister Attlee discussed Greece.