800.24591/8–1145: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Iran ( Murray )85
468. Urtel 612, Aug. 11. Since Potsdam commitment on withdrawal of troops is not contingent upon coordinated action by three participating nations, and since our evacuation is already scheduled and under way, formal American participation on Evacuation Commission seems unnecessary. However, you are authorized to participate in role of observer.
War is instructing Colonel Anderson86 to participate only as observer, and is informing him that no action to alter present evacuation schedule will be authorized.
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A draft telegram to Tehran was handed by Mr. Minor to Col. R. L. Vittrup of the Operations Division of the War Department on an undisclosed date. It stated: “Both State and War Depts are of view that we have no justifiable grounds for declining to participate in discussions with British and Russian authorities (urtel 612, August 11) regarding a scheduled evacuation of Tehran, in view of President Truman’s agreement in Potsdam that the three powers be withdrawn from Tehran immediately. It is felt that our attitude towards participation in Mixed Evacuation Commission should be governed by objective of implementing Potsdam commitment, rather than by considerations which suit our own convenience. War Department is sending appropriate instructions to PGC.
End of Japanese war would not appear to eliminate necessity for continuing with plans for immediate evacuation of Tehran. Remaining evacuation steps, which will take place during next six months, will be discussed by Foreign Ministers’ Council in September but we are pledged to evacuate Tehran now.”
The War Department expressed its disagreement with this approach in a memorandum to the Department on August 21, 1945 (800.24591/8–2145). The wording of telegram 468 indicates Departmental acceptance of the views of the War Department.
↩ - Col. Gustav A. M. Anderson, Commanding Officer, Persian Gulf Command.↩