890B.24/12–1745
Memorandum by the Secretary of State to President Truman
In 1944 this Government agreed with the Government of Great Britain on a joint program of modest dimensions involving assistance to Saudi Arabia for the purpose of safeguarding the internal security of that country. The total value of this program was about $3,000,000, to be divided equally between the United States and Great Britain. Our share of the program was to be delivered through the mechanism of military Lend-Lease.
The British have completed their share of this Saudi Arabian security program. We have provided all of our share except for certain items valued at $97,000, most of which are already in Cairo.
This undelivered balance includes tools and parts for radio sets which are needed for the completion of supplies previously received from the United States.
You may recall that when, on August 17, 1945 you directed the immediate termination of Lend-Lease,70 you made it clear that your directive did not apply to certain country programs to which the United States was specifically committed. On August 29, 1945 you informed Mr. Snyder, Director of the Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion, that Lend-Lease aid to Saudi Arabia came under this heading.
The War Department, before delivering the various military supplies included in the program, desires assurance that your directive applies to military as well as to civilian Lend-Lease items. Although it is the understanding of the State Department that it was your decision that the program would be completed in full it is submitting [Page 1000] the matter to you before giving the War Department the assurance which it desires.
The British have asked if we intend to complete our share of this joint security program to Saudi Arabia and have indicated that if we are not going to deliver our share they desire to receive a cash payment from us to equalize the cost.
In the opinion of the Department of State the United States is under obligation to complete its share of this joint security program at the earliest possible date. According to a telegram dated December 17 from Mr. Eddy, the United States Minister to Saudi Arabia,71 these undelivered items were officially promised in writing to the Government of Saudi Arabia and are critically needed by that country. As Mr. Eddy points out, the vehicles which we have sent to Saudi Arabia will soon be useless in the desert unless the tools to maintain them are provided. The Government of Saudi Arabia was informed last year that by direction of the President of the United States the entire Lend-Lease program for 1945 would be completed. It continues to assume, therefore, that it will receive all categories of materials which were promised.
It would be appreciated, therefore, if you would inform the Department whether it is correct in assuming that your directive authorizing the completion of Lend-Lease aid for Saudi Arabia applies to this internal security program.72
- For text of directive, see telegram 7012, August 18, 4 p.m., to London, vol. vi, p. 102.↩
- No. 417, p. 976.↩
- Marginal notation by President Truman: “Approved 1–31–46; Proceed as suggested.”↩