868.00/10–2146
Memorandum by the Director of the Office of Near Eastern and African Affairs (Henderson)9
The attached memorandum on Greece,10 originally submitted to you under cover of a letter of September 25 from Mr. Clayton, has been revised in the light of suggestions which you made in your letter of October 1 from Paris.11 It is evident that the critical Greek situation will require very close attention and active U.S. interest during the ensuing months, and for that reason it seems advisable to have a comprehensive statement of U.S. policy towards Greece as a basis for day-to-day operations on all levels in the Department and for dealing with other Government agencies.
In connection with the possibility of making arms available to Greece if necessitated by changing events, an urgent request was received last week from the British for permission to lend 2,000 Thompson machine guns and suitable quantities of ammunition to the Greek Government for use by the Greek gendarmerie. The Greek Government has also recently expressed an interest in purchasing from the U.S. 25 AT–6 fighter-trainer aircraft, and an unspecified number of motor torpedo boats.
On the basis of your general approval of this memorandum a summary was telegraphed to Ambassador MacVeagh, who has replied by expressing his strongest concurrence in this revaluation of our policy towards Greece.
If you approve the Greek policy statement in its present form, you may wish to seek the concurrence of the Secretaries of War and Navy in order that the paper will represent an agreed version of our policy towards Greece.