Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The British Commonwealth; Europe, Volume III

SWNCC Files

Memorandum by the State Department Member, State–War–Navy Coordinating Committee (Hilldring)¹

secret

[ Washington ,] 17 March 1947.

1. The Secretaries of the State, War, and Navy Departments desire that the SWNCC give immediate attention to the problems incident to possible requests which may be made to the United States by foreign governments for substantial economic, financial, or technical assistance, or for military equipment. This study and report should take into account decisions already made and action already taken or under way with respect to Greece and Turkey. In preparing its report upon the problems enumerated below, it is desired that the Committee include recommendations, within the scope of the President’s message to Congress, concerning further policies and procedures necessary to the accomplishment of the United States program in Greece and Turkey.²

2. The study and report should be undertaken by a Special SWNCC Subcommittee consisting of competent officers from each of the three Departments, and in consultation with the Treasury Department. The more specific questions which should be considered and concerning which a report is desired are the following:

a. What are the countries to which, within the next few months, we may find it necessary to give analogous financial, technical and military aid?

b. What are the relevant considerations of United States national security and interest which should govern the decision in the case of each country?

c. In the light of such considerations, what, in the case of each country, should be the character of such assistance? What would such assistance involve in the reasonably foreseeable future in terms of financial, economic, supply and technical demands upon our resources?

d. What arrangements should be made with foreign Governments in connection with the grant of assistance to assure to the maximum practicable extent the accomplishment of our objectives in granting such assistance?

e. What would be the effect upon each country concerned and upon our general foreign policy and security interests in the event that we refuse assistance or in the event of failure of any program undertaken?

3. The Department of State has designated Mr. William Eddy as the State member of the Special SWNCC Subcommittee. The Report of the Subcommittee should be made to SWNCC as a matter of urgency.³

1. Attached as Enclosure “A” to SWNCC document SWN–5231, March 18, 1947, and entitled “Report by the State–War–Navy Coordinating Committee Regarding the Policies, Procedures and Costs of Assistance by the United States to Foreign Countries.”
2. For text of President Truman’s message, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Harry S. Truman, January 1 to December 31, 1947 (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1963), p. 176, or Department of State Bulletin, March 23, 1947, p. 534.
3. Within the Department of State, a Committee on Extension of U.S. Aid to Foreign Governments, with Mr. Eddy as chairman, was set up at the direction of Acting Secretary Acheson as a mechanism for formulating the Department’s position with respect to the work of the ad hoc committee which had been established on March 11, 1947. The minutes of the committee are in Lot 122.