868.00/7–1647
Memorandum by the Secretary of State to President Truman
The Greek situation has taken a serious turn in the last three days. According to a member of the Greek liaison staff with the foreign team in the field at Yannina, a guerrilla force estimated at 2,500 men crossed the frontier from Albania along the line of the Aous River at dawn on July 12. It isolated Konitsa by destroying the Aous River bridge at Bourazani, attacked and captured Konitsa and was at the time of the report advancing on Yannina. The guerrillas were reported to have unusually heavy armament and were well equipped with pack animals and supplies. They appeared to be unusually well trained in the technique of taking cover at the approach of a plane.
On July 15 information was given the foreign team that main guerrilla forces were at Kalpaki, but that Greek Army reinforcements had arrived and that the guerrilla advance had been stopped.
Greek Government reinforcements were flown in.
[Page 238]A second column of guerrillas now reported at about 2,500 strength is moving into Greece and our advices indicate that the persistence of the attack shows that there is probably some basis for the Greek claim that a form of international brigade is now in existence.
The Near East desk in the Department has felt for some time that a Communist move along the lines of setting up a “people’s republic”, or its equivalent, might be undertaken in some border area of Greece which has natural defensive characteristics. The present moves have that objective.
Reading the messages and the British Foreign Office’s views on the gravity of the situation, it would appear that the likelihood of civil war is considerable, especially since the United Nations Security Council does not appear to be willing to act aggressively on the Ethridge Mission’s report.
A detailed statement of the situation as known to the Department is in the course of being drafted and probably will be completed this afternoon.1 I will send copies of this statement to the Secretaries of War and Navy and to Admiral Leahy for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Unless your office advises me to the contrary, I will not burden you with such details.
- See infra.↩