Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The Near East and Africa, Volume V

868.00/3–747

Memorandum by the Secretary of War (Patterson) on the Meeting of the Cabinet on March 7, 1947

secret

[Washington,] March 7, 1947.

[Here follows one paragraph on disposition of Selective Service records.]

The President then brought up the subject of Greece. He said that he had already discussed the matter in a confidential session with the leaders of Congress. Under Secretary Acheson made a general presentation of the case, showing the movements of Soviet aggression in the Middle East, evidently with the aim of isolating Turkey and thereafter gaining the Dardanelles and other Turkish regions. They had received a temporary setback in Iran, but on the other side of Turkey they had had considerable success, through the assistance given to guerrilla bands by Jugoslavia, Albania and Bulgaria, to the point where the condition of Greece was extremely critical. Greece is a war-ravaged land, with a weak economy and an inefficient and incompetent government. The result of the border warfare in the north was that no agriculture could be carried on there, the need for economic assistance being increased by this factor. We have given considerable aid to Greece to avert starvation, through our contributions to UNRRA. The British have been aiding Greece through means to maintain the Greek army, now the messages come from the British that they will be unable to continue this aid to the Greeks.

Mr. Acheson also pointed out that the picture should be seen as a whole; that if Greece fell within the Russian orbit, not only Turkey would be affected but also Italy, France, and the whole of western Europe.

The President pointed out that the decision to give economic aid to Greece was a momentous one and he called for opinions by all present. He indicated that the question was whether he would send a message to Congress in favor of a loan.

I stated that from the military point of view it was of great importance to the security of the United States that western Europe should not fall under the domination of Russia; more particularly that our policies in the occupation of Germany would be defeated by such a development. I gave it as my view that Greece, while the present government is ineffective, is a nation with good possibilities, that it had had fairly good governments in the past and had had a good fighting record in 1940 and 1941. I thought that in connection with any loan, terms and conditions would have to be imposed to make sure that the proceeds of a loan were not frittered away by incompetence.

The Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney General, the Secretary of the Navy,¹ the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Labor,—all the Cabinet members present—expressed themselves as in favor of giving assistance to Greece. The Secretary of the Navy laid stress upon getting the aid and assistance of American business, not only in this matter but in our economic policy overseas in all areas. The President said he was in favor of this, and he designated the Secretary of the Treasury as chairman and the Secretary of the Navy, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Labor, and Secretary of Agriculture as a group to inquire into the matter and formulate a program.

The President had a draft of a message, prepared by the State Department,² and he mentioned that he might deliver it on Monday.

Several of those present laid stress on the fact that the entire situation should be made clear to the American people.

Robert P. Patterson

1. For an account of this Cabinet meeting by the Secretary of the Navy, see Millis, The Forrestal Diaries, p. 250.
2. Copy not found attached. Among the drafts of President Truman’s message in Department of State files are a “Jones” draft of March. 3. (Joseph M. Jones was Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs) and a “Revised Draft” prepared on March 6 by George F. Kennan (868.20/3–447, 868.00/3–647). Clark M. Clifford, Special Counsel to President Truman, transmitted the “final draft” to Mr. Acheson on March 11. It is entitled “2nd draft of March 11, 1947”. Attached to it is a “Suggested Draft”, revised on March 9 (868.00/3–1147). These latter two drafts bear no indication of authorship. President Truman’s comments on the drafting of his message appear in Memoirs by Harry S. Truman, vol. ii: p. 105. He delivered the message to the Congress on March 12.