Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, Western Europe, Volume III

S/S–NSC Files, Lot 63D351, NSC 1 Series

Memorandum by the Executive Secretary, National Security Council (Souers) to President Truman

top secret

Washington, February 12, 1948.

Based upon consideration at its 6th Meeting, of the enclosed report (SANACC 390/1),¹ the National Security Council recommends that, despite the lack of specific legislative authority, you, acting within your plenary powers as Commander-in-Chief and as head of the State in its relations with foreign countries and for the purpose of protecting primary security interests of the United States and of United States Armed Forces in Europe, direct the transfer to Italy from stocks now held or to be procured by United States Armed Forces, subject to reimbursement to the forces concerned, of all or any portion of certain limited quantities of military equipment and supplies requested by the Italian Government and considered by the U.S. Secretary of Defense to be essential in order to increase in so far as practicable the potential ability of Italian security forces to maintain the internal security of Italy and to suppress anticipated attempts by subversive elements to seize power by force.

Under this program it is planned that the Secretary of State will arrange for the necessary reimbursement to the forces concerned from the Italian Government.²

The National Security Council recommends that you direct that the actions contemplated above be implemented by all appropriate Executive Departments and Agencies of the U.S. Government under the coordination of the Secretary of State.³

Sidney W. Souers

1. Ante, p. 757.
2. In a letter of February 17, 1048, to the Secretary of Defense, not printed, the Under Secretary of State referred to the fact that the equipment could not be delivered in time to be of assistance in the period of the elections, and indicated that therefore the Italian program should not be given a priority which would interfere with the Greek-Turkish program. He urged that the U.S. should nevertheless go ahead with the program because of its psychological importance to Italy (865.24/2–1748).
3. In a memorandum of February 13 for the National Security Council the Executive Secretary recorded: “The President has this date approved the recommendations of the National Security Council contained in the enclosed memorandum, and directs that they be implemented by all appropriate Executive Departments and Agencies of the U.S. Government under the coordination of the Secretary of State.” (S/S–NSC Files, Lot 63D351, NSC 1 Series)