Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

868.20/8–3048

Memorandum by the Coordinator for Aid to Greece and Turkey (McGhee) to the Under Secretary of State (Lovett)

top secret

[Washington,] August 30, 1948.

Subject: Request for NSC Decision on Long-range US Military Interests in Greece and Turkey

discussion

1. Present US policy toward military assistance to Greece and Turkey is embodied in President Truman’s message to Congress of March 12, 1947¹ and subsequent testimony before Congress and is being implemented on the basis of Public Law 75,80th Congress. This policy calls for support of the Greek military establishment to the extent required to achieve internal security in Greece and, concurrently, limited military assistance to Turkey which will contribute toward modernization of the Turkish armed forces and increase in Turkish morale to resist Communist pressure. Secretary Marshall stated in testimony before Congress in requesting additional appropriations under this Act for fiscal year 1949, that no assurance could be given that the above objectives could be achieved in any given period of time. Nevertheless, appropriation requests have supported the above policy only on a year-to-year basis, and there is no policy or appropriation to sustain any policy for long-range or any other type of support.

2. If the defeat of the Grammos guerrilla concentration is followed by substantial reduction in guerrilla activity generally, this Government must take action to secure reduction in the size and cost of the Greek military establishment, in order to carry out the mandate of Congress in deducting $50 million from the amount authorized for Greek-Turkish aid in fiscal 1949 on the assumption that the Greek Army could be reduced after the defeat of the guerrillas. (See memorandum to Mr. Lovett from Mr. McGhee of August 11 attached.) AMAG has been queried as to what reductions will be possible and when. (Gama 1246 of August 16 attached.)

3. Prior to approaching the Greek Government with respect to any reduction, however, it is believed that a thorough review should be made of US policy, particularly in the light of possible future US military support of the “Western Union” countries and after full consultation with appropriate UK authorities, as to long-range US interest in the military establishments of Greece and Turkey, or interests over and above those implicit in present policies, to which we are prepared to give concrete expression.

4. This issue is also raised by CINCNELM in attached top secret dispatch No. 211510Z to C & O [ CNO ] and CHNAVGRP Greece with respect to the Greek Navy, in which the UK is known to have a long-range interest.

5. The desirability for formulation of long-range US policy with respect to the Turkish military establishment is indicated in TUSAG 483 to CSGPO, Personal for Wedemeyer (attached), which states in part “that future aid program should be integrated with strategic concepts to achieve maximum benefit”.

recommendations

It is recommended that the Department request the National Security Council for a decision defining the long-range interests of this Government in the military establishments of Greece and Turkey, including the extent to which the US is prepared, subject to action by the Congress, to give tangible support to such interests.

concurrences

GTI: John D. Jernegan

NEA: Raymond A. Hare

attachments²

1. Copy of memorandum of 8/11/48 from Mr. McGhee to Mr. Lovett, subject “US Military Assistance to Greece”.

2. Top Secret Dispatch 211510Z from CINCNELM. (under separate cover)

3. Secret cable Tusag 483 of 8/23/48.

4. Secret cable Gama 1246 of 8/16/48.

1. For information on President Truman’s message to Congress, see editorial note, Foreign Relations, 1947, vol. v, p. 110.
2. None found attached.