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

868.00/12–2948

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Chief of the Division of Greek, Turkish, and Iranian Affairs (Baxter)

secret

[Washington,] December 29, 1948.

Participants:	Mr. Hoyer-Millar, British Embassy
	Mr. Satterthwaite, NEA
	Mr. Baxter, GTI
	Mr. Anschuetz, U/GT

Mr. Millar, who called today at his request, referred to the British Ambassador’s recent notification to Mr. Lovett that Mr. Bevin wished to have military and political aspects of this Greek situation thoroughly discussed and explored with high officials of this Government. Instructions from London have now been received by the British Embassy. Mr. Millar said that, frankly, the Embassy is somewhat embarrassed about how to present these instructions. Only a fortnight ago a British military approach to the Joint Chiefs in Washington elicited the firm information that no increase in the scale of military assistance to Greece was under consideration. It would therefore seem futile to go back to the Joint Chiefs again, unless something in the intervening period had changed their opinion. He judged that the views of the Army Department remained the same, for only this morning General Morgan, who was seeing the Joint Chiefs on another matter, casually mentioned Greece to General Collins, who accompanied Secretary Royall on his recent trip to Greece, and was told by him that there was no thought of increasing the size of the Greek Military Establishment. Mr. Millar therefore felt that it would be inadvisable to carry out the military part of London’s instructions unless it should happen to be the case that the Department or the Embassy in Athens held views at variance with those of the Joint Chiefs, with perhaps some intention of recommending that the Joint Chiefs review their position. Mr. Satterthwaite said that all branches of our Government are agreed on the adequacy of the present Greek military program and that only a few days ago Ambassador Grady stated his intention of recommending against any increases, even if General Van Fleet should make such recommendations to the Joint Chiefs. Mr. Millar said his question was answered. London would be told that it would be useless to suggest a greatly expanded Greek Army. However, the Embassy will in all probability wish to bring to the attention of the Department in the near future Mr. Bevin’s comments on the political situation in Greece.

Mr. Satterthwaite said that one of today’s telegrams from London¹ reported Mr. Bevin’s belief that some formula Should be worked out to make the Greek Government get down to business and quit political jockeying. He was also inclined to favor the early appointment of General Papagos as Minister of Defense. In his discouragement he had even mentioned the possibility of getting out of Greece entirely, if things did not improve rapidly. Mr. Millar felt certain that this was not Mr. Bevin’s considered view. On the contrary, he had instructed the Embassy to urge American approval of greatly increased military aid to Greece.

1. No. 5381, dated December 28, not printed. The telegram was received December 29.