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

868.00/2–2648: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the American Mission for Aid to Greece

top secret
us urgent

Washington, February 26, 1948—7 p. m.

Gama 298. Pursuant Administration decision based on full consideration all factors including budgetary exigencies SecState today requested Congress by letters to President Senate and Speaker House¹ to appropriate total $275 millions further aid Greece and Turkey under PL 75 for period through FY 1949. Breakdown this total only for purposes planning and justification before executive sessions Congressional Committees $200 millions Greece and $75 millions Turkey. Department retains complete flexibility to reallocate as programs develop. Important this breakdown not at any time be released to press or revealed to either Greek or Turkish Govts. Breakdown $200 million Greece as follows: Ground Force $173,360,000; Air Force $14,640,000; Navy $12,000,000. National Military Establishment recommended apportionment not formally received but understood corresponds approximately to foregoing.

Mission and backstop administration included in $275 million although will not be separately presented to Foreign Relations and Foreign Affairs Committees.

Hearings before HRC Foreign Affairs should begin by Monday March 1.

In view foregoing Dept proposes defer decision proposal Amag 347² re increase GNA ceiling to 150,000 and immediate call up 15,000 men pending appraisal reception by Congress total aid request. Since provision for increase GNA ceiling in preliminary Harper proposal $248 millions (Gama 224³) not covered by present request to Congress, you will doubtless wish review with Van Fleet whole question GNA increase. Proposed amendment PL 75 raises appropriations authorization from $400,000,000 to $675,000,000; provides for RFC advance up to $50,000,000; provides for appointment mission personnel subject subsequent clearance FBI; covers certain points detail military and civilian government personnel and their travel and per diem allowances. Copies transmittal documents being airpouched.

Notify immediately Greek Government of fact and total amount of request to Congress but of course give no indication specific amount to Greece.⁴

Marshall

1. These identical letters of February 26 not printed; for text of letter to Senator Vandenberg, see Department of State Bulletin, March 7, 1948, p. 298. The Bulletin erroneously dates this letter February 28.
2. Dated February 21, not printed; but see footnote 4, p. 39.
3. Dated February 11, p. 45.

4. The Department telegraphed Ambassador Wilson on February 26 that it was seeking $75,000,000 for Turkish aid as follows: “Ground Force (including arsenal) $29 million; Air Force $36 million; Navy $10 million.” It also instructed him to notify immediately the Turkish Government of the fact and total amount requested for Greek-Turkish aid but give no indication of a specific amount for Turkey (No. 84, Patsu 65, 867.00/2–2648).

   The Secretary of State, on March 5, notified AMAG that in the course of open hearings on the Greek-Turkish Aid Program by the House Foreign Affairs Committee he had found it necessary to mention the breakdown of $200,000,000 for Greece and $75,000,000 for Turkey but had stressed that such allocations were tentative and for planning purposes only. He directed the Mission to emphasize to Greek officials the “illustrative nature of these figures since Dept continues desire to retain full flexibility in reallocating funds as programs develop.” (Gama 350, repeated to the Embassies in Greece and Turkey as Nos. 278 and 97, respectively, 868.00/3–548.)