Executive Secretariat Files, Lot 63–D351
Memorandum by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense (Forrestal)1
Subject: The Position of the United States with Respect to Greece
In compliance with the informal request of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff have considered the draft report by the staff of the National Security Council on the position of the United States with respect to Greece. The Joint Chiefs of Staff, from the point of view of the military considerations, are of the opinion that the security of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East is of critical importance to the future security of the United States. Insofar as the military implications are concerned, the Joint Chiefs of Staff advise that:
- a.
- Any additional deployment of the United States armed forces to this area will, in view of our present extended position, automatically raise the question of the advisability of partial mobilization, and
- b.
- Any deployment of appreciable military strength in this area will make a partial mobilization a necessity.
With reference to the conclusion in paragraph 17 of the subject document that the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Mediterranean, should be assigned certain additional duties, the Joint Chiefs of Staff are of the opinion that these conclusions, so far as they refer to military activity and coordination, are unsound and should be deleted. Resulting confusion among military personnel and lack of clear-cut lines of authority would embarrass all concerned. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have no objection of course to permitting the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Mediterranean, to conduct such conferences as may be desired by the Department of State with the Heads of Missions in that [Page 9] area. The Joint Chiefs of Staff believe it disadvantageous to the National Defense for an officer in command of armed services to be required to report directly to the United States Government concerning political or economic matters except when requested for his personal views by the Department of State.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff are of the firm opinion that, from the military point of view, the action recommended in the conclusion in paragraph 18 is the most logical step to improve our position in Greece at the present time and, consequently, our position in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Fleet Admiral, U.S. Navy, Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces
- Copy transmitted to the Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Kennan) by Admiral Souers on January 12.↩