868.00/3–448: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Greece
293. Embtel 401 Mar 4. Your reply to Mavrogordatos approved and, if no objection perceived, you might so inform Grk authorities. At same time you might also point out usual unfavorable publicity would be minimized if press were immediately given background details justifying individual arrests as they occur. Authorities must have these details if arrests are warranted, and there would seem no legitimate reason withhold them from public.
Matter discussed here informally with Grk Emb as well as subject 300 leftists, condemned early 1945 for murders during occupation and civil war, reported by MA in MID 97 Feb 27 to be slated for early execution in small groups. Grk Emb’s attention directed to unfavorable Bigart1 report on recent execution members this group and consequent Machi protest which led to editors’ arrest. Bigart emphasized no public explanation given for long delay in carrying out sentences rendered during “wave of reaction” or reason present “abrupt decision”. Emb’s attention also called to fact that atrocious crimes of persons executed, as reported MA’s reftel, insufficiently publicized to reach American press.
Dept assumes executions delayed three years because condemned fascist collaborators likewise not executed and that present action taken to counteract charges of “softness” against Liberal Cabinet element. Whatever the explanation, in evaluating executions now, US opinion will probably be disturbed by facts that crimes were committed during occupation and civil war anarchy, that sentences were handed down during period post civil war reaction, and that long postponement of executions gave reasonable implied promise to condemned and families of commutation to life imprisonment. US and world opinion also likely draw political parallel, however unjustified, between Grk executions and those in Iron Curtain countries (see Sofia’s tel 19 Feb 25 to Athens2).
[Page 60]Dept does not wish interfere with administration Grk justice and fully understands necessity for firm policy towards communists. It is merely suggested that if Grk authorities decide proceed with executions in this instance that they be prepared offer explanation for decision which will satisfy world public opinion.