Office of the Historian

868.00/5–548: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom

secret
Washington, May 7, 1948—5 p. m.

1651. Embtel 1946, May 5.1 Re adverse Brit reaction to Grk executions, suggest you convey to Wallinger substance Athens tels 746 and 750 May 5,2 rptd to you, as well as following observations: (Athens pls convey to Brit Amb.)

While it is conceivable executions may in fact have been speeded up as retaliation for Ladas3 assassination despite Rendis4 strong public denial (Athens 750), it appears all those executed were convicted murderers under death sentence confirmed after appeals and that procedure may have effect of counteracting boost to guerrilla morale from Ladas murder and discouraging further assassinations clearly foreshadowed by Markos Radio.

Grk Govt may feel it cannot afford show weakness in face of this and other Markos threats such as Jan 25 Belgrade Radio broadcast of Markos order to all rebel units to capture hostages “as reprisals for persecution and arrests of democratic citizens by Grk Govt”, and Mar 12 Markos Radio announcement that several captured GNA officers would be executed unless guerrilla prisoners taken Salonika area were released within 48 hours.

Relative moderation Grk justice despite extreme Communist provocation believed demonstrated by such facts as reduction number deportees under present Govt from 18,000 Sep 1 to 4,000 Mar 1 and acquittal by courts martial of 1,128 out of 2,127 persons arrested for security offenses during Feb and Mar (only 158 of those convicted have been executed).

Dept realizes US and Brit may not see eye to eye on all Grk developments but is anxious cooperate in privately talking over divergences [Page 83] opinion in effort reach common viewpoint or at least minimize public evidence of differences as in present instance where strong Brit statements will be contrasted with US silence.

Sent London 1651; rptd Athens 558.

Marshall
  1. Not printed; it reported information from Geoffrey A. Wallinger, Head of the Southern Department in the British Foreign Office, that Mr. Bevin felt that the executions by the Greek Government might throw the whole question of British policy in Greece into the melting pot again (868.00/5–548).↩
  2. Neither printed.↩
  3. Christos Ladas, Greek Minister of Justice, who was assassinated on May 1; for the message sent by Secretary Marshall to the Greek Foreign Minister, released on May 4, see Department of State Bulletin, May 30, 1948, p. 713.↩
  4. Constantine Rendis, Greek Minister of Public Order.↩