Office of the Historian

867N.48/9–2848: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of State, at Paris

secret
Washington, September 28, 1948—6 p. m.

Telmar 19. For the Secretary: Following memorandum from Joint Chiefs of Staff dated Sept 22 transmitted to Dept by Secretary Defense:1

“The Joint Chiefs of Staff have on frequent occasions pointed out the critical strategic importance of the Near East area and the necessity, from a military standpoint, of maintaining the Arab world oriented toward the United States and the United Kingdom.

“The present distress of some 300,000 Arab refugees from Palestine and the inability of the Arab nations to provide for their urgent needs [Page 1428] present an opportunity for the United States to strengthen the friendship of the Arab people for the people of the United States and to enhance the prestige of the United States, both of which have suffered as the result of recent events in connection with the Palestine situation.

“Therefore the Joint Chiefs of Staff recommend that, as a measure to strengthen our military position, the United States should emulate the actions of the United Kingdom by the early provision of general assistance to the Arab refugees from Palestine. Signed William D. Leahy.”2

Mr. Forrestal in the transmitting letter forwarding the JCS views stated that “only purpose of this letter is to advise you of the considered views of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the urgency of taking definitive action and of my concurrence therein”.3

Lovett
  1. On September 23.↩
  2. Fleet Admiral, United States Navy, and Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Armed Forces.↩
  3. Acting Secretary Lovett, in his reply of September 29 to Mr. Forrestal, stated that “the Department is deeply conscious of the urgency of the Near Eastern refugee problem and of its military and political implications, and is making every effort, in cooperation with representatives of the Secretary of the Navy, and with other agencies of the Government, to find means of extending assistance to the Near Eastern refugees.” (867N.48/9–2348)

    A marginal notation by Mr. Humelsine on Mr. Forrestal’s letter of September 23, made on September 29, states that he “notified Mr. Only of Mr. Forrestal’s office of Mr. Lovett’s view that cited JCS decision should be made known to President.”

    ↩