760H.61/9–749
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Chief, Division of Southeast European Affairs (Campbell)
Lord Jellicoe called today to give the Department the Foreign Office views of the situation in Yugoslavia recently received by the British Embassy. These views modify in some degree those which Mr. Dennis Allen gave to Mr. Achilles on August 26 (see memorandum of that [Page 945] conversation1). The Foreign Office agrees with the Department that a direct Soviet attack is quite unlikely. The British feel that Moscow is not so committed that it cannot retreat, believing that the Soviet capabilities for a volte-face are practically unlimited. However, they also feel that the Soviets are confident that they could undertake such an attack without serious risk of military intervention from the West, although realizing the effect such action would have on world opinion and on their own claims as the champion of peace. The Soviets may find, the Foreign Office thinks, that when they see the Western powers going a long way to help Tito economically, their best way out will be to liquidate him before it is too late. Also, the longer his collapse is deferred, the greater the strain will be on the Soviet bloc and the stronger will be the motivation to liquidate Tito quickly.
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