Office of the Historian

811.2390F/8–2549: Telegram

The Chargé in Saudi Arabia (Hill) to the Secretary of State

secret
Jidda, August 25, 1949—10 a. m.

502. Presented survey group1 to King 4 p. m., August 22, in brief courtesy call.

7 p. m. Yusuf Yassin and Fuad Bey Hamza called on us at Badia Palace and Brigadier General O’Keefe explained his instructions and objectives survey group. Hamza asked for brief summary for King and this was prepared following morning August 23 in form aide-mémoire.2

King received O’Keefe, Colonel Sherbourne, Captain Hensel3 and myself, 4 p. m., August 23. Seemed in excellent spirits in contrast quiet tenseness previous day.

After O’Keefe briefly summarized again his instructions and plans, King said he wished make statement. Said he wanted relations between his country and US to be more than just friendly, wanted them to be as one country, one government, one soil, all SA economic life now in hands Americans, his country’s welfare our welfare, therefore we are as one.

Hashemites, King continued, are his traditional enemies as we know. Therefore he desired work of survey group lead towards giving him military forces equal to or greater than forces Jordan and Iraq. He also asked that we draw on our intelligence sources and inform him re military strength of these two countries, said he would place at our disposal all data he has on this subject. In conclusion he authorized O’Keefe to communicate directly with him on any phase of survey group work.

Abundantly evident that King placing greatest hopes and faith on real success and visible results from survey group to be accomplished in simple, honest, and straight forward fashion and that if this is not achieved it will be a terrible blow to him. No doubt King recalls his statement to Ambassador Childs last May “I am asking you for [Page 1614] help for last time,” (Dhahran telegram 159, May 10).4 King invited entire group for dinner that night. During dinner, he authorized us depart following morning August 24.

Further details by despatch.5

Hill
  1. The Joint United States Survey Group to Saudi Arabia (JUSSGSA), with Brig. Gen. Richard J. O’Keefe, U.S.A.F., as its Chief. The group’s mission was outlined by Ambassador Childs to King Ibn Saud in the May 30 aide-mémoire, p. 1600.↩
  2. Not printed; transmitted under cover of despatch 197, August 29, from Jidda (811.2390F/8–2949).↩
  3. Col. Thomas L. Sherbourne, Jr., U.S.A.F.; Capt. Karl G. Hensel, U.S. Navy.↩
  4. Ante, p. 1595.↩
  5. No. 197, August 29, not printed.↩