841.2368/10–2149: Telegram
The Ambassador in Greece (Grady) to the Secretary of State
2144. British Ambassador came to see me October 19 at his request to ascertain, upon instructions from his government, my views concerning withdrawal of British brigade from Greece. He explained that British Government had always said their policy was to move it when situation allowed, and was again actively considering it in view of military developments in Greece.
I told Sir Clifford that my personal view was that the brigade might well be withdrawn without adverse effects and that this move might be expected to have favorable consequences in international public opinion and in fostering increased self-reliance among Greeks. The withdrawal, I said, seemed to me to be a logical concomitant of altered military situation and the prospective decrease of American and British military missions. I told him that reduction of American missions and revision of their relations with British missions appeared possible and desirable in view of altered military situation but we did not discuss in detail the size of such reduction or any long range differentiation of functions. Our own program for reduction had been forwarded to Washington and approved, I stated. Sir Clifford asked me whether I believed brigade should be withdrawn entirely or battalion by battalion. I told him that I would like to discuss this question with members of my staff. After such discussion I yesterday informed Sir Clifford that it was the Embassy’s view that the British should announce their intention to withdraw entire brigade. The procedure which would then be followed would be question of available transport and other technical matters which did not seem to me to have any particular political importance. The announcement was the important factor.
Sir Clifford informs me that he has communicated these views to his government.1
- Telegram 1827, October
26, to Athens, not printed, stated that the Department of State
concurred in Ambassador Grady’s views and had no objection to
the withdrawal of British garrison forces from Greece. The
Department felt, however, that the matter must be considered by
the Joint Chiefs of Staff before the final determination of the
United States position (841.2368/10–2649).
In his telegram L 4164, October 27, from Athens to the Department of the Army, Lieutenant General Van Fleet also concurred heartily with the proposed complete withdrawal of British forces from Greece. Van Fleet felt that the British Brigade’s presence in Greece during 1948 and 1949 had contributed very little to the success of the Greek Army in that it had not assisted in the training of Greek armed forces. The British battalion in Athens was almost completely utilized in guarding British supplies (Department of Defense files).
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