Office of the Historian

867N.113/3–1849: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom

top secret
Washington, March 18, 1949—8 p. m.

us urgent

945. Brit Emb Mar 17 orally informed Dept that a request for arms under Anglo-Transjordan treaty had been received from King Abdullah and that in view of recent Israeli moves in Pal and especially situation on Iraqi front “it will no longer be possible to refuse to send arms to Arab Legion”. Brit Emb said Bevin informing US Amb of this move.1 Emb officer thought main reason move was to enable Legion to defend itself if attacked by Israelis after taking over from Iraqis.

At working level Dept expressed great concern this move, pointing out adverse effect it likely to have on armistice negots and emphasizing likelihood resultant pressure to remove US embargo on arms for Israel. Dept also stated Israelis might seize upon UK decision as pretext to reopen hostilities. Dept furthermore expressed belief that sending arms to Legion would place UK in unfavorable moral position, since UK, which has stated Israel has acted contrary to UN resolutions, would be doing so itself.

Dept assumes in absence Emb report that Bevin has not raised this point or that you have handled it there on same basis as earlier discussions same subject. In connection any further discussion this point with UKG, they may be told that in our view minimum requirement prior to any such step would be notification [consultation] to [with]2 mediator.3

Acheson
  1. At a luncheon on March 16, Mr. Bevin expressed to Ambassador Douglas his concern regarding Israeli intentions, particularly over the possibility of Israeli action against Arab positions in Samaria. He said arms “have continued to flow into Israel on such a scale that it is becoming more and more ‘ridiculous’ for UK to refuse Arab Legion appeals for arms and ammunition.” Failure to heed King Abdullah’s requests “would not only adversely affect UK–Transjordan relations which are ‘important to all of us’, but destroy completely Arab Legion morale.” (Telegram 1051, March 18, 5 p. m., 867N.01/3–1849)↩
  2. The two corrections were requested by the Department in telegram 1007, March 23, 9 p. m., to London (867N.113/3–2349).↩
  3. This telegram was repeated to Amman and to Jerusalem for Mr. Ethridge. London, in reply on March 19, advised of information from the Foreign Office that the British Government would inform Mr. Bunche as soon as a final decision was made to begin deliveries (telegram 1079, 867N.113/3–1949).↩