711.56382/2–2850
Memorandum by the Director of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program, Department of State (Bruce), to the Director of the Office of Military Assistance, Department of Defense (Lemnitzer)
Subject: Reconstruction of Military Airfields in Turkey with FY 1950 MDAP Funds.
I refer to FACC D–19/2, November 15, 1949,1 above subject, and to the approval informally given thereto at the FMACC meeting February 23, 1950.2
As you are aware, the proposal set forth therein raised some very grave doubts on the part of the Department of State as to the wisdom of proceeding with the proposal concerned. These doubts were based upon considerations connected with the effect of the proposed action upon our foreign relations vis-à-vis certain other countries.
The possibilities of accomplishing the rehabilitation of the subject airfields without direct and open operational control of the project by the United States Government has been thoroughly explored in conjunction with the Department of Defense. It appeared that the need for these airfields, the need for adequate fiscal and engineering controls, and the disadvantages connected with other proposals considered compel the conclusion that it is impossible to accomplish the desired objective in any way other than as originally suggested.
The Department of State, therefore, is prepared to accept the proposal submitted in FACC D–19/2. However, it is imperative that, to the extent possible, it should appear that the work is being done for Turkey, compatible with the needs of the Turkish airforce, and not [Page 1235] for the United States of America in view of the needs of our armed forces. It is therefore requested that this factual position be clearly and publicly taken by all connected with this project. Of course, undue emphasis on the negative aspect of this doctrine is undesirable from the point of view of the U.S.S.R. reaction thereto; but appropriate emphasis on the Turkish need for this project should be accomplished.
- Not printed; this document transmitted to appropriate officers a memorandum of November 3, 1949, from the Office of the Secretary of Defense for consideration at a future meeting of the interdepartmental Foreign Assistance Correlation Committee (FACC). The memorandum proposed reprogramming the fiscal year 1950 budget for assistance to the Turkish Air Force to provide for construction of Turkish airfields. Ambassador Wadsworth and Turkish Minister of National Defense Hüsnü Çakir had agreed in principle on the Turkish and American contributions for reconstruction of the required facilities on October 21, 1949, subject to the approval of United States authorities. (Interdepartmental Committee Files: Lot 54D5: FACC D–19/2. Lot 54D5 consists Of documentation of Department of State and interdepartmental committees dealing with military assistance programs, inter alia, for the years 1942–1953.)↩
- The minutes of the interdepartmental Foreign Military Assistance Coordinating Committee (FMACC) meeting of February 23, 1950, do not refer to any approval informally given to the proposal for reconstruction of Turkish airfields or to any discussion of this proposal (FMACC M–4, February 23, 1950; Interdepartmental Committee Files: Lot 54D5: FMACC Minutes).↩