Editorial Note
On February 15 President Truman approved NSC 103/1, “The Position of the United States With Respect to Greece,” and directed its implementation by all appropriate executive departments and agencies under the coordination of the Secretary of State. NSC 103/1 had been originally drafted in NEA as a position paper elaborating the policy to be applied in the event of a Soviet satellite attack against Greece. As a result of subsequent suggestions from the NSC staff the paper was broadened to include economic and political considerations and hence became a “country paper” in which was summarized and projected United States policy toward Greece, which stressed an expansion of existing security arrangements with that country. (S/S–NSC files, lot 63 D 351, NSC 103/1)
On May 11 the National Security Council considered NSC 109, “The Position of the United States With Respect to Turkey.” This paper stressed the need for an early conclusion of reciprocal security arrangements with Turkey, including the incorporation of Turkey into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The covering note to this document, written by the Executive Secretary to the National Security [Page 525] Council, proposed that the appropriate paragraphs of NSC 103/1 be revised to incorporate a similar policy with respect to the inclusion of Greece in NATO. In a memorandum to Secretary of Defense Marshall of May 22, dealing with NSC 103/1 and 109, General of the Army Omar N. Bradley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reported that “the Joint Chiefs of Staff, from the military point of view, reaffirm their position as indicated in their memorandum to you, dated 30 April 1951, that United States security interests demand that Turkey and Greece be admitted as full members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).” (S/S–NSC files, lot 63 D 351, NSC 109)
On May 24 President Truman approved the revisions of the statement of policy on Greece contained in NSC 103/1 as proposed by the National Security Council in NSC 109 so as to stress the need for an early admission of Greece as well as Turkey to NATO as a formal policy of the United States Government. (S/S–NSC files, lot 63 D 351, NSC 109). For documentation on the origins, elaboration, and approval of NSC 103/1 and NSC 109, see volume V .