Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, The Near East and Africa, Volume V

S/S–NSC Files: Lot 63 D 351: NSC 103 Series

Memorandum by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Bradley) to the Secretary of Defense (Marshall)¹

top secret

Washington, 12 February 1951.

Subject: The Position of the United States with Respect to Greece

The Joint Chiefs of Staff, from the military point of view, recommend that the following substantive changes be made in the statement of policy contained in NSC 103 “The Position of the United States with Respect to Greece”:

a. Change the numbered subparagraphs (2) and (3) under subparagraph 2e to read as follows:

“(2) Repelling an attack by satellite forces augmented by guerrillas;

“(3) Causing maximum practicable delay to an attack by satellite forces with indirect Soviet assistance or to an attack involving direct Soviet participation;”

These changes would bring the paper into consonance with the current estimate by the Joint Chiefs of Staff as to Greek capabilities.

b. Change the general course of action in subparagraph 3c to read as follows:

“Provide such military materiel and deploy such forces to the general area as may be recommended by the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the light of the situation existing at the time.”

The Joint Chiefs of Staff feel that it would be militarily unsound to base the provision of military matériel and deployment of United States forces to the general area of Greece only on the criteria that such deployment would not jeopardize the security of the United States or areas of greater strategic importance to us.

For the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

Omar N. Bradley

1. On February 14, Lay, at the request of the Secretary of Defense, circulated this document to the National Security Council for its information in connection with the proposed consideration of NSC 103 at its meeting on February 14 (memorandum for the National Security Council, February 14, S/S–NSC Files: Lot 63 D 351: NSC 103 Series).