768.5/9–1552
No. 650
The Secretary of Defense (Lovett) to the Secretary of State
top secret
Washington, 15 September 1952.
Dear Mr. Secretary: Reference is made to your
letter of 26 August 1952,1 concerning the terms of reference and agenda
for the conduct of the forthcoming tripartite military conversations
with Yugoslavia.
Enclosed herewith are the recommendations of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
concerning the several matters raised by this letter and its
accompanying enclosures. You will observe that the Joint Chiefs of Staff
have also addressed themselves to the question of participation by
Greece, Turkey, and Italy in future military planning with Yugoslavia,
as well as notification to these governments concerning the presently
planned conversations, in which General Handy is to be the tripartite representative.
These recommendations of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have my approval. It
is my understanding that the initial tripartite diplomatic approach to
Marshal Tito may be made during
the forthcoming visit of the British Foreign Secretary in Belgrade next
week.2 I trust that this will make it possible for the
ensuing military conversations to be initiated at an early date.
Sincerely yours,
[Page 1306]
[Enclosure]
Memorandum by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff (Bradley) to the Secretary of Defense (Lovett)
top secret
Washington, 10 September 1952.
Subject:
- Tripartite Military Conversations with Yugoslavia
- 1.
- This memorandum is in response to your memorandum of 27 August
1952 on the above subject.3 The comments of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff which follow are addressed to both your
memorandum and its attached letter from the Secretary of State
with enclosures.4
- 2.
-
The terms of reference for the Tripartite Representative,
forwarded to you on 12 August 1952,5 had already incorporated the minor
changes desired by the British, that is, the addition of the
words “as appropriate” at the end of paragraph 1, and the
omission of underlining.
. . . . . . .
- 4.
- In order to mollify the French and to expedite initiation of
the proposed talks, the Joint Chiefs of Staff consider that the
Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, as executive agent for the three
powers, in transmitting to General Handy the implementing directive for the
initiation of the military talks, should call the latter’s
attention to the views of the French Government concerning
subparagraph 5 b of the terms of reference and direct him, in
the discussions, to take full account of the French viewpoint
and phrase his approach accordingly.
- 5.
- One proposal in the Department of State draft telegrams and
draft memorandum on which the Joint Chiefs of Staff were
requested to comment stems from the expressed desire of the
French Government to include in the terms of reference for the
proposed military conversations with Yugoslavia an item on the
subject of Albania. The Joint Chiefs of Staff agree in the
position of the Department of State thereon, and further agree
with the manner in which that Department proposes to present the
United States position to the British and French
Governments.
- 6.
- There is also included in the Department of State draft
telegrams to the British and French Governments a formal
proposal
[Page 1307]
that the
Greek and Turkish Governments be apprised of the fact that the
United States, the United Kingdom, and France intend to conduct
military conversations with the Yugoslavs, at the same time and
in the same manner as the three governments are already agreed
that such advice will be given to the Italian Government. The
Joint Chiefs of Staff concur in this proposal. In concurring,
they wish to express their hope that it will be found
politically expedient to make the three notifications
coincidently with the initiation of the talks.
- 7.
-
The Joint Chiefs of Staff concur in the view of the
Secretary of Defense that the contemplated notification to
Italy, Greece, and Turkey in the manner proposed may result
in strong requests by these governments for participation in
the military conversations with Yugoslavia. The Joint Chiefs
of Staff are opposed to the inclusion of Italy, Greece, and
Turkey in the initial phase of the military talks with
Yugoslavia, but consider that those countries should
ultimately be represented in the more detailed planning to
follow. Initial participation by these countries would, in
all probability, render it more difficult to lay a firm and
favorable groundwork for military coordination between
Yugoslavia and the Western Powers. It would also give a
distinctive NATO color to
the Allied approach which, in the light of the expressed
aversion on the part of Yugoslavia to any military alliance
with the West at this time, might seriously jeopardize the
success of the entire project.
. . . . . . .
… Item 5 of the agreed agenda, “Procedure for Further
Conversations,”6 has as its objective the
reaching of agreement on a procedure for the continuous
exchange of plans and information after the initial talks
have been completed. . . .
- 10.
- The Joint Chiefs of Staff are of the opinion that the general
tenor of the foregoing paragraph should be conveyed to the
Italian, Greek, and Turkish Governments when they are notified
of the initiation of the military conversations. This should
serve to reassure those governments that their military
interests will be adequately safeguarded in the initial
conversations, and that, subject to the concurrence of the
Yugoslav authorities, Italy, Greece, and Turkey will be invited
to participate in detailed planning conversations at an
appropriate time and should tend to dissuade those countries
from pressing for participation from the outset. The Joint
Chiefs of Staff are further of the opinion that the Chief of
Staff, U.S. Army,
[Page 1308]
as
executive agent for the three powers, should, in transmitting to
General Handy the
implementing directive for the military talks, authorize him, if
he deems it advisable, to notify the Yugoslav Representative of
the intent of the three powers to inform Italy, Greece, and
Turkey concerning the initiation of these discussions.
- 11.
- In the light of all of the foregoing, the Joint Chiefs of
Staff recommend that you express to the Secretary of State
agreement with the draft telegram and draft memorandum to the
British Government and the draft telegram to the French
Government, subject to incorporation of the substance of the
changes appended to this memorandum.7
For the Joint Chiefs of Staff:
Omar N.
Bradley
