740.0011 European War 1939/5092: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:30 p.m.]
138. Department’s 63, August 3, 1 [2] p.m.85 According to reliable information available here there has been no appreciable increase [Page 498] recently in the number of Soviet troops stationed in the Caucasus opposite the Turkish and Iran frontiers. It is estimated that the total number of divisions in this area might not be more than 8 to 10, a number which is not causing any concern to the authorities here.
The Embassy has ascertained from an authoritative source that there is no understanding of any sort between Turkey and Iran with regard to joint action in the event of aggression against either on the part of the Soviet Union.
During the past 4 months, the Turks have increased the number of men under arms from 500,000 to approximately 800,000. Two-thirds of this increase has been absorbed by Turkish troops stationed in Thrace which now number approximately 300,000. In this connection it is worthy of special note that in recent months there has been in progress a steady reenforcement of Turkish troops along the Black Sea littoral for 50 miles either side of the Bosphorus. As I have reported to the Department there has been no recent reenforcement of Turkish troops stationed in the eastern provinces.
- Not printed.↩