868.00/2–2847: Telegram
The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Gallman) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
1371. For Henderson from Matthews. Reurtel 891, February 24.1 Warner2 showed me British file of telegrams on the situation in Greece and Turkey. There is little to add to Gallman’s telegram 1274, February 25.3 I am convinced that the Foreign Office is fully aware of the desperate situation in Greece differing from Ethridge only on the matter of the immediacy of the collapse.
However, the seriousness of Britain’s own financial situation resulted in the failure of Bevin to rally any support whatsoever against Dalton4 in the Cabinet in favor of continuing any financial aid to the Greek Army after April 1. It was only Norton’s unanswerable telegram on the consequences of such action that enabled the Foreign Office to obtain authorization for him to delay informing the Greek Government of the proposed termination of financial assistance March 31 pending some indication from US whether US is or is not in position to extend the required assistance by June. If some positive assurance to this effect is received from US in the next few days he believes it possible that the Cabinet could be persuaded to extend the funds necessary to cover the interim period; but he could give no firm statement that even this would be likely. I found he is under no illusion of the strategic effect upon Turkey’s position should Greece fall behind the iron curtain.
As to the maintenance of British troops in Greece he said that while the British were careful to avoid in any way linking the two questions in the public mind they probably would retain the few thousand in Greece until Russian troops were removed from Bulgaria in the stipulated 90 days after ratification of the Bulgarian treaty. He expressed the hope that everything possible is being done to expedite [Page 69] the report of the Porter mission to which he attaches much importance.
As to Turkey he had nothing to add to the information reported in Embtel 1274. [Matthews.]
- Not printed; but see footnote 7, p. 47.↩
- Christopher F. A. Warner, Assistant Under Secretary of State in the British Foreign Office.↩
- Not printed; Chargé Gallman advised that there was no reason to doubt British sincerity “in light of Britain’s over-extended foreign position and serious financial plight, plus political pressure within the Labour Party in case of Greece. As indicated, there has been no serious study in London of Turkish requirements in actual money or equipment. However, the estimates covering Greece give no indication, so far as we can see, of being inaccurate.” The Chargé also noted information from a Foreign Office official that although half of the British troops in Greece were now being withdrawn, the remainder, amounting to 5,000 or 6,000 men, would remain for the time being. Their expenses would continue to be paid for by the British (841.50/2–2547).↩
- Hugh Dalton, British Chancellor of the Exchequer.↩