868.20/10–2348
Memorandum by the Secretary of Defense (Forrestal) to the Acting Secretary of State
I had a quick check made as to the availability of funds and the authority of the United States to utilize Greek-Turkish Aid funds if it should be decided that the Greek Army was to be increased by 15,000 men.
The authority for the use of the Greek-Turkish funds for this purpose seems clear. Of the $225,000,000 appropriated for aid to Greece and Turkey, $150,000,000 have been allocated to Greece and $25,320,000 to Turkey. (You will recall that of the $275,000,000 authorized, only $225,000,000 were appropriated.)
Before receiving your memorandum1 as to the possibility of additional aid to Greece, and in answer to a letter from George McGhee, [Page 172] Coordinator for Aid to Greece and Turkey, dated October 11,2 I sent a letter to you this morning3 recommending an increase in the Turkish allotment of $24,680,000, which would make a total of $50,000,000 for that country.
After receiving your memorandum, a member of my staff talked to Mr. McGhee suggesting that implementation of this recommendation be withheld until the subject of your memorandum had been acted upon.
If this additional allocation to Turkey is withheld, $49,680,000 would remain available for allocation. If, however, it should be determined that this additional allocation to Turkey should be made available, there would remain $25,000,000 unallocated which could be utilized for aid to Greece.4
For some time we have had a National Military Establishment committee whose primary job was to make continuing studies of the Greek-Turkish Military Assistance program, and the subject matter of your memorandum has now been referred to them for study and recommendation.