740.0011 European War 1939/5115: Telegram
The Minister in Greece (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 14—4:40 p.m.]
196. My telegram No. 195, August 13, 6 p.m.14 Competent opinion in both official and unofficial circles here remains considerably mystified as to what lies behind the continuing Italian press and radio campaign against Greece, but in view of the general European situation it is believed that clarification may be expected soon. Meanwhile, the Italians do not appear to have reinforced their troops in Albania and the relative unimportance Corfu and the Albanian frontier at this juncture suggests that Italy’s real desire at present may be to force concessions from Greece in a more immediately vital area. In this connection my Yugoslav colleague suggests the Aegean, and his Military Attaché after listening to a Rome broadcast last night accusing [Page 533] Greece of allowing the use of Cretan harbors to British warships has reversed his opinion of yesterday and now looks for an ultimatum demanding at least the use of Crete for the Italian forces during the war.
- Not printed.↩