Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference), 1945, Volume II

Truman Papers

No. 1365
The Assistant Secretary of War (McCloy) to the Chairman of the State–War–Navy Coordinating Committee (Dunn)¹

top secret

Washington [Babelsberg], 19 July 1945.

Memorandum for the Chairman, State, War and Navy Coordinating Committee

Subject: United States Policy Regarding Dardanelles and Kiel Canal.

I approve the attached memorandum to the Secretary of State embodying a report by the Joint Chiefs of Staff on a recommended United States policy concerning the Dardanelles and the Kiel Canal. I think, however, that the United States should support such a policy only if it is satisfactory to Great Britain, particularly those points which appear in subparagraphs 4 and 5 under the heading: “United States Attitude Toward Possible Changes In The Montreux Convention” of the State Department memorandum regarding the Montreux Convention.²

If the British are not agreeable to the policy as set forth in the State Department’s memorandum, then, since this is a matter in which the British have a vital interest, the United States policy should be reviewed in the light of the British position.

John J McCloy

³

[Attachment]

The Chairman of the State–War–Navy Coordinating Committee (Dunn) to the Secretary of State

top secret

[Undated.⁴]

Memorandum for the Secretary of State

Subject: United States Policy Concerning Dardanelles and Kiel Canal

The following views of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the above subject have been approved by the State–War–Navy Coordinating Committee (Berlin) and are forwarded herewith, in compliance with the request of the State Department:

[Here follows verbatim the body of memorandum No. SM–2610 of July 17 by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. See documents Nos. 751 and 1363.]

James Clement Dunn

1. The copy of this paper in the SWNCC Files bears the following manuscript notation: “Original sent to Secretary of State with Memo from SWNCC” [i. e., the attachment to document No. 1365]. The presence in the Truman Papers of the signed originals of this memorandum and of its attachment suggests the probability that Byrnes passed them on to Truman.
2. Document No. 681, printed in vol. i.
3. In a letter to Colonel C. W. McCarthy, Secretary of the State–War–Navy Coordinating Committee, dated July 23, Gerhardt says: “Mr. McCloy discussed the memorandum [i. e., the attachment to document No. 1365] with the Secretary of War, and in accordance with Mr. Stimson’s thoughts, added a comment to his memorandum approving the paper.”
4. Circulated by the Secretariat of the Committee as SWNCC 169 on July 30.