Office of the Historian

867.00/5–1247: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Turkey

secret
Washington, May 15, 1947—9 p. m.

264. Terms of reference for survey mission to Turkey as agreed by State, War and Navy follow:1

1.
The survey of Turkey will be conducted by the US Amb to Turkey.
2.
An over-all study of the Turkish Armed Forces will be conducted to include the Turkish economic and industrial potential for national defense and to determine recommendations for assistance to Turkey, within the limits of appropriated funds, to include the following:
a.
Specific requirements of Turkish Army, Navy, and Air Forces for equipment and supplies, including a relative priority of various items.
b.
Detailed economic and industrial assistance, including specific projects or types of projects, which would improve the efficiency and/or the self-sufficiency of Turkish Military establishment.
c.
The desirability and feasibility of reorganization of Turkish Armed Forces designed to improve their efficiency and/or reduce the burden of maintenance of present large forces.
d.
Training of Turkish Armed Forces to be provided by US or British.
e.
Objectives, type, composition, and size of any US mission required in Turkey.
f.
Continuing participation of British in furnishing assistance, economic or military, to Turkey.
g.
Relationship of US and British missions, if both are required or desired in Turkey.
h.
Phasing of supply of required items.
i.
The degree of supervision to be exercised by US over the utilization of assistance furnished Turkey, and the method of exercising such supervision.
3.
The US Amb to Turkey will consult with appropriate departments of Turkish Govt, the Turkish Armed Forces, British missions [Page 173] or other British Armed Forces personnel in Turkey, and such other agencies or individuals as he considers desirable.
4.
To support his recommendations the Amb will prepare a report of his findings, which he will submit to Dept of State not later than 15 July 1947.
5.
Prior to consideration of his recommendations by US Govt, or during course of his study, should the Amb find it necessary or desirable that interim assistance should be furnished Turkey, he may so recommend.
6.
The basic objectives of US assistance to Turkey, as stated below, will serve as guidance in conduct of survey:
a.
The maintenance of present strong Turkish determination to resist Soviet aggression. (This will require continued confidence in US as a source of actual and potential support and the maintenance of a sufficiently strong and well-equipped Turkish Army to give Turks a feeling that their own defenses are strong.)
b.
Maintenance of Turkish economic well-being so that social unrest will not open way for Soviet-Communistic penetration. (This involves reduction of economic burden of Turkish Armed Forces to a point at which Turkey can eventually support them without outside assistance.) At present time the strength and productivity of Turkish economic system should be increased both to promote the general welfare of Turkish people and to permit Turkey to maintain by herself adequate defense forces.2

Marshall
  1. See SWNCC 358/1, p. 153.↩
  2. These terms of reference were incorporated in letters of May 23 by Secretary of State Marshall to the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy. The letters requested that Maj. Gen. Lunsford B. Oliver and Rear Adm. Ernest E. Herrmann, the senior Army and Navy members of the Planning Group under the United States program of aid to Turkey, be directed to proceed to Ankara as quickly as possible (867.00/5–2347).↩