For the Department's information I may add that it is not unlikely that any impression the Turks gained at Cairo that Great Britain was pressing them to enter the war and that a much more lenient attitude is held by the United States may have been reinforced by the fact that the negotiations since the meeting in Cairo have been carried on exclusively by the British. STEINHARDT 740.0011EW1939/32765: Telegram The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State ANKARA, January 18, 1944-11 p. m. [Received January 19-8:40 p. m.] 104. For the President, the Secretary and the Under Secretary. In conversation with the Minister for Foreign Affairs yesterday, I again took occasion to emphasize our desire that Turkey take an active part in bringing the war to a speedy termination and reminded him that we were as much interested as Britain and Russia in Turkey's active participation in the war. Numan replied that he knew this to be the case as he quite understood the close association and collaboration between the United States, Great Britain and Russia and their common desire to bring the war to a successful conclusion as soon as possible. He then remarked that as I was aware the Turkish Government had decided in principle to enter the war and that insofar as concerned the date of Turkey's entry, this was entirely in the hands of the British, as the Turkish General Staff had informed the British Military Mission that 180,000 tons of war material exclusive of gasoline was essential for the defense of the country and that as soon as this material is delivered Turkey will enter the war. From this he said it followed that the date of Turkey's entry could be expedited or delayed by the tempo of the deliveries of the requisite war material. In response to my observation that the reasonableness of the Turkish list of desired war material viewed in the light of the war material already delivered and the country's limited transportation facilities thus became the measure of his Government's intentions, Numan replied that the list was reasonable and constituted an irreducible minimum adding that he did not think it was too much to expect that the three great powers which desired a militarily vulnerable Turkey to enter the war should have been able to provide what he described as 18 ship loads of war material exclusive of gasoline between early December and the date to be fixed for Turkey's entry into the war. Numan then referred to the delivery of war material since the Cairo Conference which he said had been considerably less than the capacity of the country's ports and transportation system and expressed his dissatisfaction with the plan of joint operations thus far proposed by the British which he said contemplated a purely defensive operation, adding that he could not understand how the Straits could be opened to Allied vessels carrying war material to Russia under any such plan as that proposed. He then remarked that there must be a political reason which he said he could not fathom for the British desire that Turkey remain on the defensive after entering the war and that there must be some relationship between this desire and apparent unwillingness of the British to deliver what he described as a "modest" quantity of war material. At the close of our talk, after I had expressed concern at the lack of progress in the negotiations, Numan remarked in a more cheerful tone "Don't worry, we will eventually reach an agreement". STEINHARDT 740.0011 European War 1939/2-444: Telegram The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State ANKARA, February 4, 1944—2 p. m. [Received February 5-2:37 a. m.] 196. For the President, the Secretary and Under Secretary. The British Ambassador informed me yesterday that he had received instructions in the morning directing the immediate departure of the British Military Mission from Ankara. He was instructed not to give any reason to the Turk authorities for the departure. Accordingly the entire mission left last night for Cairo. The Ambassador further informed me that all shipments of war material to Turkey are being suspended and that he had been directed to avoid association including social relations with Turk officials other than relations regarded by him as essential pending further instructions from London. Hugessen said that no action has as yet been taken by his Government to suspend commercial shipments to Turkey because of possible retaliation by the Turks with particular reference to chrome. He added that when the inevitable inquiries are made of all of us by the Turk authorities as to the reasons for the action taken by the British Government it is desirable that no reason be ascribed so that the Turk Government will be left to draw its own conclusions from the action taken. He said he assumed the Russian Ambassador and I would receive instructions to conform our course to his. 7 The abrupt departure of the British Military Mission after several weeks of fruitless discussion as to the amount of war material to be delivered to Turkey is designed to impress upon the Turk authorities the extreme displeasure of the British Government with the attitude 7 Sergey Alexandrovich Vinogradov. adopted by Turk authorities in the course of the negotiations. It now remains to be seen whether the action taken by the British Government will cause the Turk authorities to recede from their position that they will accept nothing less than the entire 180,000 tons of war material requested by them exclusive of 68,000 tons of gasoline. STEINHARDT 740.0011 European War 1939/2-744: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) WASHINGTON, February 7, 1944–7 p. m. 103. British Embassy has informed the Department of the British decisions respecting the current negotiations with the Turks, as reported in your 196, February 4, 2 p. m., requesting our cooperation to the extent of instructing you to "cool off" in your relations with the Turks for the time being. The President has approved this course, which you are requested to follow. Please keep Department closely informed of developments. HULL 740.0011 European War 1939/33181: Telegram The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State ANKARA, February 10, 1944-5 p. m. [Received February 11-12:20 p. m.] 241. For the President, the Secretary and the Under Secretary. My 196, February 4, Department's 103, February 7. Since my telegram under reference no overtures have been made by the Turks to reopen the negotiations with the British. While I have every reason to believe that the Turkish Government is seriously disturbed at the abrupt departure of the British Military Mission there is as yet no evidence that the steps thus far taken by the British to express their displeasure are bringing about any change in the Turkish position. This may be due to the desire of the Turkish Government to await a clarification of recent international developments such as the Pravda incident with regard to alleged British negotiations with Germany, the rejection of Allied good offices in the Polish-Russian dispute, the constitutional changes in Russia, the rupture of diplomatic relations between the Argentine and Germany, Allied pressure on Spain, etc., before resuming negotiations which it is well aware must then lead to a commitment. The desire to await such clarification is probably 8 As telegram 937. strengthened by the conviction that the general military situation in Europe at the present moment does not warrant irrevocable commitment by the Turkish Government at this time to enter the war as of a fixed date. Having made it clear to the Allies that they are prepared in principle to enter the war the Turks seem disposed to avoid fixing a date for their entry pending developments which will permit them to select the most opportune time. STEINHARDT 811.20 Defense (M) Turkey/928: Telegram The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State ANKARA, February 18, 1944-1 p. m. [Received February 24, 1944-6:43 p. m.] 284. In view of the increased deliveries of Turkish chrome to Germany during the past 3 months and considerable decrease in recent months in the movement of chrome for British account, my British colleague and I have made strong representations in writing to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After a full discussion of the developments in the chrome situation during the past few months, Hugessen and I have agreed to renew to our Governments the recommendation made by the Embassies last October, reported in the Embassy's 1716, October 18,9 that urgent consideration be given to the interruption of rail communications between Turkey and Axis Europe and that appropriate action be taken to disrupt the railway line between Istanbul and Sofia. In view of the changed conditions we do not consider it necessary to make the reservation made previously, that the rupture of the railway shall not occur too close to the Turkish frontier. We recommend that the railway be ruptured at the point which will result in the disruption of rail communication for the longest possible time. STEINHARDT 811.20 Defense (M) Turkey/838: Telegram The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) WASHINGTON, February 21, 1944-6 p.m. 135. Department fully shares FEA's 10 expressed concern over substantially increased rate of Turkish chrome shipments to Germany during past 3 months. We understand from British here that your British colleague has lodged a protest with Minister for Foreign Affairs. After consultation with your British colleague, please make Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. IV, p. 1163. 10 Foreign Economic Administration. such representations or take such action as you jointly agree would be most effective. In this connection assurances given Embassy last fall and reported in Embassy's 1720 of October 18 11 would appear to provide secure basis for vigorous protest. STETTINIUS 811.20 Defense (M) Turkey/927: Telegram The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State ANKARA, February 23, 1944-2 p. m. [Received 10:17 p. m.] 319. Department's 135 February 21, 6 p. m. As reported in my 284 February 18, 1 p. m., I have already made a vigorous protest in writing. In subsequent conversation with the Secretary General of the Foreign Office,12 he informed me that immediately upon receipt of my protest the Foreign Office had given instructions that the movement of chrome for British account be materially increased. Although he gave me no specific assurance of a decrease in the movement of chrome for German account I gained the impression that this will follow. STEINHARDT 811.20 Defense (M) Turkey/947: Telegram The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State ANKARA, March 18, 1944-1 p. m. [Received 1:19 p. m.] 484. See my 319, February 23. The Secretary General of Foreign Office informed me last night that in response to the assurances given me by him that the movement of chrome for British account would be materially increased, approximately 4,000 metric tons of 45 to 50 percent chrome ore had arrived Iskenderun during the last few days and that the movement would continue. STEINHARDT 740.00112 European War 1939/10464: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) WASHINGTON, March 30, 1944-8 p. m. 280. 1. British Embassy here has informed the Department London has been reconsidering the question of economic policy toward Turkey particularly in relation to the facts that a) Turkish trade with Axis has been condoned in the past on grounds that Turkey obtained thereby from Germany goods which the United Nations were not in a 11 Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. IV, p. 1165. 12 Cevat Acikalin. |