740.0011 European War 1939/7–1244
The British Embassy to the Department of State
Aide-Mémoire
It seems to His Majesty’s Government fairly clear that the Turks really mean business and that they would probably be prepared to [Page 880] go further than breaking off relations with Germany and in fact enter the War. The motive for this sudden change of heart is equally clear. By action on the eleventh hour the Turks expect to rehabilitate themselves both in British eyes and in those of the United States of America and U.S.S.R. Thereby they hope firstly to qualify for participation in the peace settlement and secondly to avoid the consequences to Turkey’s economy and international position generally of Germany’s disappearance as a political and economic power, which they know is rapidly approaching.
- 2.
- Two questions have to be considered. The first is whether we should be content with merely a rupture of relations with Germany and the second is how far we should meet the Turks in their desire to rehabilitate themselves.
- 3.
- The advantages of asking Turkey, at this stage, only to break
off relations with Germany are:
- (a)
- That this can be effected without delay.
- (b)
- That it should not involve us in military commitments; and
- (c)
- That it will produce very nearly the same moral effect on Germany and in the Balkans generally as would a declaration of War.
- At the same time if we now or at any subsequent date do wish to get Turkey into the War, the breaking off of relations with Germany will have been a most useful first step to this end. On the other hand if we were now to ask Turkish Government actually to go to War with Germany this would involve long discussions both as regards further war material which we would have to supply in order to bring the Turkish Army up to war strength. Pending these discussions no positive action would be taken and by the time agreement had been reached the War situation might have changed to such an extent that Turkish belligerency would no longer be of any value.
- 4.
- In view of Turkish eagerness to rehabilitate themselves we are not called upon in the opinion of His Majesty’s Government to pay a great price for a Turkish break with Germany. We must however reckon with the possibility that severance of relations may lead to a situation where Turkey will be involved in the War even if we do not press for this. The Turkish Government are therefore to some extent entitled even if they only break off relations to ask us for certain assurances regarding economic and military assistance which we shall be prepared to give them to meet the consequences of their action. His Majesty’s Government are not however in favour of an exchange of notes of any sort, especially of notes such as those proposed by the Turkish President of the Council which are both detailed and far reaching.
- 5.
- His Majesty’s Government proposes therefore to instruct His
Majesty’s Ambassador to accept with satisfaction the Turkish
Government’s agreement to break off relations with Germany and
to ask them to take this action at once subject to the four
days’ notice which the Turkish Government have said that they
require. At the same time His Majesty’s Ambassador would be
authorised to give the following assurances:
- (a)
- If Turkey breaks off relations with Germany, the Turkish Government will in the opinion of His Majesty’s Government have clarified her policy which had become obscure and confused by recent events and will have placed herself in a better position than hitherto to fill that International position at the peace making to which she aspires.
- (b)
- His Majesty’s Government will within the limits of their material possibilities afford the Turkish Government all assistance necessary to mitigate the economic disturbances which may result from severance of relations with Germany.
- (c)
- His Majesty’s Government undertake that if the action which the Turkish Government now takes or in the future shall take should involve her in hostilities with Germany, the United Kingdom will lend her all assistance economic and military in its power. This aid and assistance will be subject to conversations between two General Staffs and the two Governments as and when necessary. These conversations will cover question of resumption of military supplies of all sorts.
- (d)
- His Majesty’s Government also undertake to use their good offices with their Allies with a view to obtaining for Turkey assistance similar to that which in (b) and (c) they undertake to afford themselves.
- His Majesty’s Ambassador would be authorized to give these assurances in writing if the Turkish Government so desires it. They would however represent maximum which His Majesty’s Government would be prepared to offer.
- 6.
- His Majesty’s Government hope that this course has the approval of the United States Government and that they may count on their cooperation where necessary. In this connection they would welcome an assurance that the United States Government will share equally with His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom the burden of any financial and economic assistance (including the supply of military equipment) which it may be found necessary to give to Turkey. It would also be most useful if, after His Majesty’s Ambassador has taken action on the lines proposed, the United States Chargé d’Affaires could assure the Turkish Government that the United States Government associate themselves with His Majesty’s Government in the undertakings given in (b) and (c) of paragraph 5 above.
His Majesty’s Government would be grateful for a very early reply.