Memorandum from Rear Admiral R. H. Hillenkoetter to President Harry S. Truman

SECRET CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE GROUP 2430 E STREET NW. WASHINGTON 25, D.C. 6 June 1947 MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT Since the announcement of U.S. aid to Greece there have been indications of a determined Soviet effort to forestall or defeat that program through increased support and direction of Greek Communist activities resulting in an acceleration and in- tensification of guerrilla operations and sabotage. Previously the Soviets were apparently satisfied with the political and military progress of the Greek Communists, providing only moderate material support through the Balkan Satellite States and general direction which the Greeks were permitted to apply with local discretion. With the arrival of the Border Investigation Commission in Greece, Soviet-Satellite liaison with the Greek Communists was tightened in order to in- sure more effective coordination. When the U.S. aid program was announced, Soviet-Satellite authorities took over direct high-level control of Greek Communist operations, rightly sup- posing that the Greek Communists alone could not counter the material aid and psychological effect of a U.S. program. S. TRUNAR Immediately following the announcement of the U.S. pro- NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND gram some Greek Communists considered giving up the "dynamic' RECORDS us SERVICE" policy hitherto pursued, but the murder of one leading advocate of moderation and the presumable murder of another quickly suppressed that idea. Within five days of the announcement a Greek Communist committee met to act on the request of Georgi Dimitrov (former head of the Comintern, present Premier of Bulgaria, and presumably chief Communist in the Balkans) that arrangements be made to disseminate anti-American propaganda and to carry out terrorist activities. In April the Soviet mem- ber of the Border Commission directed the guerrillas to inten- sify their military operations as an answer to "American capi- talist intentions." The Central Committee of the K.K.E. (Greek Communist Party), at its most recently reported meeting, held in May, discussed a campaign of hate against the U.S., the in- tensification of guerrilla operations, the extension of hostil- ities to Crete, the shipment of supplies from Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, and the possibility of sabotaging U.S. naval ships DECLASSIFIED Authority NLT- 76-15 SECRET By HC NLT Date 10-4-77