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    "label": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, United Kingdom, Situation Report 25",
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    "title": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, United Kingdom, Situation Report 25",
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            "day": 7,
            "logicalDate": "1949-12-07",
            "month": 12,
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{
    "seq": 103,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875509/875509-01-103.tif",
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    "ocrText": "102\ndoubtless be attended by a considerable de-\nhave advocated a western European \"Third\ngree of Anglo-US friction, but it would leave\nForce\" bloc or a \"little England\" divested of\nunaffected the relations between the two coun-\nall overseas possessions or commitments-both\ntries with respect to the highest matters of\nbased on a rigid neutrality between the US\ninternational policy; the unity of US-UK stra-\nand the USSR-have apparently dissolved.\ntegic attitudes would not be altered. In mat-\nIn certain circumstances, however, which\nters of detail, even of important detail such as\ncould develop out of economic reverses, they\nthat of East-West trade, however, British pol-\nmight form again and attract support.\nicy would certainly tend to deviate from Amer-\nBritish domestic politics will remain con-\nican as the two economic systems diverged.\nstitutionally stable, and there will be no po-\nBritish industry will remain capable of con-\nlarization of political parties around the ex-\nversion to arms manufacture on a large scale,\ntremes of right and left. Reduction in the\nalthough it would require US support and be\nBritish standard of living, which now ap-\nvulnerable to intensive air attack. There are\npears almost inevitable, will probably produce\nindications that some encouragement is being\ntemporarily some degree of political instabil-\nlent industrialists to establish elsewhere in\nity, evidenced by diminished support among\nthe Commonwealth plants capable of arma-\nworkers for the government, or by the coming\nment production.\nto power of an administration with a majority\ninsufficient to assure decisive rule. Such an\n3. Political.\neventuality would certainly tend to diminish\nNo major deterioration in the extent of\nthe force of Britain in world affairs, and so\nBritish influence in the world is expected in\nadversely to affect US security. No appreci-\nthe near future. This wide-reaching influence\nable increase of Communist or other subver-\nwill continue to be exerted largely toward ends\nsive influences is to be expected.\nwhich serve US interests as well as British.\nUnder either political party Britain will re-\nHowever, fluctuations in British power will\nmain fundamentally friendly to the United\nfollow very closely fluctuations in Britain's\nStates, and its government will closely cooper-\neconomic condition. Serious economic de-\nate with the US Government. However,\ncline-unchecked by US id-would result in\nthere is in the UK an element of anti-Ameri-\na reduction of the British will and ability to\ncan feeling. It is not likely to have appre-\nsupport not only present defense efforts but\nciable influence on public policy, and it is\nimportant overseas commitments and a vigor-\ncertainly less strong than anti-British feel-\nous anti-Communist policy abroad. The US\ning in the United States. It is sufficient\nwould be virtually forced to fill the vacuum\nnevertheless to make the government have a\nleft by British withdrawals and to exert the\ncare to avoid appearances of subservience to\ninfluence which in many parts of the world\nUS influence, and it could be greatly intensi-\nis now competently exerted by Britain. At\nfied by injudicious US acts or pronounce-\nthe present time the minority groups which\nments.\nSECRET"
}