Letter from Michael MacWhite to Frederick H. Boland (Dublin)
(24/48/1521) (Confidential)

The American programme for effectively checking the Soviet advance into Western Europe is gradually disclosing itself. With the Marshall Plan and its development to put the interested countries into a state of economic preparedness, everybody is not acquainted. The military and naval strategy is quietly progressing along the same lines.

Only a few weeks ago, the announcement was made that United States Marines with landing and other equipment were being added to the ships of the American Task Fleet in Mediterranean waters. This provoked violent outbursts in the Leftist Press of Italy and in all the Soviet-inspired publications. A campaign to boycott the American sailors in Italian ports was launched, without much success however. In fact, the US fleet, consisting of an aircraft-carrier and eighteen other fighting ships, was given most cordial reception on their arrival at Taranto over the weekend. Admiral Sherman, in taking over command, told the Press that, while the ships were 'not in a state of emergency, they were always ready to back American policy to the limit'.

For some weeks, rumours have been circulating that the United States had taken over the big military air base of Mallaha in Western Tripoli. Notwithstanding denials, it has now transpired that this base was taken over from the British some time ago and, not this alone, but a number of other tactical and strategic bases along the coast of Cyrenaica between Benghasi and Tobruk. Ostensibly, these bases are for the Air Transport Command to facilitate aerial supply of United States Missions in Greece and Turkey and the Air Force detachment in Saudi Arabia.

It is apparent that this chain of air bases which would be jointly available for British and United States forces in Africa, the Aegean Islands and certain key Arab countries would be of vital importance in case of an outbreak of war with Russia. The four immediate objectives of this programme have been described as:-

1. The stabilisation of Greece and the strengthening of Turkey.
2. The restriction of hostilities in Palestine which are regarded as inevitable to as small a scale as possible.
3. Vigorous diplomatic manoeuvres to make joint defence bases available in the Middle East.
4. The establishment of a formidable British military depot at Kenya, and probably the reconditioning of the American air base at Eritrea.

This programme would stabilise the Eastern Mediterranean, and to some extent the Persian Gulf, and block all roads from Russia to the warm seas of the south.

The 40,000-ton aircraft carrier 'Midway', now at Taranto, is to return to America because of a defect in the turret for launching the V2 Bombs, but will be replaced at once by a ship of the same type and capacity.

Unless something snaps behind the Iron Curtain in the meantime, the American plans should materialise within the next two years. Winding up his speech of foreign affairs in the House of Commons the other night, the British Prime Minister said he did 'not believe war to be imminent'. That may be so, nevertheless Americans high in Government circles believe it now to be inevitable.