CAB80-25 — Page 519

Page 519

Page 519

се

10 BE KEPT UNDER LOCK AND KEY.

434

It is requested that special care may be taken to ensure the secrecy of this document.

(THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROFERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT)

COPY NO. 33

56*

This document was considered at Co..(41)

SECRET.

C.O.S. (41) 96.

14TH FEBRUARY, 1941.

WAR CABINET.

CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE.

Meeting.

&

ROUMANIA:

POSSIBLE AIR ATTACK ON OILFIELDS.

Copy of letters dated 12th (No. 1) and 13th (No. 2) February,

from the Foreign Office to General

smay.

No. 1.

X

X

X

X

X

The withdrawal of His Majesty's Minister from Bucharest in the next few days and Sir Reginald Hoare's own recommendation of the action we should now take (see for instance his telegram No. 302) have, I gather, already led the Defence Committee to consider the possibility

This of attacking without delay the Roumanian oilfields. being so, there are some considerations that we should like to put to you.

2.

It seems obvious that we cannot attack the Roumanin oil wells except from Greek or Turkish bases, for I suppose we can exclude the possibility of using the Fleet Air Arm for the purpose. It is, we fear, equally obvious that the Greeks and Turks will not consent to our using their territory for this purpose so long as they are not technically at war with Germany. If this is so, the whole question of immediate bombing of the wells assumes a somewhat academic aspect.

3. Meanwhile it may be argued that the Germans, knowing our need of Greek and Turkish bases, will, if they really fear our bombing of the oil wells, be careful not to precipitate a crisis with either the Greeks or the Turks until their defensive measures at the wells, refineries, oi We know that their defence reserves, etc., are completed.

at any rate, at the wells and refineries, are being pushed rapidly ahead..

* Annex I.

-1 -

Page 519

96

Page 519

Page 519