SALONIKA AGREED SUMMARY OF FRENCH AND BRITISH VIEWS.
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POINTS.
FRENCH VIEWS.
1.
The object of an Allied force at Salonika.
(a)
Primarily to prevent our enemies from gaining access to the Aegean;
(b)
2.
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Advantages of operating
Allied forces from Salonika.
To stiffen Balkan resistance;
(c) Assistance to Turkey, mainly in the event of attack through Yugo-Slavia;
(a) To provide a bridge-head for eventual offensive operations in the Balkans.
(a) Germany would be prevented from using Salonika as a naval base.
(b)
Allied prestige in the Near and Middle East would be maintained.
(c) Vigo-Slav resistance would be stiffened if the Allies were able to hold a line based on
BRITISH VIEWS.
(a), (b) and (c).
រ
Our primary object in the Balkans is to support Turkey and to make sure that neither Germany nor Russia reaches the Dardanelles.
REMARKS.
The French confirm that the Salonika project is dependent upon the assured neutrality of Italy, and the prior agreement of Greece.
(ă)
This object has not as yet been fully considered by the British.
(a) Agreed, but Germany could only make very resi ricted use of Salonika as a naval base, and could not achieve much result thereby. Nor could she make any commercial use of this port owing to Allied naval control of the Aegean.
(b)
Agreed, but our moral and material position in the Near and Middle East depends primarily on our support of Turkey.
(c) We have not yet given a guarantee to Yugo-Slavia.
The French High Command consider that if Germany attacks in
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